Abstract: Provided is a lithium-conductive solid-state electrolyte material that comprises a sulfide compound of a composition that does not deviate substantially from a formula of Li9S3N. The compound's conductivity is greater than about 1×10?7 S/cm at about 25° C. and is in contact with a negative electroactive material. Also provided is an electrochemical cell that includes an anode layer, a cathode layer, and the electrolyte layer between the anode and cathode layers. In an example, the material's activation energy can be no greater than about 0.52 eV at about 25° C.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte material represented by Formula 1: L1+2x(M1)1-x(M2)(M3)4??Formula 1 wherein 0.25<x<1, L is at least one element selected from a Group 1 element, M1 is at least one element selected from a Group 2 element, a Group 3 element, a Group 12 element, and a Group 13 element, M2 is at least one element selected from a Group 5 element, a Group 14 element, and a Group 15 element, and M3 is at least one element selected from a Group 16 element, and wherein the solid electrolyte material has an I-4 crystal structure.

Abstract: Solid electrolyte materials as well as their applications and methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment, a solid electrolyte material has a formula of A3+?Cl1??B?O, where ? is greater than 0. In the above formula, A is at least one of Li and Na, and B is at least one of S, Se, and N. In another embodiment, a solid electrolyte material is a crystal structure having the general formula A3XO, where A is at least one of Li and Na. Additionally, X is Cl, at least a portion of which is substituted with at least one of S, Se, and N. The solid electrolyte material also includes interstitial lithium ions and/or interstitial sodium ions located in the crystal structure.

Abstract: A sodium-conductive solid-state electrolyte material includes a compound of the composition Na10MP2S12, wherein M is selected from Ge, Si, and Sn. The material may have a conductivity of at least 1.0×10?5 S/cm at a temperature of about 300K and may have a tetragonal microstructure, e.g., a skewed P1 crystallographic structure. Also provided are an electrochemical cell that includes the sodium-conductive solid-state electrolyte material and a method for producing the sodium-conductive solid electrolyte material via controlled thermal processing parameters.

Abstract: Electrochemical devices which incorporate cathode materials that include layered crystalline compounds for which a structural modification has been achieved which increases the diffusion rate of multi-valent ions into and out of the cathode materials. Examples in which the layer spacing of the layered electrode materials is modified to have a specific spacing range such that the spacing is optimal for diffusion of magnesium ions are presented. An electrochemical cell comprised of a positive intercalation electrode, a negative metal electrode, and a separator impregnated with a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing multi-valent ions and arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode active material is described.

Abstract: Embodiments related to electroactive compounds, their methods of manufacture, and use are described. In one embodiment, an electroactive compound may include Na(FeaX1-a)O2. X includes at least one of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and a is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.4. In another embodiment, an electroactive compound may include Na(MnwFexCoyNiz)O2, where w, x, y, and z are greater than 0. Further, a sum of w, x, y, and z is equal to 1 in some cases.

Abstract: Electrochemical devices which incorporate cathode materials that include layered crystalline compounds for which a structural modification has been achieved which increases the diffusion rate of multi-valent ions into and out of the cathode materials. Examples in which the layer spacing of the layered electrode materials is modified to have a specific spacing range such that the spacing is optimal for diffusion of magnesium ions are presented. An electrochemical cell comprised of a positive intercalation electrode, a negative metal electrode, and a separator impregnated with a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing multi-valent ions and arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode active material is described.

Abstract: Electrochemical devices which incorporate cathode materials that include layered crystalline compounds for which a structural modification has been achieved which increases the diffusion rate of multi-valent ions into and out of the cathode materials. Examples in which the layer spacing of the layered electrode materials is modified to have a specific spacing range such that the spacing is optimal for diffusion of magnesium ions are presented. An electrochemical cell comprised of a positive intercalation electrode, a negative metal electrode, and a separator impregnated with a nonaqeuous electrolyte solution containing multi-valent ions and arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode active material is described.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to certain lithium materials, including lithium manganese borate materials. Such materials are of interest in various applications such as energy storage. Certain aspects of the invention are directed to lithium manganese borate materials, for example, having the formula LixMny(BO3). In some cases, the lithium manganese borate materials may include other elements, such as iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium, etc. The lithium manganese borate materials, according to one set of embodiments, may be present as a monoclinic crystal system. Such materials may surprisingly exhibit relatively high energy storage capacities, for example, at least about 96 mA h/g. Other aspects of the invention relate to devices comprising such materials, methods of making such materials, kits for making such materials, methods of promoting the making or use of such materials, and the like.

Abstract: An energy storage device configured to exchange energy with an external device includes a container having walls, a lid covering the container and having a safety pressure valve, a negative electrode disposed away from the walls of the container, a positive electrode in contact with at least a portion of the walls of the container, and an electrolyte contacting the negative electrode and the positive electrode at respective electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The negative electrode, the positive electrode and the electrolyte include separate liquid materials within the container at an operating temperature of the battery.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to electrode materials, electrochemical cells employing such materials, and methods of synthesizing such materials. The electrode materials have a crystal structure with a high ratio of Li to metal M, which is found to improve capacity by enabling the transfer of a greater amount of lithium per metal, and which is also found to improve stability by retaining a sufficient amount of lithium after charging. Furthermore, synthesis techniques are presented which result in improved charge and discharge capacities and reduced particle sizes of the electrode materials.

Abstract: Non-normal statistics applied to diffusivity calculations accelerate screening of ionic conductors for electrochemical devices such as electric storage batteries, fuel cells, and sensors. Displacements of atomic species within a crystalline structure for a candidate ionic conductor material are analyzed using a Skellam distribution optionally combined with Gaussian noise to calculate values for the standard deviation, upper error bound, and lower error bound for predicted values of diffusivity (D). When the predicted values of D have sufficient statistical precision, the diffusivity calculation is terminated and the calculated diffusivity is compared to a threshold value of diffusivity. When the threshold has been exceeded, the candidate ionic conductor may be listed as a preferred good conductor. When the calculated diffusivity fails to exceed the threshold, the material may be listed as a poor conductor and may be eliminated from further consideration.

Abstract: An electrochemical battery that exchanges energy with an external device. The battery includes a container containing a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an intervening electrolyte, the electrodes and electrolyte existing as liquid material layers in the container at the operating temperature of the battery so that adjacent layers form respective electrode-electrolyte interfaces. Positive and negative current collectors are in electrical contact with the positive and negative electrodes, respectively, both collectors being adapted for connection to the external device to create a circuit through which current flows. A circulation producer in the battery causes circulation within at least one of the layers to increase the flux of material in one layer to an interface with an adjacent layer, thereby giving the battery a greater current/power capability.

Abstract: A compound of formula Ab?MgaMbXy or Ab?MgaMb(XOz)y for use as electrode material in a magnesium battery is disclosed, wherein A, M, X, b?, a, b, y, and z are defined herein.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to carbophosphates and other compounds. Such compounds may be used in batteries and other electrochemical devices, or in other applications such as those described herein. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to carbophosphate compounds, i.e., compounds containing carbonate and phosphate ions. For example, according to one set of embodiments, the compound has a formula Ax(M)(PO4)a(CO3)b, where M comprises one or more cations. A may include one or more alkali metals, for example, lithium and/or sodium. In some cases, x is greater than about 0.1, a is between about 0.1 and about 5.1, and b is between about 0.1 and about 5.1. In certain embodiments, the compound may have a unit cell atomic arrangement that is isostructural to unit cells of the minerals sidorenkite, bonshtedtite, bradleyite, crawfordite, or ferrotychite.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, comprising: calculating, using at least one computer, a distance to a hull for an alloy XxY1-x in the range 0.01?x?0.99, where X and Y are perovskite materials; determining, using the at least one computer, a preferred phase for the alloy in the range 0.01?x?0.99; and selecting an alloy composition having the distance to the hull being less than 0.1 eV/atom and for which the preferred phase in at least a portion of the range 0.01?x?0.99 is a tetragonal phase. Piezoelectric materials as selected by the method are also provided.

Abstract: In general, the invention relates to electrode materials, e.g., novel cathode materials with high density, low cost, and high safety. A voltage design strategy based on the mixing of different transition metals in crystal structures known to be able to accommodate lithium in insertion and delithiation is presented herein. By mixing a metal active on the +2/+3 couple (e.g., Fe) with an element active on the +3/+5 or +3/+6 couples (e.g., V or Mo), high capacity multi-electron cathodes are designed in an adequate voltage window.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes, among other things, new layered molybdenum oxides for lithium ion battery cathodes from solid solutions of Li2MoO3 and LiCrO2. These materials display high energy density, good rate capability, great safety against oxygen release at charged state due mostly to their low voltage. Therefore, these materials have properties desirable for lithium ion battery cathodes.

Abstract: Electrochemical devices which incorporate cathode materials that include layered crystalline compounds for which a structural modification has been achieved which increases the diffusion rate of multi-valent ions into and out of the cathode materials. Examples in which the layer spacing of the layered electrode materials is modified to have a specific spacing range such that the spacing is optimal for diffusion of magnesium ions are presented. An electrochemical cell comprised of a positive intercalation electrode, a negative metal electrode, and a separator impregnated with a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing multi-valent ions and arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode active material is described.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a positive electrode active lithium-excess metal oxide with composition LixMyO2 (0.6?y?0.85 and 0?x+y?2) for a lithium secondary battery with a high reversible capacity that is insensitive with respect to cation-disorder. The material exhibits a high capacity without the requirement of overcharge during the first cycles.