Abstract: A positive electrode active material comprising a lithium rich metal oxide active composition coated with aluminum zinc oxide coating composition is disclosed. The aluminum zinc oxide can be represented by the formula AlxZn1?3x/2O, where x is from about 0.01 to about 0.6. In some embodiments, the material can have an average voltage that is very stable with cycling, and a specific capacity of at least about 175 mAh/g and an average voltage of at least about 3.55V discharged at a rate of C/3 from 4.6V to 2V against lithium. The material can further comprise an overcoat of metal halide over the aluminum zinc oxide coating. In some embodiments, the material can have from about 1 mole percent to about 15 mole percent aluminum zinc oxide coating and from about 0.5 mole percent to about 3 mole percent aluminum halide overcoat.

Abstract: Silicon oxide based materials, including composites with various electrical conductive compositions, are formulated into desirable anodes. The anodes can be effectively combined into lithium ion batteries with high capacity cathode materials. In some formulations, supplemental lithium can be used to stabilize cycling as well as to reduce effects of first cycle irreversible capacity loss. Batteries are described with surprisingly good cycling properties with good specific capacities with respect to both cathode active weights and anode active weights.

Abstract: Batteries with particularly high energy capacity and low internal impedance have been described herein. The batteries can exhibit extraordinary long cycling with acceptable low amounts of fade. Pouch batteries using high specific capacity lithium rich metal oxide as positive electrode material combined with graphitic carbon anode can reach an energy density of at least about 180 Wh/kg at a rate of C/3 from 4.35V to 2V at room temperature while having a room temperature areas specific DC resistance of no more than about 75 ohms-cm2 at 20% SOC based on a full charge to 4.35V. High specific capacity lithium rich metal oxide with specific stoichiometry ranges used in these batteries are disclosed.

Abstract: Battery formation protocols are used to perform initial charging of batteries with lithium rich high capacity positive electrode to result a more stable battery structure. The formation protocol generally comprises three steps, an initial charge step, a rest period under an open circuit and a subsequent charge step to a selected partial activation voltage. The subsequent or second charge voltage is selected to provide for a desired degree of partial activation of the positive electrode active material to achieve a desired specific capacity while providing for excellent stability with cycling. The formation protocol is particularly effective to stabilize cycling for compositions with moderate lithium enrichment.

Abstract: High capacity silicon based anode active materials are described for lithium ion batteries. These materials are shown to be effective in combination with high capacity lithium rich cathode active materials. Supplemental lithium is shown to improve the cycling performance and reduce irreversible capacity loss for at least certain silicon based active materials. In particular silicon based active materials can be formed in composites with electrically conductive coatings, such as pyrolytic carbon coatings or metal coatings, and composites can also be formed with other electrically conductive carbon components, such as carbon nanofibers and carbon nanoparticles. Additional alloys with silicon are explored.

Abstract: Supplemental lithium can be used to stabilize lithium ion batteries with lithium rich metal oxides as the positive electrode active material. Dramatic improvements in the specific capacity at long cycling have been obtained. The supplemental lithium can be provided with the negative electrode, or alternatively as a sacrificial material that is subsequently driven into the negative electrode active material. The supplemental lithium can be provided to the negative electrode active material prior to assembly of the battery using electrochemical deposition. The positive electrode active materials can comprise a layered-layered structure comprising manganese as well as nickel and/or cobalt.

Abstract: Battery formation protocols are used to perform initial charging of batteries with lithium rich high capacity positive electrode to result a more stable battery structure. The formation protocol generally comprises three steps, an initial charge step, a rest period under an open circuit and a subsequent charge step to a selected partial activation voltage. The subsequent or second charge voltage is selected to provide for a desired degree of partial activation of the positive electrode active material to achieve a desired specific capacity while providing for excellent stability with cycling. The formation protocol is particularly effective to stabilize cycling for compositions with moderate lithium enrichment.

Abstract: A porous silicon based material comprising porous crystalline elemental silicon formed by reducing silicon dioxide with a reducing metal in a heating process followed by acid etching is used to construct negative electrode used in lithium ion batteries. Gradual temperature heating ramp(s) with optional temperature steps can be used to perform the heating process. The porous silicon formed has a high surface area from about 10 m2/g to about 200 m2/g and is substantially free of carbon. The negative electrode formed can have a discharge specific capacity of at least 1800 mAh/g at rate of C/3 discharged from 1.5V to 0.005V against lithium with in some embodiments loading levels ranging from about 1.4 mg/cm2 to about 3.5 mg/cm2. In some embodiments, the porous silicon can be coated with a carbon coating or blended with carbon nanofibers or other conductive carbon material.

Abstract: High performance battery packs are described especially for use in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Based on high energy lithium ion battery designs, the battery packs can have pairs of parallel connected batteries to supply an energy capacity at full discharge of at least about 40 kilowatt-hours or in alternative embodiments a set of all series connected batteries that can produce at full discharge at least about 15 kilowatt-hours. In some embodiments, lithium rich positive electrode active materials can be used to form the batteries in which the material comprises a composition approximately represented by a formula xLi2M?O3. (1?x)LiMO2 with x from about 0.05 to about 0.8.

Abstract: Mixed phase complex lithium metal oxides are described with an overall stoichiometry represented by a formula Li1+aNibCocMndOx, ?0.05?a?0.14, 0.1?b?0.25, 0?c?0.2, 0.45?d?0.8, a+b+c+d=1 and (1+a)/(b+c+d)?1.325. The compositions are generally very high in manganese content. The compositions can have x-ray diffractograms and differential capacity profiles suggesting the presence of a layered (Li2MnO3)—layered (LiMetalO2)—spinel crystal structure. The compositions can exhibit surprisingly low first cycle irreversible capacity losses while maintaining high specific discharge capacities, even at high discharge rates. Stabilizing coatings have been found to further significantly improve performance.

Abstract: Compositions are described that can provide high energy density active materials for use in negative electrodes of lithium ion batteries. These materials generally comprise silicon and/or tin, and may further comprise carbon and/or zinc as well as other elements in appropriate embodiments. The active materials can have moderate volume changes upon cycling in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: Desirable electrolyte compositions are described that are suitable for high voltage lithium ion batteries with a rated charge voltage at least about 4.45 volts. The electrolyte compositions can comprise ethylene carbonate and solvent composition selected from the group consisting of dimethyl carbonate, methyl ethyl carbonate, ?-butyrolactone, ?-valerolactone or a combination thereof. The electrolyte can further comprise a stabilization additive. The electrolytes can be effectively used with lithium rich positive electrode active materials.

Abstract: Lithium ion batteries can be activated and then cycled to exploit a moderate fraction of the discharge cycling capacity such that the discharge capacity and average discharge voltage stay within initial values for thousands of cycles. The superior cycling performance has been achieved at relatively high discharge rates and for practical battery formats. Lithium ion battery performance can also be achieved with superior cycling performance with partially activated batteries such that good discharge capacities can be exploited for many thousands of cycles before the discharge capacity and average discharge voltage drops more than 20% from initial values. The positive electrode active material can be a lithium rich metal oxide. The activation of the battery can comprise phase changes of the active materials. As described herein, the phase changes can be manipulated to exploit a reasonable fraction of the available high capacity of the material while providing outstanding cycling stability.

Abstract: Lithium rich metal oxyfluorides are described with high specific capacity and, good cycling properties. The materials have particularly good high rate capabilities. The fluorine dopant can be introduced in a low temperature process to yield the materials with desirable cycling properties. In some embodiments, the positive electrode active materials have a composition represented approximately by the formula Li1+xNi?Mn?Co?A?O2?zFz where: x is from about 0.02 to about 0.19, ? is from about 0.1 to about 0.4, ? is from about 0.35 to about 0.869, ? is from about 0.01 to about 0.2, ? is from 0.0 to about 0.1 and z is from about 0.01 to about 0.2, where A is Mg, Zn, Al, Ga, B, Zr, Ti, Ca, Ce, Y, Nb or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Stabilization coating that are uniform and penetrating have been found to provide desirable stabilization coatings for lithium rich metal oxide cathode active materials. In particular, the uniform and penetrating coatings can be particularly desirable for improving storage stability of batteries formed with the active material. The stabilization coatings can be inert metal oxides, such as aluminum oxide. The uniform and penetrating stabilization coatings can be formed using atomic layer deposition. The coatings can further effectively stabilize cycling of the batteries, and batteries formed with the stabilization coating can exhibit modest increases in DC electrical resistance.

Abstract: Lithium rich and manganese rich lithium metal oxides are described that provide for excellent performance in lithium-based batteries. The specific compositions can be engineered within a specified range of compositions to provide desired performance characteristics. Selected compositions can provide high values of specific capacity with a reasonably high average voltage. Compositions of particular interest can be represented by the formula, x Li2MnO3.(1?x) Li Niu+?Mnu??CowAyO2). The compositions undergo significant first cycle irreversible changes, but the compositions cycle stably after the first cycle.

Abstract: Improved cycling of high voltage lithium ion batteries is accomplished through the use of a formation step that seems to form a more stable structure for subsequent cycling and through the improved management of the charge-discharge cycling. In particular, the formation charge for the battery can be performed at a lower voltage prior to full activation of the battery through a charge to the specified operational voltage of the battery. With respect to management of the charging and discharging of the battery, it has been discovered that for the lithium rich high voltage compositions of interest that a deeper discharge can preserve the cycling capacity at a greater number of cycles. Battery management can be designed to exploit the improved cycling capacity obtained with deeper discharges of the battery.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material comprising a lithium rich metal oxide active composition coated with aluminum zinc oxide coating composition is disclosed. The aluminum zinc oxide can be represented by the formula AlxZn1-3x/2O, where x is from about 0.01 to about 0.6. In some embodiments, the material can have an average voltage that is very stable with cycling, and a specific capacity of at least about 175 mAh/g and an average voltage of at least about 3.55V discharged at a rate of C/3 from 4.6V to 2V against lithium. The material can further comprise an overcoat of metal halide over the aluminum zinc oxide coating. In some embodiments, the material can have from about 1 mole percent to about 15 mole percent aluminum zinc oxide coating and from about 0.5 mole percent to about 3 mole percent aluminum halide overcoat.

Abstract: Lithium rich and manganese rich lithium metal oxides are described that provide for excellent performance in lithium-based batteries. The specific compositions can be engineered within a specified range of compositions to provide desired performance characteristics. Selected compositions can provide high values of specific capacity with a reasonably high average voltage. Compositions of particular interest can be represented by the formula, x Li2MnO3.(1?x) Li Niu+?Mnu??CowAyO2. The compositions undergo significant first cycle irreversible changes, but the compositions cycle stably after the first cycle.

Abstract: Positive electrode active materials comprising a dopant in an amount of 0.1 to 10 mole percent of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cd or a combination thereof are described that have high specific discharge capacity upon cycling at room temperature and at a moderate discharge rate. Some materials of interest have the formula Li1+xNi?Mn?-?Co?A?X?O2?zFz, where x ranges from about 0.01 to about 0.3, ? ranges from about 0.001 to about 0.15, and the sum x+?+?+?+?+? can approximately equal 1.0. The materials can be coated with a metal fluoride to improve the performance of the materials especially upon cycling. The materials generally can have a tap density of at least 1.8 g/mL. Also, the materials can have an average discharge voltage of around 3.6 V.