A waterborne protective coating system is disclosed that comprises at least one binder, water, and a dispersion of 2D material/graphitic nanoplatelets.

In order to provide a thermal transport structure excellent in bendability, heat dissipation property, and lightweight property and also a thermal transport structure having a high reliability against vibrations and an excellent heat transport performance, used is a thermal transport structure (5, 201) including stacked graphite sheets (1, 213). This thermal transport structure (5, 201) includes a fixing portion (10, 202, 301) in which the stacked graphite sheets (1, 213) are fixed to each other;

and a thermally conductive portion (11, 203) in which the stacked graphite sheets (1, 213) are not fixed to each other.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for purifying graphite particles. Graphite flakes can be milled, and then separated into groups with different nominal sizes. The different groups of particles are purified according to optimized purification processes. Groups of purified particles with narrow size distributions are created using embodiments of the invention.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for purifying graphite particles. Graphite flakes can be milled, and then separated into groups with different nominal sizes. The different groups of particles are purified according to optimized purification processes. Groups of purified particles with narrow size distributions are created using embodiments of the invention.

Disclosed is an anode active material for lithium secondary batteries that includes natural graphite particles consisting of spherical particles of agglomerated graphite sheets, outer surfaces of which are not coated with a carbon-based material, wherein the surfaces of the particles have a degree of amorphization of at least 0.3 within a range within which an R value [R=I.sub.1350/I.sub.1580] (I.sub.1350 is the intensity of Raman around 1350 cm.sup.−1 and I.sub.1580 is the intensity of Raman around 1580 cm.sup.−1) of a Raman spectrum is in the range of 0.30 to 1.0.

Disclosed is a method for producing rough spherical graphite, whereby rough spherical graphite can be mass-produced at low cost with high efficiency. The method comprises: a) a step for pulverizing natural flake-shaped graphite; b) a step for mixing the pulverized natural graphite of step a) and a liquid pitch including a solvent and pitch; c) a step for removing the entirety or a portion of the solvent from the mixture of step b) for which mixing has been completed; d) a step for producing a rough spherical graphite by rough spheroidizing the mixture of step c) from which the solvent has been removed; e) a step for heat-treating the rough spheroidized graphite of step d); and f) a step for classifying the heat-treated rough spherical graphite of step e).

Disclosed is a method for producing rough spherical graphite, whereby rough spherical graphite can be mass-produced at low cost with high efficiency. The method comprises: a) a step for pulverizing natural flake-shaped graphite; b) a step for mixing the pulverized natural graphite of step a) and a liquid pitch including a solvent and pitch; c) a step for removing the entirety or a portion of the solvent from the mixture of step b) for which mixing has been completed; d) a step for producing a rough spherical graphite by rough spheroidizing the mixture of step c) from which the solvent has been removed; e) a step for heat-treating the rough spheroidized graphite of step d); and f) a step for classifying the heat-treated rough spherical graphite of step e).

Provided is a composite anode active material including: a carbonaceous material; a metal alloyable with lithium, located on a surface of the carbonaceous material; and a silicon coating layer located on a surface of the carbonaceous material, on a surface of the metal alloyable with lithium, or a combination thereof.

Provided is a composite anode active material including: a carbonaceous material; a metal alloyable with lithium, located on a surface of the carbonaceous material; and a silicon coating layer located on a surface of the carbonaceous material, on a surface of the metal alloyable with lithium, or a combination thereof.

One or more techniques are disclosed for a method of functionalizing graphitic material, comprising the steps of: 1) providing a graphitic material; 2) cutting the graphitic material; 3) providing a catalyst comprising at least one catalyst of a metal atom, metal cation, metal alcoholates, metal alkanoates, metal sulfonates, and metal powder; 4) providing a reagent; 5) binding the catalyst to the reagent; 6) binding the reagent to the graphitic material; and 7) recovering the catalyst. Also disclosed is a composition prepared from the methods described herein.