Multi-level graphene-protected anode active material particles for battery applications

1. A graphene-embraced particulate for use as a lithium-ion battery anode active material, wherein said particulate comprises a single or a plurality of graphene-encapsulated primary particles of an anode active material, comprising a primary particle of said anode active material and multiple sheets of a first graphene material overlapped together to embrace or encapsulate said primary particle, and wherein said single or a plurality of graphene-encapsulated primary particles, along with a conductive additive, are further embraced or encapsulated by multiple sheets of a second graphene material, wherein said first graphene material is the same as or different from said second graphene material, wherein said first graphene material or said second graphene material is selected from graphene chloride, hydrogenated graphene, or a combination thereof, and wherein said first graphene material and said second graphene material are each in an amount from 0.01% to 20% by weight and said conductive additive is in an amount from 0% to 50% by weight, all based on a total weight of said particulate, wherein said particulate is spherical or ellipsoidal in shape.

2. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said first graphene material or said second graphene material comprises single-layer graphene or few-layer graphene, wherein said few-layer graphene is defined as a graphene sheet or platelet formed of 2 to 10 graphene planes.

3. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said first graphene material is different than said second graphene material.

4. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said anode active material comprises an element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Cd, Sb, Pb, Bi, Zn, Al, Co, Ni, Ti and combinations thereof.

5. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said anode active material is selected from the group consisting of:

a. lithiated and un-lithiated silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), zinc (Zn), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and cadmium (Cd);

b. lithiated and un-lithiated alloys or intermetallic compounds of Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, Zn, Al, Ti, Ni, Co, or Cd with other elements;

c. lithiated and un-lithiated oxides, carbides, nitrides, sulfides, phosphides, selenides, and tellurides of Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, Zn, Al, Ti, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, V, or Cd, and their mixtures, composites, or lithium-containing composites;

d. lithiated and un-lithiated salts and hydroxides of Sn;

e. lithium titanate, lithium manganate, lithium aluminate, lithium-containing titanium oxide, lithium transition metal oxide;

and combinations thereof.

6. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said primary particles of an anode active material have a size from 10 nm to 1 μm.

7. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said primary particles of an anode active material have a size from 10 nm to 100 nm.

8. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said conductive additive is selected from amorphous carbon, CVD carbon, carbonized resin, expanded graphite platelet, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber, carbon fiber, graphite fiber, pitch, coke, carbon black, acetylene black, activated carbon, pitch-derived soft carbon (graphitizable carbon), pitch-derived hard carbon (non-graphitizable carbon), natural graphite particle, artificial graphite particle, electron-conducting polymer, lithium ion-conducting polymer, or a combination thereof, wherein said conductive additive is in electronic contact with said graphene-encapsulated primary particle.

9. The particulate of claim 8 , wherein said carbonized resin is obtained from pyrolyzation of a polymer selected from the group consisting of phenol-formaldehyde, polyacrylonitrile, styrene-based polymers, cellulosic polymers, epoxy resins, and combinations thereof.

10. The particulate of claim 1 , wherein said primary particles of anode active material are selected from lithiated titanium dioxide, lithiated titanium oxide, lithium titanate, or Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 .

11. The particulate of claim 1 wherein said primary particles of anode active material are selected from natural graphite, artificial graphite, mesocarbon microbead (MCMB), graphitic coke, mesophase carbon, hard carbon, soft carbon, polymeric carbon, carbon or graphite fiber segments, carbon nanofiber or graphitic nanofiber, carbon nanotube, or a combination thereof.

12. A mass of multiple particulates as defined in claim 1 .

13. A lithium battery anode electrode containing a mass of multiple particulates of claim 1 and optional conductive filler and binder.

14. A lithium battery containing the anode electrode of claim 13 .

15. A lithium battery containing the anode electrode of claim 13 and a cathode comprising cathode particulates, wherein a cathode particulate comprises a single or a plurality of graphene-encapsulated primary particles of a cathode active material, having a size from 5 nm to 20 μm, wherein said graphene-encapsulated primary particle is composed of a primary particle of said cathode active material and multiple sheets of a first graphene material overlapped together to embrace or encapsulate said primary particle and wherein said single or a plurality of graphene-encapsulated primary particles, along with a conductive additive, are further embraced or encapsulated by multiple sheets of a second graphene material.

16. A battery electrode containing said graphene-embraced particulate produced in claim 1 as an anode active material, wherein said battery is a lithium-ion battery, lithium metal secondary battery, lithium-sulfur battery, lithium-air battery, lithium-selenium battery, sodium-ion battery, sodium metal secondary battery, sodium-sulfur battery, sodium-air battery, magnesium-ion battery, magnesium metal battery, aluminum-ion battery, aluminum metal secondary battery, zinc-ion battery, zinc metal battery, or zinc-air battery.