Abstract: Disclosed is a material having a composite particle. The composite particle includes an outer shell containing an element such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur and an inner core made from a lithium alloying material such as tin, silicon, aluminum and/or germanium. If the outer shell is made from carbon, the outer shell of the composite particle has an average thickness of less than 20 nanometers and the composite particle has an outer mean diameter of less than 100 nanometers. In some instances, the inner core is made from tin, a tin binary alloy, a tin tertiary alloy or a tin quaternary alloy.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains core-shell structured nanoparticles. The process includes providing a precursor in the form of a powder a liquid and/or a vapor of a liquid that contains a core material and a shell material, and suspending the precursor in an aerosol gas to produce an aerosol containing the precursor. In addition, the process includes providing a plasma that has a hot zone and passing the aerosol through the hot zone of the plasma. As the aerosol passes through the hot zone of the plasma, at least part of the core material and at least part of the shell material in the aerosol is vaporized. Vapor that contains the core material and the shell material that has been vaporized is removed from the hot zone of the plasma and allowed to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles.

Abstract: An electrode material having carbon and lithium-alloying-material is provided. The carbon is in the form of a porous matrix having nanoporosity and the lithium-alloying-material is sorbed into the nanoporosity of the carbon matrix. The carbon matrix can have a volume of nanoporosity between 10 and 99%. In addition, the lithium-alloying-material can occupy between 5 to 99% of the nanoporosity. A portion of the carbon structure that is only partially filled with the lithium-alloying-material remains vacant providing room for volume expansion on alloying with lithium and allowing electrolyte egress. In some instances, the nanoporosity has nanopores and nanochannels with an average diameter between 1 nanometer and 999 nanometers. The lithium-alloying-material is sorbed into the nanoporosity using liquid transport or other mechanisms providing a material having intimate contact between the electronically conductive carbon structure and the electroactive lithium-alloying-material.

Abstract: An electrode material having carbon and sulfur is provided. The carbon is in the form of a porous matrix having nanoporosity and the sulfur is sorbed into the nanoporosity of the carbon matrix. The carbon matrix can have a volume of nanoporosity between 10 and 99%. In addition, the sulfur can occupy between 5 to 99% of the nanoporosity. A portion of the carbon structure that is only partially filled with the sulfur remains vacant allowing electrolyte egress. In some instances, the nanoporosity has nanopores and nanochannels with an average diameter between 1 nanometer and 999 nanometers. The sulfur is sorbed into the nanoporosity using liquid transport or other mechanisms providing a material having intimate contact between the electronically conductive carbon structure and the electroactive sulfur.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes an anode having a metal material having an oxygen containing layer. The electrochemical cell also includes a cathode and an electrolyte. The anode includes a protective layer formed by reacting a D or P block precursor with the oxygen containing layer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for increasing the reversible capacity of lithium transition metal oxide materials for use as cathodes in non-aqueous lithium batteries. The method involves reduction of oxide materials of the form Li.sub.x M.sub.y O.sub.z, wherein M represents transition metals whereby oxygen is removed while still maintaining the original phase of the material. Use of the method of the invention is particularly useful for oxide materials synthesized at low temperatures and where M is Mn.