Abstract: In a charging method for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery which comprises a positive electrode including a lithium-containing composite oxide as an active material, a negative electrode including a material capable of charging and discharging lithium ions as an active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, an open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is detected. When the detected value is smaller than a predetermined voltage x, charging is performed at a comparatively small current value B. When the detected value is equal to or greater than the predetermined voltage x and smaller than a predetermined voltage z, charging is performed at a comparatively great current value A. When the detected value is equal to or greater than the predetermined voltage z and smaller than a predetermined voltage y, charging is performed at a comparatively small current value C. When the detected value is greater than the predetermined voltage y, constant-voltage charging is performed or charging is terminated.

Abstract: A rectangular nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode (11) and a negative electrode (12) wound with a porous insulating layer (13) interposed therebetween. The positive electrode (11) includes a positive electrode current collector (11A), and a positive electrode material mixture layer (11B). The positive electrode material mixture layer (11B) is provided on each of surfaces, or one of surfaces of the positive electrode current collector (11A), contains a positive electrode active material and a binder, and has a porosity of 17% or lower. The positive electrode (11) has a tensile strength of 15 N/cm or lower when a tensile extension of the positive electrode is 1%. A peel strength between the positive electrode current collector (11A) and the positive electrode material mixture layer (11B) is 3 N/m to 15 N/m, both inclusive.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes an electrode group (8) formed by winding a positive electrode (4) and a negative electrode (5) with a porous insulating layer (6) interposed therebetween. The positive electrode (4) includes a positive electrode material mixture layer (4B) and a positive electrode current collector (4A). The positive electrode material mixture layer (4B) has a porosity of 20% or lower. ???/? is satisfied, where ? is the thickness of the positive electrode material mixture layer (4B) on a surface located inside in the radial direction of the electrode group (8) of surfaces of the positive electrode current collector (4A), ? is the minimum radius of curvature of the positive electrode (4), and ? is a tensile extension in the winding direction of the positive electrode (4). The frequency distribution curve for the particle sizes of a positive electrode active material has two or more peaks.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery includes a current collector, an intermediate layer formed on a surface of the current collector, and an active material layer formed on the intermediate layer. The current collector includes a metal capable of being alloyed with silicon. The active material layer includes an active material including silicon. The intermediate layer includes silicon and oxygen. The intermediate layer prevents the metal capable of being alloyed with silicon from diffusing into the active material layer. The diffusion of the constituent element of the current collector into the active material layer is suppressed.

Abstract: A negative electrode 10 for a lithium ion battery of the present invention includes a negative electrode current collector 11, protrusions 13 formed so as to be spaced apart from each other on a surface of the negative electrode current collector 11, columns 12 supported on the protrusions 13 one by one, and a coating layer 15 coating a surface of each of the columns 12. The columns 12 include a negative electrode active material including either one of silicon and tin, and further include lithium absorbed thereinto. The coating layer 15 contains at least one of lithium carbonate and lithium fluoride and is formed by exposing the columns 12 to an atmosphere with a dew point temperature of ?60° C. or higher and 0° C. or lower.

Abstract: A negative electrode, whose tensile strength is 15 N/cm or lower when the percentage elongation in the longitudinal direction is 1%, is used in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including: a flat electrode group 10 including a positive electrode, the negative electrode and a separator; and a non-aqueous electrolyte, which are housed in a prismatic battery case.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which reversibly inserts/extracts lithium ions includes a current collector (11) in which a concave portion (12) and a convex portion (13) are formed at least one surface thereof; and a columnar body (15) which is formed by laminating n (n?2) stages of columnar body portions which are obliquely erected on the convex portion (13) of the current collector (11) and in which a content ratio of elements sequentially vary in a longitudinal direction of the current collector (11), and has a configuration in which variation directions of content ratios of elements of odd-numbered stages of columnar body portions and even-numbered stages of columnar body portions are different from each other. At least three surfaces (13a, 13b, 13c) of the convex portion (13) in a section of the longitudinal direction are covered by the columnar body portions.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrode for a lithium secondary battery according to the present invention includes (A) a step of causing a vaporized vapor deposition material to be incident on a surface of a current collector 11, having a plurality of bumps 12 at the surface thereof, in a direction 52 inclined with respect to the normal direction D to the surface of the current collector, thus to form an active material body 14 on each of the plurality of bumps 12 of the current collector 11; and (B) a step of stretching the current collector 11 having the active material bodies 14 formed thereon in at least one axial direction parallel to the surface of the current collector 11.

Abstract: A battery pack 1 includes a battery 10, thickness detection means 11, cycle number detection means 12, and first determination means 13. The battery 10 is an alloy-type secondary battery having an electrode assembly 20 which includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode including an alloyable active material, and an insulating layer. The thickness detection means 11 detects the thickness of the electrode assembly 20 of the battery 10. The cycle number detection means 12 detects the number of charge and discharge cycles of the battery 10. The first determination means 13 determines the replacement time of the battery 10 according to the detection results by the thickness detection means 11 and the cycle number detection means 12. This configuration allows the battery pack including the alloy-type secondary battery to estimate the replacement time of the alloy-type secondary battery almost accurately, thereby enhancing the convenience of the battery pack.

Abstract: Provided are a negative electrode 1 for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including the negative electrode 1 for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode 1 including: a negative electrode current collector 10; and a plurality of columns 13 of alloy-formable active material being capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ions and being supported on the surface of the negative electrode current collector 10 so as to extend outward; a polymer layer 15 including a lithium-ion permeable resin and being formed on the outer surface of each column 13 of alloy-formable active material, the polymer layer 15 having a thickness capable of leaving gaps 17 between the columns 13 of alloy-formable active material adjacent to each other unfilled.

Abstract: In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 including a positive electrode 11, a negative electrode 12, a separator 14, a positive electrode lead 15, a negative electrode lead 16, a gasket 17, and a housing case 18, the negative electrode 12 including a negative electrode active material layer 12b including an alloy-formable active material, a resin layer 13 is formed on the surface of the negative electrode active material layer 12b. The resin layer 13 includes a resin component with lithium ion conductivity and an additive for non-aqueous electrolyte. This configuration enables the battery performance to be maintained at a high level and the battery swelling to be suppressed, even when the number of charge/discharge cycles is increased, providing the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 with a high level of safety.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including: a current collector; and an active material layer including at least two alloy-based active materials selected from the group consisting of silicon, tin, a silicon oxide, and a tin oxide. The active material layer includes a first portion supported on a surface of the current collector, a second portion supported on a surface of the first portion, and a third portion supported on a surface of the second portion. The first portion includes the silicon oxide or the tin oxide, and the oxygen content in the silicon oxide or the tin oxide in the first portion decreases continuously or stepwise as approaching the second portion. The second portion includes silicon or tin. The third portion includes the silicon oxide or the tin oxide, and the oxygen content in the silicon oxide or the tin oxide in the third portion increases continuously or stepwise with distance from the second portion.

Abstract: An electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 6 according to the present invention includes: a current collector 3; a first active material layer 2 formed on the current collector 3; and a second active material layer 5 provided on the first active material layer 2, the second active material layer 5 including a plurality of active material particles 4. The plurality of active material particles 4 is mainly of a chemical composition represented as SiOx (0?x<1.2). The first active material layer 2 is mainly of a chemical composition represented as SiOy (1.0?y<2.0, y>x). The area in which the first active material layer 2 is in contact with the plurality of active material particles 4 is smaller than the area in which the current collector 3 is in contact with the first active material layer 2.

Abstract: A negative electrode includes current collector in which concave portion and convex portion are formed at least one surface thereof, and columnar body which is formed by laminating n (n?2) stages of columnar body portions which are formed on convex portion of current collector, and includes columnar body portions in which variation direction of content ratios of elements of odd-numbered stages of columnar body portions and that of even-numbered stages of columnar body portions are different from each other, and plural protruding bodies are provided on the surfaces of columnar body portions at the side in which intersection angles between central lines of obliquely erected directions of columnar body portions and a central line of a thickness direction of current collector, and space is provided in columnar body by protruding bodies of the laminated columnar body portions.

Abstract: A negative electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes an element capable of forming an intermetallic compound with lithium. The negative electrode active material has a water content of 0 to 0.04 molecule per atom of the element. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode including the negative electrode active material, a positive electrode, a separator separating the negative electrode and the positive electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte.

Abstract: A lithium ion battery includes: a positive electrode; a negative electrode that includes a negative electrode active material layer that contains an alloy-formable active material; an ion permeable insulating layer that is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and an ion conductive polymer layer that is interposed between the negative electrode and the ion permeable insulating layer, in which the ion conductive polymer layer is configured to include a negative electrode-side portion and an ion permeable insulating layer-side portion that have different compositions, and the ion permeable insulating layer-side portion is configured to have higher ion conductivity than the negative electrode-side portion. With such a lithium ion battery, charge/discharge cycle characteristics and rate characteristics can be improved.

Abstract: In a lifetime estimating method for a rechargeable lithium battery, the open circuit voltages of the rechargeable lithium battery after discharging for at least two different charge/discharge cycle numbers are detected while charge/discharge cycles go on. Next, at least the two of the voltage values are plotted for respective cycle numbers, and a circular arc passing the plotted points is drawn. Furthermore, the lifetime of the rechargeable lithium battery is estimated based on a size of the circular arc. The progression of deterioration can be suppressed by controlling the charge and discharge of the rechargeable lithium battery based on the lifetime estimation.

Abstract: A battery pack 1 of the present invention includes: a plurality of lithium ion secondary batteries 10 electrically connected together in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel combination; a tray 11; and a housing 12. The lithium ion secondary batteries 10 each include an electrode assembly containing an alloy-based negative electrode active material serving as a negative electrode active material, and each have a sealed surface 10a. The lithium ion secondary battery 10 is mounted on the tray. The housing 12 accommodates the tray 11 with the lithium ion secondary battery 10 mounted thereon. Even if high-temperature contents are produced in the interior of the lithium ion secondary battery 10 in the event of internal short circuiting or overcharging, this configuration prevents the high-temperature contents from leaking out of the batter pack 1, and thus improves the safety of the battery pack 1.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode. The negative electrode includes a sheet-like current collector and an active material layer being carried thereon and including silicon atom. The active material layer includes a plurality of columnar particles, and in each columnar particle, at least a portion forming the columnar particle is grown to tilt with respect to the direction normal to the current collector. In the thickness direction of the active material layer, porosity Pc of the current collector side lower half of the active material layer and porosity Ps of the surface side upper half of the active material layer satisfy Pc<Ps.

Abstract: A battery of the present invention has a strip-shaped electrode group. The electrode group includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator interposed therebetween. The first electrode has a strip-shaped first current collector and a first active material layer carried on one surface thereof. The first active material layer faces the separator. The second electrode has a strip-shaped second current collector and a second active material layer carried on one surface thereof. The second active material layer faces the separator. The electrode group is folded in a zigzag pattern to form a laminate having a plurality of flat portions, at least one first bent portion located on a first end side of the plurality of flat portions in which the first current collector is located on the outermost side, and at least one second bent portion located on a second end side that is opposite to the first end side in which the second current collector is located on the outermost side.