An interfacial protective coating layer of LTO is effective in preventing unwanted interfacial reactions between the solid-state electrolyte and cathode electrodes from occurring. Incorporation of the inventive coating into sodium-based all-solid-state batteries allows for room temperature operation, high voltage, and long cycle life.

A precursor solution according to the present disclosure contains: an organic solvent; a lithium oxoacid salt that exhibits a solubility in the organic solvent; and a base metal compound that exhibits a solubility in the organic solvent and that is at least one base metal selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, and Sb.

An alkaline electrochemical cell has a central cathode having a corresponding cathode current collector electrically connected with a positive terminal of the electrochemical cell. The cathode current collector has a tubular shape, such as a cylindrical shape or rectangular shape, extending parallel with the length of the central cathode. The cathode current collector is embedded within the central cathode, such as at a medial point of a radius of the central cathode, thereby minimizing the distance between the cathode current collector and any portion of the central cathode, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the cathode and facilitating charge transfer to the cathode current collector.

Provided are a method of fabricating an anode for lithium-sulfur batteries and a lithium-sulfur battery. The method includes: mixing a carbon raw material and a binder; obtaining a carbon layer by preparing the mixture of the carbon raw material and the binder in the form of a layer; drying the carbon layer; forming a carbon thin layer by compressing the dried carbon layer; and stacking the carbon thin layer on an anode for lithium-sulfur batteries.

A battery capable of improving cycle characteristics is provided. An anode active material layer is formed by forming a precursor layer containing active material particles containing Si and Li as an element, and then heating the resultant. Thereby, the active material particles are bound to each other by sintering or fusing, and united three-dimensionally. Since Li is contained therein, the active material particles can be sufficiently sintered even if the heating temperature is low, 600 deg C.

A battery plate having a substrate with opposing surfaces and one or more nonplanar structures and one or more active materials disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces; wherein the battery plate includes one or more of: i) one or more projections disposed within but do not extend beyond the active material; ii) one or more projections which project beyond the active material and substantially free of the active material or dust formed from the active material; and/or iii) a frame about the periphery of the substrate which projects beyond the active material and is substantially free of the active material or dust formed from the active material; and wherein the battery plate is adapted to form part of one or more electrochemical cells in a battery assembly.

A method of manufacturing a free-standing electrode film includes preparing a mixture including an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder, heating the mixture to 70° C. or higher, subjecting the mixture to a shear force, and, after the mixture has been subjected to the shear force, pressing the mixture into a free-standing film. The method may further include adding a solvent to the mixture. A resulting free-standing electrode film may include an amount of binder less than 4% by weight.

Embodiments described herein relate generally to apparatuses and processes for forming semi-solid electrodes having high active solids loading by removing excess electrolyte. In some embodiments, the semi-solid electrode material can be formed by mixing an active material and, optionally, a conductive material in a liquid electrolyte to form a suspension. In some embodiments, the semi-solid electrode material can be disposed onto a current collector to form an intermediate electrode. In some embodiments, the semi-solid electrode material can have a first composition in which the ratio of electrolyte to active material is between about 10:1 and about 1:1. In some embodiments, a method for converting the semi-solid electrode material from the first composition into the second composition includes removing a portion of the electrolyte from the semi-solid electrode material. In some embodiments, the method includes mechanically compressing the intermediate electrode to remove the portion of electrolyte from the semi-solid electrode material.

An electrochemical cell includes an anode, a semi-solid cathode, and a separator disposed therebetween. The semi-solid cathode includes a porous current collector and a suspension of an active material and a conductive material disposed in a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte. The porous current collector is at least partially disposed within the suspension such that the suspension substantially encapsulates the porous current collector.

A method of manufacturing an electrode includes a step of preparing a granulated material containing an electrode active material, a binder, and a solvent, a step of compressing the granulated material between a pair of rolls, to form an electrode composite layer, and a step of placing the electrode composite layer on an electrode current collector. At least one of the pair of rolls has a temperature of 40° C. or higher.