Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which the decomposition of an electrolyte solution is reduced exhibits high coulombic efficiency and excellent charge and discharge cycle performance, and has high energy density. This nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode that is formed by depositing a thin film of active material on a collector by a CVD method, sputtering, evaporation, thermal spraying, or plating, wherein the thin film of the active material can lithiate and delithiate and is divided into columns by cracks formed in the thickness direction, and the bottom of each column is adhered to the collector; a positive electrode that can lithiate and delithiate; and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in a nonaqueous solvent. The electrolyte solution contains a compound expressed by a general formula (I).

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery includes a thin film of an active material having a first phase that reacts with Li dominantly and a second phase that reacts less readily with Li than the first phase and exists at least before initial-cycle charging and after discharging in each cycle following the initial cycle. A surface of the current collector has an arithmetical mean roughness Ra of 0.1 ?m or greater. A surface of the thin film has irregularities formed corresponding to the irregularities of the current collector surface. By the charging and discharging in the initial cycle and thereafter, gaps form along the thin-film thickness on lines connecting valleys in the thin-film surface irregularities and valleys in the current-collector surface irregularities, and the thin film is divided into columnar or insular structures by the gaps.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which the decomposition of an electrolyte solution is reduced exhibits high coulombic efficiency and excellent charge and discharge cycle performance, and has high energy density. This nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode that is formed by depositing a thin film of active material on a collector by a CVD method, sputtering, evaporation, thermal spraying, or plating, wherein the thin film of the active material can lithiate and delithiate and is divided into columns by cracks formed in the thickness direction, and the bottom of each column is adhered to the collector; a positive electrode that can lithiate and delithiate; and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in a nonaqueous solvent. The electrolyte solution contains a compound expressed by a general formula (I).

Abstract: An electrode having a current collector and, formed thereon, a thin film comprising an active material, characterized in that a thin alloy film (such as Sn—Co) comprising a metal which can form an alloy with lithium (such as Sn) and a metal which can not form an alloy with lithium (such as Co) is formed on a current collector such as a copper foil. It is preferred that the above metal which can form an alloy with lithium and the above metal which can not form an alloy with lithium can not form an intermetallic compound with each other.

Abstract: To provide a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery which restrict reaction between a negative electrode active material and anon-aqueous electrolyte, and can attain excellent charge-discharge cycle performances and high charge-discharge capacity, where a thin film of negative electrode active material including a metal capable of absorbing or releasing lithium is formed on a current collector of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and the thin film of negative electrode active material is separated into columnar shape by slits formed in a thickness direction.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery-use electrode and a lithium secondary battery, which are high in discharge capacity and excellent in cycle characteristics, characterized in that a layer consisting of a metal alloying with Li is provided on a substrate consisting of a metal not alloying with Li, and a layer having these metals mixed therein is formed between the above layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which the decomposition of an electrolyte solution is reduced exhibits high coulombic efficiency and excellent charge and discharge cycle performance, and has high energy density. This nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode that is formed by depositing a thin film of active material on a collector by a CVD method, sputtering, evaporation, thermal spraying, or plating, wherein the thin film of the active material can lithiate and delithiate and is divided into columns by cracks formed in the thickness direction, and the bottom of each column is adhered to the collector; a positive electrode that can lithiate and delithiate; and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in a nonaqueous solvent. The electrolyte solution contains a compound expressed by a general formula (I).

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which the decomposition of an electrolyte solution is reduced exhibits high coulombic efficiency and excellent charge and discharge cycle performance, and has high energy density. This nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode that is formed by depositing a thin film of active material on a collector by a CVD method, sputtering, evaporation, thermal spraying, or plating, wherein the thin film of the active material can lithiate and delithiate and is divided into columns by cracks formed in the thickness direction, and the bottom of each column is adhered to the collector; a positive electrode that can lithiate and delithiate; and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in a nonaqueous solvent. The electrolyte solution contains a compound expressed by a general formula (I).

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which the decomposition of an electrolyte solution is reduced exhibits high coulombic efficiency and excellent charge and discharge cycle performance, and has high energy density. This nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode that is formed by depositing a thin film of active material on a collector by a CVD method, sputtering, evaporation, thermal spraying, or plating, wherein the thin film of the active material can lithiate and delithiate and is divided into columns by cracks formed in the thickness direction, and the bottom of each column is adhered to the collector; a positive electrode that can lithiate and delithiate; and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in a nonaqueous solvent. The electrolyte solution contains a compound expressed by a general formula (I).

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery including a negative electrode made by depositing a noncrystalline thin film composed entirely or mainly of silicon on a current collector, a positive electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte, characterized in that said nonaqueous electrolyte contains carbon dioxide dissolved therein.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery, comprising a current collector layer composed of a metal incapable of alloying with Li, an active material layer provided on said current collector layer and composed of a metal capable of alloying with Li and a surface coating layer provided on a surface of said active material layer, opposite to the surface on which the current collector layer is provided, and composed of a metal incapable of alloying with Li or composed of an alloy of a metal incapable of alloying with Li and a metal capable of alloying with Li.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery includes a thin film of an active material having a first phase that reacts with Li dominantly and a second phase that reacts less readily with Li than the first phase and exists at least before initial-cycle charging and after discharging in each cycle following the initial cycle. A surface of the current collector has an arithmetical mean roughness Ra of 0.1 &mgr;m or greater. A surface of the thin film has irregularities formed corresponding to the irregularities of the current collector surface. By the charging and discharging in the initial cycle and thereafter, gaps form along the thin-film thickness on lines connecting valleys in the thin-film surface irregularities and valleys in the current-collector surface irregularities, and the thin film is divided into columnar or insular structures by the gaps.

Abstract: A method of charging and discharging a lithium secondary battery in which a negative electrode comprises an active material including silicon provided on a current collector which is a metal which does not form an alloy with lithium. The method is characterized in that the lithium secondary battery is charged and discharged within a range of state of charge (SOC) at which no peak corresponding to a compound of lithium and silicon is observed in an X-ray diffraction pattern during charging using CuK&agr;-radiation as the X-ray source.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery using an Li alloying metal as the active material of at least one of its positive and negative electrodes. The metal active material is covered with a thin film which is nonreactive with Li ions, permits passage of Li ions but does not have an Li ion conductivity.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery comprises a current collector composed of a metal incapable of alloy formation with lithium, a thin film formed by depositing on the current collector and composed of an active material containing tin as a main component, and a tin oxide layer formed on the surface of the thin film.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery in which an alloy thin film containing Sn (tin) and In (indium) is formed on the surface of a current collector having a surface roughness Ra of 0.1 &mgr;m or more, and a lithium secondary battery using thereof.

Abstract: An electrode having a current collector and, formed thereon, a thin film comprising an active material, characterized in that a thin alloy film (such as Sn—Co) comprising a metal which can form an alloy with lithium (such as Sn) and a metal which can not form an alloy with lithium (such as Co) is formed on a current collector such as a copper foil. It is preferred that the above metal which can form an alloy with lithium and the above metal which can not form an alloy with lithium can not form an intermetallic compound with each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium polymer secondary battery having at least a basic battery cell including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a polymer electrolyte in an outer can, wherein the battery has a suitable structure to use the polymer electrolyte polymerized in the battery and has excellent cycle characteristics. One of the electrodes is U-shaped and the other electrode is inserted in the U-shaped electrode. The polymer electrolyte includes a polymer containing a polyalkylene oxide structure and a solvent and is polymerized in the battery. The thickness of the battery is not greater than 2 mm.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery-use electrode and a lithium secondary battery, which are high in discharge capacity and excellent in cycle characteristics, characterized in that a layer consisting of a metal alloying with Li is provided on a substrate consisting of a metal not alloying with Li, and a layer having these metals mixed therein is formed between the above layer and the substrate.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery comprises a current collector composed of a metal incapable of alloy formation with lithium, a thin film formed by depositing on the current collector and composed of an active material containing tin as a main component, and a tin oxide layer formed on the surface of the thin film.