Abstract: A carbon material comprising particles of hard, non-porous carbon having a spherical morphology, this material having an interlayer distance d002 of more than 3.6 Å and a total specific surface area, measured by the BET N2 method, of less than 75 m2/g, and a method for producing said material. The method further comprises a step of mixing an amine catalyst, an aromatic hydroxyl compound and an aldehyde compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a vanadium-carbon phosphate composite material, a vanadium-carbon phosphate composite material obtained according to the process, and to the uses of the composite material, especially as a precursor for the synthesis of electrochemically-active materials, electrode or active anode material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a porous polymer etched ion-track membrane as separator for batteries comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a liquid electrolyte comprising at least one salt of a cationic ion in solution in a solvent, and to batteries comprising such a membrane as porous separator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a vanadium-carbon phosphate composite material, a vanadium-carbon phosphate composite material obtained according to the process, and to the uses of the composite material, especially as a precursor for the synthesis of electrochemically-active materials, electrode or active anode material.

Abstract: An “all-solid-state” Li-ion battery comprising a monolithic body formed by at least three superposed layers, including: at least one layer of a negative-electrode composite comprising at least one active negative-electrode material, at least one solid electrolyte, and at least one electron-conductivity providing agent. The at least one layer of a positive-electrode composite has at least one active lithium-based positive-electrode material, at least one solid electrolyte, and at least one electron-conductivity providing agent. The at least one intermediate solid-electrolyte layer separating the composite negative- and positive-electrode layers from one another. The solid-electrolyte content in each of the composite electrode layers independently varies from 10 to 80 wt %. The content of the electron-conductivity providing agent in each of the composite electrode layers independently varies from 2 to 25 wt %.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a completely solid Li-ion battery having a solid state body wherein the battery is assembled in a single step by stacking at least one layer of a powder mix including a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte, at least one intermediate layer of a solid electrolyte and at least one layer of a powder mix including a negative electrode active material and a solid electrolyte, and simultaneous sintering of the three layers at a pressure of at least 20 MPa, under pulsating current. The invention also relates to the Li-ion battery obtained by such a method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a completely solid Li-ion battery having a solid state body wherein the battery is assembled in a single step by stacking at least one layer of a powder mix including a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte, at least one intermediate layer of a solid electrolyte and at least one layer of a powder mix including a negative electrode active material and a solid electrolyte, and simultaneous sintering of the three layers at a pressure of at least 20 MPa, under pulsating current. The invention also relates to the Li-ion battery obtained by such a method.

Abstract: The invention provides a new route for the synthesis of carbon-coated powders having the olivine or NASICON structure, which form promising classes of active products for the manufacture of rechargeable lithium batteries. Carbon-coating of the powder particles is necessary to achieve good performances because of the rather poor electronic conductivity of said structures. For the preparation of coated LiFePO4, sources of Li, Fe and phosphate are dissolved in an aqueous solution together with a polycarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. Upon water evaporation, polyesterification occurs while a mixed precipitate is formed containing Li, Fe and phosphate. The resin-encapsulated mixture is then heat treated at 700° C. in a reducing atmosphere. This results in the production of a fine powder consisting of an olivine LiFePO4, phase, coated with conductive carbon.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is an anode material of the silicon-carbon composite type, for a lithium cell, having a high mass capacity and good cycling stability. This material is obtained by a preparation method comprising the steps consisting of: a) providing a silicon powder obtained by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique or by CO2 laser, the size of the silicon particles being less than 100 nm; b) mixing the silicon powder with a carbon-containing polymer, and c) carrying out the pyrolysis of the mixture. The invention also proposes a lithium cell containing at least one anode the material of which contains the nanocomposite material produced by this method.

Abstract: The invention provides a new route for the synthesis of carbon-coated powders having the olivine or NASICON structure, which form promising classes of active products for the manufacture of rechargeable lithium batteries. Carbon-coating of the powder particles is necessary to achieve good performances because of the rather poor electronic conductivity of said structures. For the preparation of coated LiFePO4, sources of Li, Fe and phosphate are dissolved in an aqueous solution together with a polycarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. Upon water evaporation, polyesterification occurs while a mixed precipitate is formed containing Li, Fe and phosphate. The resin-encapsulated mixture is then heat treated at 700° C. in a reducing atmosphere. This results in the production of a fine powder consisting of an olivine LiFePO4 phase, coated with conductive carbon.

Abstract: The invention provides a new route for the synthesis of carbon-coated powders having the olivine or NASICON structure, which form promising classes of active products for the manufacture of rechargeable lithium batteries. Carbon-coating of the powder particles is necessary to achieve good performances because of the rather poor electronic conductivity of said structures. For the preparation of coated LiFePO4, sources of Li, Fe and phosphate are dissolved in an aqueous solution together with a polycarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. Upon water evaporation, polyesterification occurs while a mixed precipitate is formed containing Li, Fe and phosphate. The resin-encapsulated mixture is then heat treated at 700° C. in a reducing atmosphere. This results in the production of a fine powder consisting of an olivine LiFePO4 phase, coated with conductive carbon.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electrochromic cell in thin films and aqueous electrolyte, with an emissivity that varies as a function of an applied control voltage.

Abstract: Methods of manufacture and use of phosphates of transition metals are described as positive electrodes for secondary lithium batteries, including a process for the production of LiMPO4 with controlled size and morphology, M being FexCoyNizMnw, where 0?x?1, 0?y?1, 0?w?1, and x+y+z+w=1. According to an exemplary embodiment, a process is described for the manufacture of LiFePO4 including the steps of providing an equimolar aqueous solution of Li1+, Fe3+ and PO43?, evaporating water from the solution to produce a solid mixture, decomposing the solid mixture at a temperature of below 500° C. to form a pure homogeneous Li and Fe phosphate precursor, and annealing the precursor at a temperature of less than 800° C. in a reducing atmosphere to produce the LiFePO4 powder. The obtained powders can have a particle size of less than 1 ?m, and can provide superior electrochemical performance when mixed for an appropriate time with an electrically conductive powder.

Abstract: The invention provides a new route for the synthesis of carbon-coated powders having the olivine or NASICON structure, which form promising classes of active products for the manufacture of rechargeable lithium batteries. Carbon-coating of the powder particles is necessary to achieve good performances because of the rather poor electronic conductivity of said structures. For the preparation of coated LiFePO4, sources of Li, Fe and phosphate are dissolved in an aqueous solution together with a polycarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. Upon water evaporation, polyesterification occurs while a mixed precipitate is formed containing Li, Fe and phosphate. The resin-encapsulated mixture is then heat treated at 700° C. in a reducing atmosphere. This results in the production of a fine powder consisting of an olivine LiFePO4 phase, coated with conductive carbon.

Abstract: Methods of manufacture and use of phosphates of transition metals are described as positive electrodes for secondary lithium batteries, including a process for the production of LiMPO4 with controlled size and morphology, M being FexCoyNizMnw, where 0?x?1, 0?y?1, 0?w?1, and x+y+z+w=1. According to an exemplary embodiment, a process is described for the manufacture of LiFePO4 including the steps of providing an equimolar aqueous solution of Li1+, Fe3+ and PO43?, evaporating water from the solution to produce a solid mixture, decomposing the solid mixture at a temperature of below 500° C. to form a pure homogeneous Li and Fe phosphate precursor, and annealing the precursor at a temperature of less than 800° C. in a reducing atmosphere to produce the LiFePO4 powder. The obtained powders can have a particle size of less than 1 ?m, and can provide superior electrochemical performance when mixed for an appropriate time with an electrically conductive powder.

Abstract: The invention provides a new route for the synthesis of carbon-coated powders having the olivine or NASICON structure, which form promising classes of active products for the manufacture of rechargeable lithium batteries. Carbon-coating of the powder particles is necessary to achieve good performances because of the rather poor electronic conductivity of said structures. For the preparation of coated LiFePO4, sources of Li, Fe and phosphate are dissolved in an aqueous solution together with a polycarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. Upon water evaporation, polyesterification occurs while a mixed precipitate is formed containing Li, Fe and phosphate. The resin-encapsulated mixture is then heat treated at 700° C. in a reducing atmosphere. This results in the production of a fine powder consisting of an olivine LiFePO4 phase, coated with conductive carbon.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electrochemical cell in thin films and aqueous electrolyte, with an emissivity that varies as a function of an applied control voltage.

Abstract: Methods of manufacture and use of phosphates of transition metals are described as positive electrodes for secondary lithium batteries, including a process for the production of LiMPO4 with controlled size and morphology, M being FexCoyNizMnw, where 0?x?1,0?y?1, 0?w?1, and x+y+z+w=1. According to an exemplary embodiment, a process is described for the manufacture of LiFePO4 including the steps of providing an equimolar aqueous solution of Li1+, Fe3+ and PO43?, evaporating water from the solution to produce a solid mixture, decomposing the solid mixture at a temperature of below 500° C. to form a pure homogeneous Li and Fe phosphate precursor, and annealing the precursor at a temperature of less than 800° C. in a reducing atmosphere to produce the LiFePO4 powder. The obtained powders can have a particle size of less than 1 ?m, and can provide superior electrochemical performance when mixed for an appropriate time with an electrically conductive powder.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is an anode material of the silicon-carbon composite type, for a lithium cell, having a high mass capacity and good cycling stability. This material is obtained by a preparation method comprising the steps consisting of: a) providing a silicon powder obtained by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique or by CO2 laser, the size of the silicon particles being less than 100 nm; b) mixing the silicon powder with a carbon-containing polymer, and c) carrying out the pyrolysis of the mixture. The invention also proposes a lithium cell containing at least one anode the material of which contains the nanocomposite material produced by this method.

Abstract: A structural system for accurately reproducible in situ x-ray studies of operating rechargeable electrochemical battery cell electrode components comprises an hermetically sealed cell component enclosure incorporating an x-ray transmissive window member of beryllium or the like. A research embodiment of the system comprises means for rapidly and consistently interchanging electrode compositions for operative comparison and evaluation, while a laminated cell system embodiment enables accurate testing of electrode components in commercial configurations such as unitary polymeric Li-ion battery cells.