Provided herein are high throughput continuous or semi-continuous reactors and processes for manufacturing expanded graphite materials. Such processes are suitable for manufacturing expanded graphite materials with little batch-to-batch variation.

A negative electrode active material of the present disclosure includes: a graphite particle having a void inside; and a first solid electrolyte. The void has a void size of 1 nm or more and 300 nm or less. The first solid electrolyte is present in the void. The graphite particle has, for example, a plurality of voids inside. The graphite particle has an average void size, determined by a mercury intrusion method, of, for example, 1 nm or more and 300 nm or less.

A negative electrode active material of the present disclosure includes: a graphite particle having a void inside; and a first solid electrolyte. The void has a void size of 1 nm or more and 300 nm or less. The first solid electrolyte is present in the void. The graphite particle has, for example, a plurality of voids inside. The graphite particle has an average void size, determined by a mercury intrusion method, of, for example, 1 nm or more and 300 nm or less.

Provided is a sulfur-carbon material composite body which, when used for an electrode of a secondary battery, is unlikely to degrade cycle characteristics at the time of charging and discharging of the secondary battery. Disclosed is a sulfur-carbon material composite body including a first carbon material having a graphene layered structure; a spacer at least partially disposed between graphene layers of the first carbon material or at an end of the first carbon material; and sulfur or a sulfur-containing compound at least partially disposed between the graphene layers of the first carbon material or at the end of the first carbon material.

A coating layer for a substrate includes a coating material. The coating material includes graphene and/or graphene derivatives that reflect and/or absorb an electromagnetic (EM) wave having a frequency of above 20 GHz. The coating layer is deposited on a surface of the substrate.

A silicon—carbon composite material contains: a carbon material comprising layers; and silicon particles supported between the layers of the carbon material. The specific surface area of the silicon—carbon composite material is 200 m.sup.2/g or more as determined by the BET method using nitrogen gas adsorption.

Methods of forming a nanocomposite of a base material and a plurality of nanoparticles are provided. In embodiments, the method comprises combining a first input stream of flowing fluid comprising a base material having nucleation sites, a second input stream of flowing fluid comprising a nanoparticle precursor material, and a third input stream of flowing fluid comprising a nanoparticle nucleation agent, to form an output stream of flowing fluid; heating or sonicating or both heating and sonicating the output stream for a period of time; and collecting a nanocomposite formed within the fluid of the output stream, the nanocomposite comprising the base material and a plurality of nanoparticles directly anchored onto a surface of the base material via the nucleation sites. The nanocomposites are also provided.

Disclosed are methods for forming carbon-based fillers as may be utilized in forming highly thermal conductive nanocomposite materials. Formation methods include treatment of an expanded graphite with an alcohol/water mixture followed by further exfoliation of the graphite to form extremely thin carbon nanosheets that are on the order of between about 2 and about 10 nanometers in thickness. Disclosed carbon nanosheets can be functionalized and/or can be incorporated in nanocomposites with extremely high thermal conductivities. Disclosed methods and materials can prove highly valuable in many technological applications including, for instance, in formation of heat management materials for protective clothing and as may be useful in space exploration or in others that require efficient yet light-weight and flexible thermal management solutions.

A graphene sheet including an intercalation compound and 2 to about 300 unit graphene layers, wherein each of the unit graphene layers includes a polycyclic aromatic molecule in which a plurality of carbon atoms in the polycyclic aromatic molecule are covalently bonded to each other; and wherein the intercalation compound is interposed between the unit graphene layers.

A graphene sheet including an intercalation compound and 2 to about 300 unit graphene layers, wherein each of the unit graphene layers includes a polycyclic aromatic molecule in which a plurality of carbon atoms in the polycyclic aromatic molecule are covalently bonded to each other; and wherein the intercalation compound is interposed between the unit graphene layers.