Abstract: In various aspects, the present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing an electrode for an electrochemical cell. The method includes contacting a solid electrode material and a substrate at an interface. The method further includes preparing a liquid electrode material at the interface by heating at least a portion of the solid electrode material to a first temperature. The first temperature is greater than or equal to a melting point of the solid electrode material. The method further includes creating a layer of the liquid electrode material on the substrate by moving at least one of the solid electrode material and the substrate with respect to the other of the solid electrode material and the substrate. The method further includes forming the electrode by cooling the liquid electrode material to a second temperature. The second temperature is less than or equal to the melting point.

Abstract: A battery electrode for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is described and includes: a first separator layer including a first side and a second side; a first conductive porous layer located on the first side of the first separator layer; and an active material layer to cycle lithium ions and including a first side and a second side, where the first side of the active material layer is in contact with the first conductive porous layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a composite electrode for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The composite electrode includes a first electroactive material having a first specific capacity and a first average particle size, and a second electroactive material having a second specific capacity and a second average particle size. The first specific capacity is larger than the second specific capacity. For example, the first specific capacity can be greater than or equal to about 1,000 mAh/g to less than or equal to about 3,600 mAh/g, and the second specific capacity greater than or equal to about 250 mAh/g to less than or equal to about 400 mAh/g. The second average particle size is comparable with the first average particle size. For example, the second average particle can be no less than half the first average particle size and no greater than twice the first average particle size.

Abstract: Presented are devices for measuring dimensions of tear seams, methods for making/using such devices, and handheld clamp calipers for gauging material thicknesses of tear seams in passenger airbag breakaway panels. A handheld or automated measurement tool for determining seam dimensions includes first and second jaws operatively attached to a calibrated scale. The calibrated scale displays a measurement value fora dimension of a seam. The first jaw includes a first jaw tip projecting from a first jaw mandible. The second jaw includes a second jaw tip projecting from a second jaw mandible, which is movably attached with the first jaw mandible. Each of the jaw tips contacts a respective surface of the seam. An interior edge of the second jaw tip is disposed at an oblique angle of less than 90 degrees from an interior edge of the second jaw mandible.

Abstract: Methods of making negative electrode materials for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions are provided. A surface of the electrode material formed of silicon, silicon-containing alloys, tin-containing alloys, or combinations thereof is treated with an oxidant at a first temperature of greater than or equal to about 100° C. to form a continuous intermediate layer comprising oxides. The method also includes pyrolyzing a carbon-containing precursor over the continuous intermediate layer at a second temperature of greater than or equal to about 600° C. to form a continuous carbon coating thereon. The intermediate layer oxides may be transformed to carbides. The continuous carbon coating comprises both graphitic carbon and amorphous carbon and may be a multilayered coating, where the inner layer predominantly includes amorphous carbon and the outer layer predominantly includes graphitic carbon.

Abstract: In various aspects, the present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing an electrode for an electrochemical cell. The method includes contacting a solid electrode material and a substrate at an interface. The method further includes preparing a liquid electrode material at the interface by heating at least a portion of the solid electrode material to a first temperature. The first temperature is greater than or equal to a melting point of the solid electrode material. The method further includes creating a layer of the liquid electrode material on the substrate by moving at least one of the solid electrode material and the substrate with respect to the other of the solid electrode material and the substrate. The method further includes forming the electrode by cooling the liquid electrode material to a second temperature. The second temperature is less than or equal to the melting point.

Abstract: An anodeless electrochemical cell is provided that includes a positive electroactive material layer and a patterned current collector. The patterned current collector includes a non-conductive substrate and a conductive network disposed over a surface of the non-conductive substrate. The surface of the non-conductive substrate defines a first surface area, and a perimeter of the conductive network defines a second surface area. The second surface area covers greater than 90% of the first surface area. The conductive network includes a framework having plurality of pores, such that the conductive network has a porosity greater than or equal to about 20 vol. % to less than or equal to about 95 vol. %. During a charging event, the pores are configured to receive deposited lithium metal. The anodeless electrochemical cell further includes a separator between the positive electroactive material layer and the patterned current collector.

Abstract: An electrolyte composition for use in a battery system including a silicon-based negative electrode having active material particles is provided. The electrolyte composition includes a polar solvent selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, sulfolane, ?-butyrolactone, and combinations thereof and at least one lithium salt dissolved in the polar solvent at a concentration of at least 2 moles of the at least one lithium salt per 1 liter of the polar solvent. The at least one lithium salt and the polar solvent add dipoles to the electrolyte composition configured for reducing an electric field present at a surface of each of the active material particles in the silicon-based negative electrode of the battery system.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an anode for a lithium ion battery cell is described and includes forming a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on a raw anode prior to assembly into a battery cell by applying a first SEI-generating electrolyte to the raw anode to form a first intermediate anode, applying a second SEI-generating electrolyte to the first intermediate anode to form a second intermediate anode, and applying a third SEI-generating electrolyte to the second intermediate anode to form a cell anode, wherein the cell anode includes the raw anode having the SEI layer. Thus, a cell anode is formed by sequentially applying SEI-generating electrolytes to a raw anode to form the cell anode with an SEI layer, and a lithium ion battery cell is formed by assembling the cell anode into a cell pack, with a cathode, and a separator, and adding a cell electrolyte prior to sealing.

Abstract: A system for evaluating a battery cell includes an imaging device configured to take an image of at least part of the battery cell, and a processor. The processor is configured to perform: determining a region of interest in the acquired image, reducing a sharpness of the acquired image to generate a reference image, comparing the acquired image and the reference image, and identifying a discontinuity of the battery cell based on a difference between the acquired image and the reference image.

Abstract: A battery cell comprises a battery cell enclosure made of a non-metallic material. First battery terminals arranged in the battery cell enclosure. Second battery terminals arranged in the battery cell enclosure. Electrolyte is located between the first battery terminals and the second battery terminals. C conductive portions are arranged adjacent to an outer surface of the battery cell enclosure, where C is an integer greater than zero.

Abstract: A quality control system in a battery manufacturing process includes two or more capacitive measurement apparatuses to obtain a capacitance measurement from two or more intermediate products generated during the battery manufacturing process. The system also includes processing circuitry to obtain the capacitive measurement from the two or more capacitive measurement apparatuses, to determine a characteristic of the corresponding intermediate product, and to control at least one process of the battery manufacturing process that produced at least one of the two or more intermediate products based on the characteristic.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include leveraging an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping of copper current collectors for non-contact, non-destructive, in-line quality inspections of thin lithium metal anodes. An exemplary method can include receiving an electrode at a detection surface of the XRF detector. The electrode can include the lithium anode on a surface of a current collector. X-rays are passed through the lithium anode and into the current collector and the intensity of characteristic radiation returning from the current collector is measured at the XRF detector. A lithium anode characteristic can be inferred based on the measured intensity of characteristic radiation from the current collector.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component having a porosity-controlled lithium metal coating includes setting up an aerosol spray apparatus having a material feeder and a confinement conduit in fluid communication therewith. The confinement conduit has an inlet end and a nozzle end. The method also includes setting up a substrate having an exposed surface on a moveable tooling plate and directing the nozzle end at the exposed surface. The method additionally includes loading a lithium metal into the material feeder. The method also includes feeding a high-pressure gas into the inlet end of the confinement conduit to thereby form an aerosol spray of lithium metal. The method further includes moving the tooling plate to regulate a thickness and a pattern of deposition of the lithium metal onto the exposed surface through the nozzle end to thereby generate a porous lithium metal coating on the substrate.

Abstract: An electrode heat treatment device and associated method for fabricating an electrode are described, and include forming a workpiece, including coating a current collector with a slurry. The workpiece is placed on a first spool, and the first spool including the workpiece is placed in a sealable chamber, wherein the sealable chamber includes the first spool, a heat exchange work space, and a second spool. An inert environment is created in the sealable chamber. The workpiece is subjected to a multi-step continuous heat treatment operation in the inert environment, wherein the multi-step continuous heat treatment operation includes continuously transferring the workpiece through the heat exchange work space between the first spool and the second spool and controlling the heat exchange work space to an elevated temperature.

Abstract: Presented are lithium-metal electrodes for electrochemical devices, systems and methods for manufacturing lithium-metal foils, and vehicle battery packs containing battery cells with lithium-metal anodes. A method of melt spinning lithium-metal foils includes melting lithium (Li) metal stock in an actively heated vessel to form molten Li metal. Using pressurized gas, the molten Li metal is ejected through a slotted nozzle at the base of the vessel. The ejected molten Li metal is directly impinged onto an actively cooled and spinning quench wheel or a carrier sheet that is fed across a support roller underneath the vessel. The molten Li metal is cooled and solidified on the spinning wheel/carrier sheet to form a Li-metal foil. The carrier sheet may be a polymeric carrier film or a copper current collector foil. An optional protective film may be applied onto an exposed surface of the Li-metal foil opposite the carrier sheet.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an anode for a lithium ion battery cell is described and includes forming a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on a raw anode prior to assembly into a battery cell by applying a first SEI-generating electrolyte to the raw anode to form a first intermediate anode, applying a second SEI-generating electrolyte to the first intermediate anode to form a second intermediate anode, and applying a third SEI-generating electrolyte to the second intermediate anode to form a cell anode, wherein the cell anode includes the raw anode having the SEI layer. Thus, a cell anode is formed by sequentially applying SEI-generating electrolytes to a raw anode to form the cell anode with an SEI layer, and a lithium ion battery cell is formed by assembling the cell anode into a cell pack, with a cathode, and a separator, and adding a cell electrolyte prior to sealing.

Abstract: An electrolyte composition for electrochemical cells including a silicon-containing electrode is provided herein as well as electrochemical cells including the electrolyte composition. The electrolyte composition includes a lithium salt, fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), a linear carbonate, vinylene carbonate, and a fluorosilane additive. The FEC and the linear carbonate are present in the electrolyte composition in a ratio of about 1:3 v/v to about 1:9 v/v.

Abstract: Electroactive materials having a nitrogen-containing carbon coating and composite materials for a high-energy-density lithium-based, as well as methods of formation relating thereto, are provided. The composite electrode material includes a silicon-containing electroactive material having a substantially continuous nitrogen-containing carbon coating formed thereon. The method includes contacting the silicon-containing electroactive material and one or more nitrogen-containing precursor materials and heating the mixture. The one or more nitrogen-containing precursor materials include one or more nitrogen-carbon bonds and during heating the nitrogen of the one or more nitrogen-carbon bonds with silicon in the silicon-containing electroactive material to form the nitrogen-containing carbon coating on exposed surfaces of the silicon-containing electroactive material.

Abstract: An electrolyte can be pretreated by contacting with an oxide species (e.g., SiO2, SiOx, where 1?x?2, TiO2). The electrolyte comprises LiPF6 and a carbonate solvent. A reaction occurs to form a pretreated electrolyte comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of: MaPx?OyFz, MaPx?OyFzCnHm, and combinations thereof, where when P in the formula is normalized to 1 so that x? is equal to about 1, 0<y?4, 0<z?6, 0?a?3, 0 ?n?20, 0?m?42, and M is selected from Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca, B, Ti, Al, and combinations thereof. Lithium-ion electrochemical cells including lithium titanate oxide (LTO) using such a pretreated electrolyte have reduced reactivity and gas formation.