A method for producing secondary battery electrodes includes a step of preparing a moisture powder formed of aggregated particles that contain electrode active material particles, a binder resin, and solvent, wherein the solid phase, liquid phase, and gas phase in at least 50 number% of the aggregated particles form a pendular state or a funicular state; a step of forming, using the moisture powder, a coating film while the gas phase remains present; a step of forming a first groove that extends in a first direction, by transferring depressions and elevations, using a first roll die, into the coating film; and a step of forming a second groove that extends in a different direction, by transferring depressions and elevations, using a second roll die, into the coating film. Depression/elevation transfer is carried out in such a manner that the second groove is made deeper than the first groove.

A method for producing secondary battery electrodes includes a step of preparing a moisture powder formed of aggregated particles that contain a plurality of electrode active material particles, a binder resin, and solvent, wherein the solid phase, liquid phase, and gas phase in at least 50 number % or more of the aggregated particles in the moisture powder form a pendular state or a funicular state; a step of forming a coating film composed of the moisture powder on an electrode current collector, while the gas phase remains present; a step of forming a depression in the coating film by carrying out, using a die having an elevation of prescribed height, depression/elevation transfer into the coating film; and a step of carrying out depression/elevation transfer, using a die having an elevation higher than the elevation of prescribed height, by pressing the higher elevation into the depression that has been formed.

A method for forming a bipolar solid-state battery may include preparing a plurality of freestanding gels each comprising a polymer, a solvent, and a lithium salt and, also, positioning a first freestanding gel between a first electrode and a second electrode and a second freestanding gel between the second electrode and a third electrode. Each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode may include a plurality of electroactive particles. The method may also include infiltrating at least a portion of the first free-standing gel into a space between particles of the first electrode and the second electrode and at least a portion of the second free-standing gel into a space between the particles of second electrode and the third electrode.

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 electrode structure including an active material structure, the active material structure including a first active material plate having a plurality of first penetration holes extending in a thickness direction of the first active material plate; and a second active material plate stacked on a side of the first active material plate in a first direction, wherein the electrode structure is configured for use in a secondary battery.

An electrode disclosed here includes a surface part of an electrode active material layer has a plurality of first grooves extending in a width direction of the electrode current collector and at least one second groove extending in a longitudinal direction of an electrode current collector. The first groove is formed to be continuous from one end to another end. Here, a region in which the first groove and the second groove are formed is uniformly divided into three layers, which are an upper layer, an intermediate layer and a lower layer, in a thickness direction from the surface of the electrode active material layer to the electrode current collector, and when electrode densities (g/cm.sup.3) of the upper layer, the intermediate layer and the lower layer of the groove are d.sub.1, d.sub.2, and d.sub.3, respectively, a relationship of 0.8<(d.sub.1/d.sub.3)<1.1 is satisfied.

A method of producing an electrode disclosed here includes a step in which a moisture powder formed of agglomerated particles; a step in which by using the moisture powder, a coating film composed of the moisture powder is formed on an electrode current collector, with a gas phase of the coating film being remained so that the average film thickness of the coating film is 50 μm or more; a step in which the coating film on the current collector is transported, concavo-convex transfer is performed using a roll mold, and thus at least one groove extending in the transport direction is formed in a center of a surface part of the coating film, with the groove being formed to have a depth satisfying ( 9/10×t.sub.1)>t.sub.2; and a step in which the coating film formed on the current collector is dried to form an electrode active material layer.

Silicon particles for active materials and electro-chemical cells are provided. The active materials comprising silicon particles described herein can be utilized as an electrode material for a battery. In certain embodiments, the composite material includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of silicon particles. The silicon particles have an average particle size between about 0.1 μm and about 30 μm and a surface including nanometer-sized features. The composite material also includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of one or more types of carbon phases. At least one of the one or more types of carbon phases is a substantially continuous phase.

Silicon particles for active materials and electro-chemical cells are provided. The active materials comprising silicon particles described herein can be utilized as an electrode material for a battery. In certain embodiments, the composite material includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of silicon particles. The silicon particles have an average particle size between about 0.1 μm and about 30 μm and a surface including nanometer-sized features. The composite material also includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of one or more types of carbon phases. At least one of the one or more types of carbon phases is a substantially continuous phase.

Aspects relate to patterned nanostructures having a feature size not including film thickness below 5 microns. The patterned nanostructures are made up of nanoparticles having an average particle size less than 100 nm. A nanoparticle composition, which, in some cases, includes a binder material, is applied to a substrate. A patterned mold used in concert with electromagnetic radiation manipulate the nanoparticle composition in forming the patterned nanostructure. In some embodiments, the patterned mold nanoimprints a suitable pattern onto the nanoparticle composition and the composition is cured through UV or thermal energy. Three-dimensional patterned nanostructures may be formed. A number of patterned nanostructure layers may be prepared and joined together. In some cases, a patterned nanostructure may be formed as a layer that is releasable from the substrate upon which it is initially formed. Such releasable layers may be arranged to form a three-dimensional patterned nanostructure in accordance with suitable applications.