This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high-carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

The present invention covers a novel method for creating an adsorbent and the resulting novel adsorbent. The method may be used to remove pollutants/unwanted chemicals from water, air, other gases, biological fluids (such as blood, urine, lipids, protein fluids), and other fluids (such as fuel). The adsorbent may be used to remove heavy metals (for example, lead), organic pollutants, inorganic non-meal pollutants (for example, nitrates and bromates). Accordingly, the current invention has many applications including but not limited to water treatment, wastewater treatment, biomedical fluid treatments, gas cleanup, and fuel (oil, gas) cleanup.

The present invention provides a carbon-lithium composite powder and a preparation method thereof. In the present invention, a carbon material is used as a skeleton to support metal lithium, which increases the specific surface area of the composite powder, and can effectively reduce the current density and stabilize the surface potential of an electrode, thereby effectively inhibit the growth of lithium dendrites during the process in which the metal lithium is used as an anode material. The present invention provides a method for preparing a lithium metal secondary battery electrode. In the present invention, a roller-press flaking process is adopted to prepare the electrode, such that it is easy to regulate the effective capacity of the metal lithium loaded on the current collector, thereby better matching the corresponding active cathode material to improve the effective utilization rate of the metal lithium.

The present invention provides a carbon-lithium composite powder and a preparation method thereof. In the present invention, a carbon material is used as a skeleton to support metal lithium, which increases the specific surface area of the composite powder, and can effectively reduce the current density and stabilize the surface potential of an electrode, thereby effectively inhibit the growth of lithium dendrites during the process in which the metal lithium is used as an anode material. The present invention provides a method for preparing a lithium metal secondary battery electrode. In the present invention, a roller-press flaking process is adopted to prepare the electrode, such that it is easy to regulate the effective capacity of the metal lithium loaded on the current collector, thereby better matching the corresponding active cathode material to improve the effective utilization rate of the metal lithium.

A method for producing carbon powder having a defined carbon particle size distribution comprises the steps of:a) selecting a carbon precursor powder of a defined precursor particle size distribution, the carbon precursor powder consisting of or comprising particles of one or more meltable carbon precursors; b) treating the carbon precursor powder to round at least some of the particles of the carbon precursor and thereby produce a rounded carbon precursor; and c) carbonizing the rounded carbon precursor; wherein the defined precursor particle size distribution is such that on carbonization the powder of defined carbon particle size distribution is produced.

This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high-carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high-carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

The present invention relates to a carbonaceous material having a specific surface area of 1,800 m.sup.2/g to 3,000 m.sup.2/g according to a BET method, an R-value of 1.2 or more and a G-band half-value width of 70 cm.sup.1 or more according to a Raman spectrum.

The present invention relates to a carbonaceous material which is derived from a plant, having a specific surface area of 1800 to 3000 m.sup.2/g as measured by a BET method, a hydrogen element content of 0.42% by mass or less and an oxygen element content of 1.5% by mass or less.

A method, system and equipment (31) for activating biochar (29) includes flowing a reactive gas into a chamber (33; 305), using an electrical field to create a plasma (75) in the chamber, using a magnetic field (105) to increase density of the plasma and activating biochar with the plasma in the chamber. Use of inductive magnetic coil(s) (131) with an essentially closed loop magnetic field, and/or a permanent magnet(s) (101; 317) are also provided in a further aspect of the present method and apparatus. Another aspect causes magnetic densification of one or multiple plasmas in a chamber (305) to treat a previously produced layer of thin film (303).