Lyten, Inc.

Bryce H Anzelmo

Michael Wayne Stowell, Jr

Daniel Cook

Bruce Lanning

David Tanner

Hossein-Ali Ghezelbash

Shreeyukta Singh

Chandra B Kc

John Baldwin

Thomas Riso

Karel Vanheusden

Joe Griffith Cruz

Carlos Montalvo

Minedys Macias

Ranjeeth Kalluri

Salik Khan

Elena Rogojina

Sung Hyun Lim

George Clayton Gibbs

Prashanth Jampani Hanumantha

Margaret Hines

Lauren Sienko

Daniel Jacobson

Philip David Fulmer

Ryan Balmores

Jesse Baucom

Kevin Rhodes

Tung Van Pham

Zach Favors

Joshua Sumabat

Saemi Poelma

Peter Boul

A composition of matter suitable for usage as a formative material for a lithium-sulfur battery cathode is provided. The composition of matter may include a carbon structure formed by multiple carbon particles interconnected to one another. Each carbon particle may include pores and exposed surfaces. In this way, an electrically conductive material (ECM) (e.g., silver and/or antimony) may be deposited in the pores and coated (e.g., conformally coated) on the exposed surfaces of respective carbon particles. In addition, at least some carbon particles may disintegrate and provide exposed surfaces prior to deposition of the ECM. For example, disintegrated carbon particles may have a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio than whole carbon particles, thereby providing an increased amount of surface area available for subsequent ECM deposition. In addition, in some aspects, an active material may be infiltrated in one or more carbon particles and pores.

Carbon structure including an electrically conductive material

A composite material, methods for its fabrication and example applications. The composite material comprises a polymer having a carbon allotrope incorporated into the polymer's crystalline structure. The material is characterized by a crystallinity greater than the native crystallinity of the polymer in the absence of the carbon allotrope being incorporated into the polymer's crystalline structure. The composite material is non-laminate, substantially excludes metals, ceramics, and cermets, and is electrically conductive. The carbon allotrope serves as a bridge between a first region of the polymer and a second region of the polymer. The fabrication method involves mixing a powder of polymer and carbon allotrope particles, suspending the powder in a solvent, spinning the solution into fibers, and drawing the fibers into a composite material. Applications include collecting data responsive to stimulating the composite material, comparing the data to thresholds, determining the material's condition, and transmitting a decision regarding its continued use.

Composite materials for anti-ballistic applications and methods of fabrication thereof

Inventive techniques for forming unique compositions of matter are disclosed, as well as various advantageous physical characteristics, and associated properties of the resultant materials. In particular, particles comprising polymer matrices are characterized by having carbon disposed within the polymer matrix structure thereof. The carbon is primarily, or entirely, present at interstitial sites of the polymer matrix, and may be present in amounts ranging from about 15 wt % to about 90 wt %. The carbon, moreover, forms covalent bonds with both atoms of the polymer matrix and other carbon atoms present in, but not part of, the matrix. This facilitates substantially homogeneous dispersal of the carbon throughout the resultant material, conveying unique and advantageous properties such as strength-to-weight ratio, density, mechanical toughness, sheer strength, flex strength, hardness, anti-corrosiveness, electrical and/or thermal conductivity, etc. as described herein. In some approaches, the resultant materials may be powderized or pelletized.

Carbon disposed at interstitial sites of a polymer matrix

Carbon composites, including carbon fibers in a binder matrix, exhibit unique, advantageous mechanical properties, including inter laminar shear strength, compression strength, and resistance to forces applied at various angles. These improvements allow use of less material while conveying improved strength in myriad practical applications, reducing overall financial cost of fabrication, distribution, and practical utilization. These advantages are optimized via utilizing fabrication techniques that incorporate carbon filaments into carbon fibers, preferably incorporating carbon filaments and/or graphene platelets into said fibers, and incorporating the composite fibers, filaments, and/or graphene platelets into a binder matrix. The filaments and graphene platelets mechanically reinforce individual fibers, structures including multiple fibers strung together in a single cord, and the binder matrix, by 'crosslinking' the individual fibers and/or fibers and binder matrix, e.g., with filaments and/or graphene ligands. The result includes materials exhibiting superior strength and reduced mass relative to conventional carbon fibers in a binder matrix.

Polymer matrix composites, and methods of making the same

The presently disclosed concepts relate to systems and methods for effluent stream abatement via pyrolytic emission looping. In use, the systems and methods include a feed gas stream, and at least one dissociating reactor that receives the feed gas stream. The at least one dissociating reactor outputs, at least in part, a carbon allotrope material and a discharge pyrolytic emissions stream. Additionally, a gas separating system is used to separate the discharge pyrolytic emissions stream into at least one species component, where the at least one species component is added to at least the feed gas stream.

Method for effluent stream abatement via pyrolytic emission looping

The present disclosure provides a protective enclosure for electronic systems. The enclosure comprises a polymer-containing matrix and a metamaterial incorporated into the matrix. The metamaterial is tuned to a specific permittivity or permeability to absorb or reflect a particular frequency. The protective enclosure may be used to create a safe inner environment for electronic components while facilitating uninterrupted wireless communications to/from the outer environment. Additionally, the protective enclosure may be used to protect against electromagnetic interference. In particular, shielding metamaterials are configured individually or in combination to specifically shield (via reflection, absorption, etc.) against relatively wide bands of electromagnetic frequencies, while transparent metamaterials are configured specifically to pass electromagnetic signals within narrow bands of frequencies. This new approach resolves and vastly improves current shield solutions, such as Faraday cages. For example, tuned metamaterials may be configured across a variety of preconfigured frequencies, and can be constructed of lightweight materials.

Frequency selective metamaterial for protective enclosures

This disclosure provides a reactor system that includes a microwave energy source that generates a microwave energy, a field-enhancing waveguide (FEWG) coupled to the microwave source. The FEWG includes a field-enhancing zone having a cross-sectional area that decreases along a length of the FEWG. The field-enhancing zone includes a supply gas inlet that receives a supply gas, a reaction zone that generates a plasma in response to excitation of the supply gas by the microwave energy, a process inlet that injects a raw material into the reaction zone, and a constricted region that retains a portion of the plasma and combines the plasma and the raw material in response to the microwave energy within the reaction zone. An expansion chamber is in fluid communication with the constricted region facilitates expansion of the plasma. An outlet outputs a plurality of carbon-inclusive particles derived from the expanded plasma and the raw material.

Microwave reactor system enclosing a self-igniting plasma

Carbon composites, including carbon fibers, are disclosed and exhibit unique, advantageous mechanical properties, including inter laminar shear strength, compression strength, and resistance to forces applied at angles deviating from parallel to the longitudinal axis of the overall fiber. These improvements allow use of less material while conveying improved strength in myriad practical applications, reducing overall financial cost of fabrication, distribution, and practical utilization of resulting products. These advantages are optimized via utilizing inventive fabrication techniques that incorporate carbon filaments into carbon fibers, preferably incorporating carbon filaments including three-dimensional (3D) graphene platelets into said fibers. The filaments mechanically reinforce both individual fibers, as well as compositions including multiple fibers strung together in a single cord, by 'crosslinking' the individual fibers with 3D graphene ligands. The combined result of these inventive efforts includes materials exhibiting superior mechanical strength and reduced mass relative to conventional carbon fibers.

Coherent or pristine graphene in a polymer matrix

A composite material is provided. In some aspects, the composite material may include a combination of a thermoplastic resin mixed with a polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA). Carbon particles may be mixed in the combination. In this way, the composite material may include between 80 wt. % and 90 wt. % of the thermoplastic resin, between 0.5 wt. % and 15 wt. % of PPgMA, and between 0.1 wt. % to 7 wt. % of carbon particles. Carbon particles may have exposed carbon surfaces with carbon atoms bonded to molecular sites on adjacent PPgMA molecules. At least some carbon atoms may be oxidized with one or more of oxygen-containing groups. Oxidation of carbon atoms may be associated with an increase in at least some PPgMA molecules chemically bonding with adjacent carbon atoms per unit volume. In this way, interaction between carbon atoms and PPgMA molecules may maintain composite material density within +/−3% of thermoplastic resin density.

Composite material including three-dimensional (3D) graphene

Electrochemical cells and batteries including a polymeric support system in lieu of a conventional, metal-based structures. The polymer support system provides mechanical strength and mechanical flexibility to the electrochemical cells in a manner that is advantageously greater than what is provided by conventional structures, in spite of the fact that the polymer support system contributes far less to the overall weight of the electrochemical cells. The polymer support system may be present in an interior volume of an electrochemical cell, e.g., in the form of a continuous polymeric network penetrating various components of the electrochemical cell. The penetrating structures may include the anode and cathode current collectors, and any/all components therebetween. Additionally or alternatively, the polymer support system may include various forms of external support structures, chemical anchors, coatings and/or casings of the electrochemical cell. Additional advantageous characteristics include improved recyclability and increased longevity of the electrochemical cells.

Internally enclosed support system for batteries, fabrication techniques and applications for the same

This disclosure provides a reactor system that includes a microwave source configured to generate a microwave energy, one or more energy sources configured to generate a thermal energy and a field-enhancing waveguide (FEWG) coupled to the microwave source. The FEWG includes a field-enhancing zone having a cross-sectional area that decreases along a length of the FEWG. The field-enhancing zone includes a supply gas inlet configured to receive a supply gas, a reaction zone configured to generate a plasma in response to excitation of the supply gas by the microwave energy, a process inlet configured to inject a raw material into the reaction zone, and an afterglow region configured to combine the plasma and the raw material in response to the thermal energy. An outlet outputs a plurality of carbon-inclusive particles resulting from the combination of the plasma and the raw material. Electrodes can be positioned proximate to the reaction zone.

Temperature-controlled chemical processing reactor

A method for continuously producing a composite material is disclosed. In some implementations, the method includes supplying a thermoplastic resin having an initial density, mixing polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA) formed of a plurality of interconnected PPgMA molecules throughout the thermoplastic resin, distributing a plurality of carbon particles throughout the thermoplastic resin and the plurality of interconnected PPgMA molecules, and forming, by rotational molding, the composite material based on a combination of the thermoplastic resin, the PPgMA, and at least some of the plurality of carbon particles.

Method of producing a composite material including three-dimensional (3D) graphene

Methods include producing tunable carbon structures and combining carbon structures with a polymer to form a composite material. Carbon structures include crinkled graphene. Methods also include functionalizing the carbon structures, either in-situ, within the plasma reactor, or in a liquid collection facility. The plasma reactor has a first control for tuning the specific surface area (SSA) of the resulting tuned carbon structures as well as a second, independent control for tuning the SSA of the tuned carbon structures. The composite materials that result from mixing the tuned carbon structures with a polymer results in composite materials that exhibit exceptional favorable mechanical and/or other properties. Mechanisms that operate between the carbon structures and the polymer yield composite materials that exhibit these exceptional mechanical properties are also examined.

Composite materials systems

A container may be formed from a composite material including a combination of thermoplastic resin and polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA) mixed with one another, a plurality of carbon particles mixed in the combination, and a plurality of pores formed in at least some of the mixed carbon particles. In some instances, the carbon particles may include a first region having a relatively low concentration of carbon particles, and a second region having a relatively high concentration of carbon particles. In various implementations, the plurality of pores may be formed in at least some of the mixed carbon particles, the thermoplastic resin, and the PPgMA. In some aspects, at least some of the pores may be configured to be infiltrated by the PPgMA.

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Bryce H Anzelmo