Abstract: Provided are electrodes that include an electrode dry mixture and a dry electrolyte material intermixed with the electrode dry mixture; and a binder intermixed with the electrode dry mixture and the dry electrolyte material, said binder comprising fibrils; the electrode dry mixture, dry electrolyte material, and said binder in the form of a dry electrode film. The electrolyte material may include a glass ceramic and, optionally, an air-stabilizing dopant. The glass ceramic may include Li3PS4. The electrodes may include a composite cathode of the dry electrode film and optionally further include a solid-state electrolyte layer. Also provided are methods for forming the electrodes, optionally where the methods may be applicable for a solvent-free process to form electrodes and electrochemical cells and batteries including the electrodes.

Abstract: Provided are processes to form microporous silicon useful as an active material in an electrode of an electrochemical cell the processes including subjecting a mixture of silicon oxide and a metal reducing agent, optionally aluminum, to mechanical milling to form mechanically activated silicon oxide/aluminum, thermally treating the silicon oxide/aluminum to reduce the silicon oxide and form Si/Al2O3, and removing at least a portion of the alumina from the Si to form a microporous silicon. The resulting electrochemically active microporous silicon is also provided with residual alumina present at 15% by weight or less that demonstrates excellent cycle life and safety.

Abstract: Provided are materials that may be used in or as a separator in an electrochemical cell such as a lithium sulfur battery. The separator includes a material capable of absorbing and desorbing a polysulfide. The inclusion of the materials in a separator provide for reduced sulfur loss from a cathode during cycling thereby improving cycle life.

Abstract: Methods for preparing an electrode may include compressing an electrode dry mixture comprising an active material and an electrolyte material to form an electrode film. An electrolyte dry mixture or a stand-alone solid-state electrolyte film is compressed against a surface of the electrode film to form a laminate of an electrolyte layer and the electrode film. The electrolyte dry mixture may include the electrolyte material. Compressing the electrode dry mixture may include calendering the electrode dry mixture. Compressing the electrolyte dry mixture or stand-alone electrolyte film may be accomplished also by calendering. The electrolyte material may include a glass ceramic and, optionally, an air-stabilizing dopant. The glass ceramic may include Li3PS4. Thus, the electrodes may include a composite cathode and a solid-state electrolyte layer. The methods may be applicable for a solvent-free process to form electrodes and electrochemical cells and batteries including the electrodes.

Abstract: Provided are electrodes that may be used in electrochemical cells that incorporate relatively high loading of active material while also demonstrating excellent adhesion, resistance to mechanical breakdown, and also offer improved capacity retention, particularly at discharge rates of C/2 or greater.

Abstract: Provided are electrode active materials with a porous structure and including a metal, that when loaded with sulfur serve as electrochemically superior cathode active materials. The metal structures are optionally used on their own, are coated with another material, or coats another porous structure such as a porous carbon structure that allows for excellent retention of both sulfur and polysulfides, are conductive themselves, and show long term stability and excellent cycle life.

Abstract: Provided are electrochemically active materials capable of absorbing and desorbing an ion suitable for use in secondary cells. The provided materials include a core consisting of a plurality of silicon particulates of a particle size less than 1 micrometer, the particulates intermixed with and surrounded by a silicon metal alloy composite, and an electrochemically active buffering shell layer enveloping at least a portion of the core such that the resulting electrochemically active material has an overall particle size with a maximum linear dimension of greater than one micrometer.

Abstract: Provided are electrodes that may be used in electrochemical cells that incorporate relatively high loading of active material while also demonstrating excellent adhesion, resistance to mechanical breakdown, and also offer improved capacity retention, particularly at discharge rates of C/2 or greater.

Abstract: Provided are electrode active materials that include a metal oxide or oxynitride with a porous structure that when loaded with sulfur serve as electrochemically superior cathode active materials. The metal nitride or metal oxynitride structures are optionally used on their own, are coated with another material, or itself coats another porous structure such as a porous carbon structure that allows for excellent retention of both sulfur and polysulfides, are conductive themselves, and show long term stability and excellent cycle life.

Abstract: Provided are electrodes that may be used in electrochemical cells that incorporate relatively high loading of active material while also demonstrating excellent adhesion, resistance to mechanical breakdown, and also offer improved capacity retention, particularly at discharge rates of C/72 or greater.

Abstract: Processes for preventing or containing a thermal runaway event in a battery cell are provided that include localizing an effective amount of a thermally decomposable flame retardant to a target site on a cell or battery, where the flame retardant is localized so as not to coat the entire cell or large portions of the cell. It was discovered that targeted localization of flame retardant material(s) improves cell safety by preventing thermal runaway under adverse operating conditions.