Abstract: An electrochemical cell, such as Li-Ion, having (a) a positive electrode; (b) a negative electrode, (c) a porous inorganic/organic composite layer interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and (d) an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and a non-aqueous solvent. The composite layer includes inorganic nanoparticles and a binder to form a nanocomposite separator (NCS). In addition to the composite layer, the electrochemical cell includes a porous separator.

Abstract: A lithium-ion battery is provided that has a fast charge and discharge rate capability and low rate of capacity fade during high rate cycling. The battery can exhibit low impedance growth and other properties allowing for its use in hybrid electric vehicle applications and other applications where high power and long battery life are important features.

Abstract: A battery system comprises a plurality of battery subunits, each subunit comprising a heatsink and at least one battery cell with a positive terminal and a negative terminal; where each heatsink has a respective busbar support mounted to it, and each busbar support includes first and second slots through which, respectively, a positive and a negative terminal of the at least one battery cell for that subunit passes, wherein a first busbar is located above and held at least in part by the first busbar support and is electrically connected to the negative terminal passing through the first slot in the first busbar support; and a second busbar is located above and held at least in part by the first busbar support and electrically connected to the positive terminal passing through the second slot in the first busbar support.

Abstract: An electrochemical device includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector, a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector and a crosslinked solid polymer in contact with the first and second electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a network of electrically connected particles comprising an electroactive material, and the particles of one electrode exert a repelling force on the other electrode when the first and second electrodes are combined with an uncrosslinked precursor to the solid polymer.

Abstract: An electrode/separator assembly for use in an electrochemical cell includes a current collector; a porous composite electrode layer adhered to the current collector, said electrode layer comprising at least electroactive particles and a binder; and a porous composite separator layer comprising inorganic particles substantially uniformly distributed in a polymer matrix to form nanopores and having a pore volume fraction of at least 25%, wherein the separator layer is secured to the electrode layer by a solvent weld at the interface between the two layers, said weld comprising a mixture of the binder and the polymer. Methods of making and using the assembly are also described.

Abstract: Electrodes with a multilayer or monolayer composite separator are described. The multilayer composite separator comprises multiple individual composite separator layers. Each individual composite separator layer comprises inorganic particulate material(s) and organic polymer(s) with different inorganic particulate material/polymer weight ratios. The multilayer composite separator layer is constructed in a way such that the composite separator layer adjacent to the electrode active material contains a higher weight percentage of the inorganic particulate material and lower weight percentage of the organic polymer than the composite separator layer outermost from the electrode current collector. Laminated cells comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a laminated multilayer or monolayer composite separator layer are described, wherein at least one of the electrodes has a multilayer or monolayer composite separator disposed onto the surface of the electrode.

Abstract: A battery management system includes one or more lithium ion cells in electrical connection, each said cell comprising: first and second working electrodes and one or more reference electrodes, each reference electrode electronically isolated from the working electrodes and having a separate tab or current collector exiting the cell and providing an additional terminal for electrical measurement; and a battery management system comprising a battery state-of-charge monitor, said monitor being operable for receiving information relating to the potential difference of the working electrodes and the potential of one or more of the working electrodes versus the reference electrode.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes components that are welded from an external source after the components are assembled in a cell canister. The cell canister houses electrode tabs and a core insert. An end cap insert is disposed opposite the core insert. An external weld source, such as a laser beam, is applied to the end cap insert, such that the end cap insert, the electrode tabs, and the core insert are electrically coupled by a weld which extends from the end cap insert to the core insert.

Abstract: A lithium-ion battery is provided that has a fast charge and discharge rate capability and low rate of capacity fade during high rate cycling. The battery can exhibit low impedance growth and other properties allowing for its use in hybrid electric vehicle applications and other applications where high power and long battery life are important features.

Abstract: Amorphous or partially amorphous nanoscale ion storage materials are provided. For example, lithium transition metal phosphate storage compounds are nanoscale and amorphous or partially amorphous in an as-prepared state, or become amorphous or partially amorphous upon electrochemical intercalation or de-intercalation by lithium. These nanoscale ion storage materials are useful for producing devices such as high energy and high power storage batteries.

Abstract: A battery system comprises a first battery unit; a DC voltage bus; a second battery unit electrically connected to the DC voltage bus; a current-limiting component; and switching circuitry for connecting the first battery unit to the DC voltage bus, where the switching circuitry is configured to electrically connect the first battery unit to the DC voltage bus either directly or through a current-limiting component, depending on an operating parameter of the first battery unit.

Abstract: A system for charging a battery includes a battery pack having at least two lithium ion cells. A controller detects a rate of change of voltage with respect to a state of charge (dV/dSOC) of the battery pack based on a calculated dV/dSOC that represents the battery pack as a whole, without calculating dV/dSOC individually on a cell-by-cell basis. Charging is terminated when dV/dSOC reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a wound electromechanical storage device assembly including a negative electrode sheet, a plurality of negative electrode tabs which are integral to and extend from the negative electrode sheet, a positive electrode sheet, a plurality of positive electrode tabs which are integral to and extend from the positive electrode sheet, and a separator sheet disposed between the negative and positive electrode sheets, wherein the negative electrode sheet, positive electrode sheet, and separator sheet are wound around a common axis to form a plurality of windings, and wherein each winding includes one negative electrode tab and one positive electrode tab.

Abstract: A positive electrode material is provided including an electroactive material having one or more phases comprising lithium (Li), an electroactive metal (M), and phosphate (PO4), wherein in the fully lithiated state, the overall composition has a ratio of Li:M ranging from greater than about 1.0 to about 1.3, a ratio of (PO4):M ranging from about 1.0 to about 1.132, M is one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, and at least one phase includes an olivine lithium electroactive metal phosphate. In some instances, a composite cathode material including an electroactive olivine transition metal phosphate and a lithium and phosphate rich secondary phase is disclosed for use in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: A battery management system includes one or more lithium ion cells in electrical connection, each said cell comprising: first and second working electrodes and one or more reference electrodes, each reference electrode electronically isolated from the working electrodes and having a separate tab or current collector exiting the cell and providing an additional terminal for electrical measurement; and a battery management system comprising a battery state-of-charge monitor, said monitor being operable for receiving information relating to the potential difference of the working electrodes and the potential of one or more of the working electrodes versus the reference electrode.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided. The cell includes a plurality of electrode sheets separated by at least one separator sheet. A positive extension tab is attached to a current collecting tabs of positive electrode sheets, and a negative extension tab is attached to current collecting tabs of the negative electrode sheets. The dimensions of the positive extension tab and the negative extension tab are selected such that temperature difference between positive extension tab and the negative extension tab are minimized when the electrochemical cell is in use.

Abstract: The invention provides bipolar articles (e.g., batteries and capacitors) with new architectures and methods of making and using the same. Articles are provided with interpenetrating anode and cathode structures that allow for improved power density, and arbitrary form factors that allow for formation in substantially any desired shape. The articles are useful for embedding or integral formation in various electronic devices to provide more efficient use of space in the devices. The articles optionally include self-organizing bipolar structures.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide flexible, multi-voltage battery modules having multiple cells that are nested together. The cells can be, for example, cylindrical lithium ion cells. To increase cell package density, the cells can be disposed in a nested configuration so that adjacent cell centers form equilateral triangles. The cells can be placed in a housing or case with interlocking tabs that allow multiple modules to be connected together. Within a module, the cells can be connected in different configurations by buss bars at the top and the bottom of the battery cells. The different configurations may provide different voltages for the module.

Abstract: Materials useful as electrodes for lithium batteries have very good electronic and ionic conductivities. They are fabricated from a starting mixture which includes a metal, a phosphate ion, and an additive which enhances the transport of lithium ions in the resultant material. The mixture is heated in a reducing environment to produce the material. The additive may comprise a pentavalent metal or a carbon. In certain embodiments the material is a two-phase material. Also disclosed are electrodes which incorporate the materials and lithium batteries which incorporate those electrodes.