Abstract: Improved electrolytes for lithium-based cells can include a dual salt combination of lithium hexafluorophosphate and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide or lithium bis(trifluoro-methanesulfonyl)imide, and a solvent that includes dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and 5 to 25 volume percent of fluoroethylene carbonate. The improved electrolytes can include additives triethyl phosphate, ethoxy(pentafluoro)cyclotriphosphazene, 1,3-propane sultone, or mixtures thereof, and have small limited amounts of additional cosolvents and/or lithium-free organic additives. The improved electrolytes can be used to prepare lithium-based cells with silicon-based active materials as negative electrodes and nickel rich lithium metal oxides as positive electrodes. The lithium-based cells can achieve high energy, high power, fast charge and long cycle life along with good thermal stability.

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: 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: Polymer binders for negative electrodes with silicon based active materials are described based on poly(acrylamide-co-acrylate salts). Lithium ion batteries incorporating electrodes formed with the binders achieve longer cycling with suitable performance. Mechanical properties associated with each of the moieties of the copolymers are studied to guide polymer selection.

Abstract: Improved negative electrodes can comprise a silicon based active material blended with graphite to provide more stable cycling at high energy densities. In some embodiments, the negative electrodes comprise a blend of polyimide binder mixed with a more elastic polymer binder with a nanoscale carbon conductive additive. Electrolytes have been formulated that provide for extended cycling of cells incorporating a mixture of a silicon-oxide based active material with graphite active material in negative electrodes that can be matched with positive electrodes comprising nickel rich lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides to cells with unprecedented cycling properties for large capacity cell based on a silicon negative electrode active material.

Abstract: A composite coated form of lithium cobalt oxide is described that can achieve improved cycling at higher voltages. Liquid phase and combined liquid and solid phase coating processes are described to effectively form the composite coated powders. The improved cycling positive electrode materials can be effectively combined with either graphitic carbon negative electrode active materials or silicon based high capacity negative electrode active materials. Improved battery designs can achieve very high volumetric energy densities in practical battery formats and with reasonable cycling properties.