A graphene supported anode comprising: a substrate having a planar substrate surface; a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement comprising: a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; a silicon coating on the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement, the coating covering the plurality of peaks, wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T, wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

canceled

A method of making a grap h ene supported anode comprising: providing a copper substrate having a planar substrate surface; growing a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement on the substrate, wherein the vertically oriented graphed support arrangement comprises: App l n. No. 14/733,549 Response to Non-Final Rejection a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; and coating of the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement with silicon wherein the coating covers the plurality of peaks, and wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T. wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

A graphene supported anode comprising: a substrate having a planar substrate surface; a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement comprising: a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; a silicon coating on the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement, the coating covering the plurality of peaks, wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T, wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

canceled

A method of making a grap h ene supported anode comprising: providing a copper substrate having a planar substrate surface; growing a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement on the substrate, wherein the vertically oriented graphed support arrangement comprises: App l n. No. 14/733,549 Response to Non-Final Rejection a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; and coating of the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement with silicon wherein the coating covers the plurality of peaks, and wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T. wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

A graphene supported anode comprising: a substrate having a planar substrate surface; a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement comprising: a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; a silicon coating on the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement, the coating covering the plurality of peaks, wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T, wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

canceled

A method of making a grap h ene supported anode comprising: providing a copper substrate having a planar substrate surface; growing a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement on the substrate, wherein the vertically oriented graphed support arrangement comprises: App l n. No. 14/733,549 Response to Non-Final Rejection a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; and coating of the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement with silicon wherein the coating covers the plurality of peaks, and wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T. wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

A graphene supported anode comprising: a substrate having a planar substrate surface; a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement comprising: a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; a silicon coating on the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement, the coating covering the plurality of peaks, wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T, wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.

canceled

A method of making a grap h ene supported anode comprising: providing a copper substrate having a planar substrate surface; growing a vertically oriented graphene support arrangement on the substrate, wherein the vertically oriented graphed support arrangement comprises: App l n. No. 14/733,549 Response to Non-Final Rejection a plurality of basal nanosheets that are parallel to the planar substrate surface; and a plurality of vertical nanosheets, extending upwards from the basal nanosheets, forming a plurality of peaks, the peaks spaced apart by a distance D; and coating of the vertically oriented graphene support arrangement with silicon wherein the coating covers the plurality of peaks, and wherein the silicon layer has a pre-expansion phase thickness t and an expansion phase thickness T, wherein the distance D is 50 nm to 400 nm, and the preexpansion phase thickness t is 20 nm to 100 nm, the distance D and the thickness t selected so that when the silicon coating transforms to the expansion phase thickness T. wherein 2T< D, the adjacent silicon layers do not abut.