Abstract: A battery electrode manufacturing apparatus including: a front end die which cuts a strip-shaped electrode material into an electrode shape; a hand which grasps the electrode material and conveys the electrode material to the cutting position of the front end die; and a first suction conveyor which is disposed upstream of the front end die in a conveying direction and has a supporting surface for supporting the electrode material during the cutting by the front end die. The hand includes a first grasper and a second grasper, and the first suction conveyor is disposed between the first grasper and the second grasper. The hand carries the electrode material to the cutting position, at such a position that the electrode material does not contact the front end die and the first suction conveyor.

Abstract: A lithium ion conductor represented by Formula 1: Li1+x+2yAlxMgyM2?x?y(PO4)3 ??Formula 1 wherein, in Formula 1, M includes at least one of titanium (Ti), germanium (Ge), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), and tin (Sn), 0<x<0.6, and 0<y<0.2.

Abstract: A battery module comprises a plurality of electrically interconnected battery cells, a module cover, and a battery cell monitoring unit. The battery cells include at least one terminal cover. The battery cell monitoring unit is positioned on an inner face of the at least one terminal cover.

Abstract: Electrolyte materials for use in electrochemical cells, electrochemical cells comprising the same, and methods of making such materials and cells, are generally described. In some embodiments, the materials, processes, and uses described herein relate to electrochemical cells comprising sulfur and lithium such as, for example, lithium sulfur batteries. The electrolyte can comprise a polymeric material and, in some cases, an absorbed auxiliary material. For example, the electrolyte material can be capable of forming a gel, and the auxiliary material can comprise an electrolyte solvent. In some instances, the electrolyte material can comprise at least one organic (co)polymer selected from polyethersulfones, polyvinylalcohols (PVOH) and branched polyimides (HPI). The non-fluid material in the electrolyte, when configured for use, can, alone or in combination with the optional absorbed auxiliary material, have a yield strength greater than that of lithium metal, in some embodiments.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for conditioning fluids stored in an underwater cryogenic storage vessel designed for use in a fuel system of an underwater vehicle. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a fuel system includes a fuel cell and a storage vessel, which stores a first fluid that is supplied to the fuel cell and a second fluid that is produced by the fuel cell. The fuel system also includes a thermal conditioning module that receives the first fluid from the storage vessel and receives the second fluid from the fuel cell. The first fluid stored in the storage vessel is conditioned by absorbing heat from the second fluid, such that the fuel cell receives the conditioned first fluid. The second fluid received from the fuel cell is in gaseous state and is converted to a liquid. The liquid second fluid is stored in the storage vessel.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack in fluid communication with a separator. The separator has a first portion and a second portion forming a chamber. The first portion has a continuous inner wall and an end wall, with an inlet conduit connected to the inner wall and a liquid drain connected to the end wall. The second portion has an end wall and an outlet conduit extending into the chamber to form a channel with the inner wall of the first portion. A fuel cell separator includes a first end and a second end connected by a side wall to define a separation chamber. An inlet conduit is tangentially connected to the wall. An outlet conduit is connected to the first end and extending into the chamber to form a channel with the wall. A liquid drain is connected to the second end.

Abstract: An example separator includes a spacer section that fits between a first battery cell and a second battery cell, a projection from the spacer section that contacts a structure to limit upward movement of the spacer section, and a restraining tab from the spacer section that limits upward movement of the first battery cell, the second battery cell, or both relative to the spacer section.

Abstract: A device for extending the life of a battery, including an electrode having a metal portion, wherein the metal portion is selected from the group including lithium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and combinations thereof, an electrolyte permeable membrane, and a metal dendrite seeding material disposed between the electrode and the membrane. The electrode, the membrane and the metal dendrite seeding material are positioned in an electrolyte matrix. At least one dendrite extends from the electrode toward the electrolyte permeable membrane combines with at least one dendrite extending from the dendrite seeding material.

Abstract: A fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, and a control portion that determines whether there is leakage of the fuel gas. The control portion has start means for starting the fuel cell by raising the voltage of the fuel cell from a starting voltage to an operation voltage that is lower than an open-circuit voltage, and leakage determination means for determining whether there is leakage of the fuel gas before the voltage of the fuel cell reaches the operation voltage when the fuel cell is started.

Abstract: Disclosed is an anode active material for lithium secondary batteries that includes natural graphite particles consisting of spherical particles of agglomerated graphite sheets, outer surfaces of which are not coated with a carbon-based material, wherein the surfaces of the particles have a degree of amorphization of at least 0.3 within a range within which an R value [R=I1350/I1580] (I1350 is the intensity of Raman around 1350 cm?1 and I1580 is the intensity of Raman around 1580 cm?1) of a Raman spectrum is in the range of 0.30 to 1.0.

Abstract: A method for determining membrane humidification by determining the membrane protonic resistance of a fuel cell stack at humidified conditions, and normalizing the base resistance of the fuel cell stack against the base resistance of a reference fuel cell stack.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery cell including an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure, the electrode assembly being impregnated with an electrolyte, the electrode assembly being chargeable and dischargeable, a battery case in which the electrode assembly is mounted, the battery case being made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and an alumina coating layer applied to at least a portion of an outer surface of the battery case by anodizing.

Abstract: A rechargeable electrochemical battery in the form of a single or multi-stranded wire assembly may be utilized as a power source for any number of implantable or non-implantable medical devices. As the wire form battery may be scaled to micro size, it may be utilized to power medical devices that were traditionally non-active devices, but which may be enhanced with active components. The wire form battery may be cut to size for a particular application which provides the same open circuit voltage regardless of how the wire is ultimately configured and the length of the wire utilized. Although the battery is in wire form, various arrangements of the components within the battery are also possible.

Abstract: A flow field plate comprises a first flow field; an opposing second flow field; and at least one flow channel formed in the first flow field, the at least one flow channel comprising: a first side and an opposing second side separated by an open-faced top and a bottom; and a first side channel formed in a portion of the open-faced top and in a portion of the first side along a continuous length of the at least one flow channel, the first side channel comprising a first side wall and a first bottom wall; wherein the first side wall of the first side channel and the first bottom wall of the first side channel form an obtuse angle in cross-section; and a depth of the bottom of the at least one flow channel is greater than a depth of the bottom wall of the first side channel.

Abstract: A durable electrode material suitable for use in Li ion batteries is provided. The material is comprised of a continuous network of graphite regions integrated with, and in good electrical contact with a composite comprising graphene sheets and an electrically active material, such as silicon, wherein the electrically active material is dispersed between, and supported by, the graphene sheets.

Abstract: A proton exchange membrane and a membrane electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell are provided. A catalytically active component is disposed within the membrane electrode assembly. The catalytically active component comprises particles containing a metal oxide such as silica, metal or metalloid ions such as ions that include boron, and a catalyst. A process for increasing peroxide radical resistance in a membrane electrode is also provided that includes the introduction of the catalytically active component described into a membrane electrode assembly.

Abstract: An electrode material including electrode active material particles having a carbonaceous film formed on the surfaces thereof in which the coatability of the carbonaceous film can be guaranteed even when a crushing process is carried out, and the rate characteristics and the like are not degraded during charge and discharge, an electrode and a lithium ion battery having excellent charge and discharge characteristics for which the electrode material is used are provided. The electrode material includes electrode active material particles having a carbonaceous film formed on surfaces thereof, and an affinity value to N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone measured through pulse NMR is in a range of 5000 to 20000.

Abstract: The disclosure extends to moisture resistant energy storage devices, such as rechargeable batteries, and associated methods of forming the same. An energy storage device, such as a rechargeable battery, may comprise a cell including at least one electrical terminal and a circuit board electrically coupled to the at least one electrical terminal. The rechargeable battery may also include a moisture resistant coating on at least a portion of at least one of a surface of the cell and a surface of the circuit board. A moisture resistant coating may reside between the circuit board and the cell.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a secondary battery constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly having a cathode/separator/anode arrangement is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, electrode tabs of the electrode assembly are coupled to corresponding electrode leads, and the electrode assembly is sealed in the battery case while electrode leads are exposed to the outside of the battery case, wherein a protective film is attached to coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads for sealing the coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads. The secondary battery according to the present invention is constructed in a structure in which the coupling regions are sealed by the protective film, unlike a conventional secondary battery constructed in a structure in which the coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads are exposed in the battery case.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a positive electrode containing an active material, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, the negative electrode including a current collector and a negative electrode active material supported by the current collector, the negative electrode active material having a Li insertion potential not lower than 0.2V (vs. Li/Li+) and an average primary particle diameter not larger than 1 ?m, and a specific surface area of the negative electrode, excluding a weight of the current collector, as determined by the BET method falls within a range of 3 to 50 m2/g.