Abstract: An electrochemically active material comprising a surface is provided, wherein the surface comprises an oligomer. A method of functionalising the surface with the oligomer is also provided.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for preparing particulate materials having high electrochemical capacities that are suitable for use as anode active materials in rechargeable metal-ion batteries. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a process for preparing a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles. The process includes providing particulate porous carbon frameworks comprising micro pores and/or mesopores, wherein the porous carbon frameworks have a D50 particle diameter of at least 20 ?m; depositing an electroactive material selected from silicon and alloys thereof into the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon frameworks using a chemical vapour infiltration process in a fluidised bed reactor, to provide intermediate particles; and comminuting the intermediate particles to provide said composite particles.

Abstract: Silicon-containing composite particles, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of porous particles comprising micropores and/or mesopores, wherein the D50 particle diameter of the porous particles from 0.5 to 200 ?m; the total pore volume of micropores and mesopores is from 0.4 to 2.2 cm3/g; and the PD50 pore diameter is no more than 30 nm; c (b) combining a charge of the porous particles with a charge of a silicon-containing precursor in a batch pressure reactor, wherein the charge of porous particles has a volume of at least 20 cm3 per litre of reactor volume (cm3/LRV), and wherein the charge of the silicon-containing precursor comprises at least 2 g of silicon per litre of reactor volume (g/LRV); and (c) heating the reactor to a temperature effective to cause deposition of silicon in the pores of the porous particles, thereby providing the silicon-containing composite particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise a plurality of silicon nanoparticles dispersed within a conductive carbon matrix. The particulate material comprises 40 to 65 wt % silicon, at least 6 wt % and less than 20% oxygen, and has a weight ratio of the total amount of oxygen and nitrogen to silicon in the range of from 0.1 to 0.45 and a weight ratio of carbon to silicon in the range of from 0.1 to 1. The particulate electroactive materials are useful as an active component of an anode in a metal ion battery.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g and up to 2 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the total micropore and mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) silicon located within the micropores and optional mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the total volume of the micropores and optional mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a combined total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

Abstract: An electrochemically active material comprising a surface is provided, wherein the surface comprises an oligomer. A method of functionalising the surface with the oligomer is also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a combined total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

Abstract: An electrode for a metal-ion battery is provided wherein the active layer of the electrode comprises a plurality of low porosity particles comprising an electroactive material selected from silicon, silicon oxide germanium, tin, aluminium and mixtures thereof and a plurality of carbon particles selected from one or more of graphite, soft carbon and hard carbon. The ratio of the D50 particles size of the carbon particles to the D50 particle diameter of the porous particles is in the range of from 1.5 to 30. Also provided are rechargeable metal-ion batteries comprising said electrode and compositions of porous particles and carbon particles which may be used to prepare the active layer of said electrode.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g and up to 2 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the total micropore and mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) silicon located within the micropores and optional mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the total volume of the micropores and optional mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and mesopores having a total volume of 0.5 to 1.5 cm3/g; and (b) silicon located at least within the micropores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and mesopores. At least 20 wt % of the silicon is characterized as surface silicon by thermogravimetric analysis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: An electrochemically active material comprising a surface is provided, wherein at least part of the surface is functionalised with a grafted heteroatom-functionalised oligomer. A method of functionalising the surface with the oligomer is also provided.

Abstract: A powder comprising pillared particles for use as an active component of a metal ion battery, the pillared particles comprising a particle core and a plurality of pillars extending from the particle core, wherein the pillared particles are formed from a starting material powder wherein at least 10% of the total volume of the starting material powder is made up of starting material particles having a particle size of no more than 10 microns.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for preparing particulate materials having high electrochemical capacities that are suitable for use as anode active materials in rechargeable metal-ion batteries. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a process for preparing a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles. The process includes providing particulate porous carbon frameworks comprising micropores and/or mesopores, wherein the porous carbon frameworks have a D50 particle diameter of at least 50 ?m; depositing an electroactive material selected from silicon and alloys thereof into the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon frameworks using a chemical vapor infiltration process in a fluidized bed reactor, to provide intermediate particles; and comminuting the intermediate particles to provide said composite particles.

Abstract: An electrode for a metal-ion battery is provided wherein the active layer of the electrode comprises a plurality of porous particles comprising an electroactive material selected from silicon, germanium, tin, aluminium and mixtures thereof and a plurality of carbon particles selected from one or more of graphite, soft carbon and hard carbon. The ratio of the D50 particles size of the carbon particles to the D50 particle diameter of the porous particles is in the range of from 1.5 to 30. Also provided are rechargeable metal-ion batteries comprising said electrode and compositions of porous particles and carbon particles which may be used to prepare the active layer of said electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: A composition comprising a first particulate electroactive material, a particulate graphite material and a binder, wherein at least 50% of the total volume of each said particulate materials is made up of particles having a particle size D50 and wherein a ratio of electroactive material D50 particle size:graphite D50 particle size is up to 4.5:1.