Abstract: A method of manufacturing a calendered cathode structure for a hybrid lithium metal cell includes depositing a first cathode coating layer without ionic liquid onto a cathode current collector, depositing a second cathode coating layer with ionic liquid onto the first coating layer, and depositing a third cathode coating layer without ionic liquid onto the second coating layer. A calendaring process is then performed on the cathode structure comprising the cathode current collector with the first, second, and third coating layers thereon such that a predetermined thickness and porosity for the cathode structure is achieved while at the same time the ionic liquid is spread throughout the cathode electrode without reaching the cathode current collector.

Abstract: A lithium cell for a lithium metal battery includes an electrolyte material, a cathode structure arranged on one side of the electrolyte material, the cathode structure including a cathode electrode and a cathode current collector, and an anode structure arranged on an opposite side of the electrolyte material from the cathode structure. The anode structure includes an anode current collector, a lithium metal anode arranged on a side of the anode current collector arranged facing the electrolyte material, a polymer electrolyte protective coating deposited on a surface of the lithium metal anode arranged facing the electrolyte material. The polymer electrolyte protective coating includes a base polymer material, one or more lithium salts, inorganic filler, dispersant, plasticizer, an initiator, and a rheology modifier.

Abstract: A lithium cell for a lithium metal battery includes an electrolyte material, a cathode structure arranged on one side of the electrolyte material, the cathode structure including a cathode electrode and a cathode current collector, and an anode structure arranged on an opposite side of the electrolyte material from the cathode structure. The anode structure includes an anode current collector, a lithium metal anode arranged on a side of the anode current collector arranged facing the electrolyte material, a nanoceramic protective coating deposited on a surface of the lithium metal anode arranged facing the electrolyte material. The nanoceramic protective coating includes a nanoceramic material, a base polymer material, a binder material including a UV curable polymer, and one or more lithium salts.

Abstract: A lithium cell for a lithium metal battery includes: an electrolyte material; a cathode structure arranged on one side of the electrolyte material, the cathode structure including a cathode electrode and a cathode current collector; and an anode structure arranged on an opposite side of the electrolyte material from the cathode structure. The anode structure includes: an anode current collector; a lithium metal anode arranged on a side of the anode current collector arranged facing the electrolyte material; and a protective coating deposited on a surface of the lithium metal anode and arranged facing the electrolyte material, wherein the protective coating extends beyond the lithium metal anode and onto the anode current collector so as to seal both a surface and edge regions of the lithium metal anode from contact with a liquid electrolyte of the electrolyte material.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes a receiver device, a plurality of material deposition units for depositing a material including a particulate material and a liquid vehicle onto the receiver device to form a printed layer on the receiver device, and a material removing system that includes a plurality of extraction units for gradually removing the liquid vehicle from the printed layer. A delivery system of the 3D printer may transport the printed layer from the receiver device to a build platform for stacking a plurality of printed layers and a plurality of post-deposition processing stations may be positioned along the delivery system for performing post-deposition operations on the printed layer.

Abstract: A jetted material printing system includes a carrier substrate configured to travel along a longitudinal direction thereof, one or more printheads, each of the one or more printheads being configured to deposit an amount of material onto the carrier substrate to form a printed layer, a liquid removal device located at a first position from the one or more printheads in the longitudinal direction, and a binder conditioning device located downstream from the liquid removal device in the longitudinal direction and over the carrier substrate. A method of jetted material printing includes depositing material from one or more printheads onto a carrier substrate, the material including at least a powder, a binder and a solvent, removing the solvent from the jetted material, and conditioning the jetted material.

Abstract: A 3D printing apparatus and method including a powder distributor, located and configured to deposit powder on an upper surface of a build platform, an inkjet printhead to deliver a binder on the deposited powder, a curing to irradiate the delivered binder with radiation, and a mounting apparatus to mount the printhead and the curing unit, wherein one of the mounting apparatus and the build platform is configured to move in first and second directions, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction, while the other of the mounting apparatus and the build platform remains stationary, and wherein the powder distributor, the printhead and the curing unit operate in synchronization with one another in response to actuation of the powder distributor to begin distributing powder.

Abstract: A three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The first and second printer modules form sequences of first patterned single-layer objects and second patterned single-layer objects on the first and second carrier substrates, respectively. The patterned single-layer objects are assembled into a three-dimensional object on the assembly plate of the assembly station. A controller controls the sequences and patterns of the patterned single-layer objects formed at the printer modules, and a sequence of assembly of the first patterned single-layer objects and the second patterned single-layer objects into the three-dimensional object on the assembly plate. The first transfer module transfers the first patterned single-layer objects from the first carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a first transfer zone and the second transfer module transfers the second patterned single-layer objects from the second carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a second transfer zone.

Abstract: A multi-material three-dimensional printing apparatus is provided. The provided apparatus includes two or more print stations. Each of the print stations includes a substrate, a transportation device, a dispersion device, a compaction device, a printing device, a fixing device, and a fluidized materials removal device. The apparatus also includes an assembly apparatus in communication with the two or more print stations via the transportation device. The apparatus also includes one or more transfer devices in communication with the assembly apparatus. The apparatus also includes a computing and controlling device configured to control the operations of the two or more print stations, the assembly apparatus and the one or more transfer devices.

Abstract: A solid-state electrochemical cell is provided including a first electrode connected to a first current collector, a second electrode connected to a second current collector, a separator interconnecting the first electrode and the second electrode, the separator including a solid-state electrolyte, first oriented pores including a first electrode material formed in the first electrode, and second oriented pores including a second electrode material formed in the second electrode, wherein at least one of the first oriented pores and the second oriented pores includes an electronically conducting network extending on sidewall surfaces thereof from a corresponding one of the first and second current collectors to the electrolyte separator. The second electrode includes a filling aperture including a seal configured to isolate the first electrode from cathode material in the second electrode.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided, which includes a cathode comprising a three dimensional (3D) porous cathode structure, an anode, an electrolyte separator, comprised of a ceramic material, located between the cathode and the anode, and a cathode current collector, wherein the cathode is located between the cathode current collector and the electrolyte separator. The 3D porous cathode structure includes ionically conducting electrolyte strands extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, pores extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, and an electronically conducting network extending on sidewall surfaces of the pores from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided, which includes a cathode comprising a three dimensional (3D) porous cathode structure, an anode, an electrolyte separator, comprised of a ceramic material, located between the cathode and the anode, and a cathode current collector, wherein the cathode is located between the cathode current collector and the electrolyte separator. The 3D porous cathode structure includes ionically conducting electrolyte strands extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, pores extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, and an electronically conducting network extending on sidewall surfaces of the pores from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator.

Abstract: An in-situ material regeneration method and system are provided that enable recovery, reconditioning and reuse of used build materials, including removed powder and removed liquids, thus increasing material utilization efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method provide conditioning to a powder deposited on a substrate (e.g., a web), for example, by wetting the powder in a 3D printing apparatus. To achieve this in an exemplary implementation, a wetting apparatus is located between a powder dispenser and at least one top calendering roller in a direction of movement of the substrate, wherein the wetting apparatus is configured to apply a wetting agent to the powder on the substrate before the powder passes through the calendering roller. The wetting agent is comprised of a material which increases cohesiveness of the powder to prevent the powder from adhering to the top roller. In a particular implementation, the wetting agent is steam confined to an area of the substrate where the powder passes through the wetting apparatus, without wetting other areas of the substrate which are not in the wetting apparatus.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for adding a new layer to a stack of previously processed layers. In an example, a method is provided for mounting the previously processed layer on a build platform, mounting the new layer on a substrate, aligning the new layer with the previously processed layer, moving the new layer and the previously processed into contact with one another, and applying energy to the new layer from an energy source through the substrate to simultaneously process the new layer and bond the new layer to the previously processed layer to form a bonded processed multilayer stack on the build platform. A flexible compliant pressure conveyance media is moved into contact with the substrate to apply pressure to the new layer while the energy is being applied.

Abstract: A method and system for 3D printing for creating at least two discrete sections of powder on a substrate, segmenting the substrate to isolate the at least two discrete sections of powder, compacting the powder on a segment of the substrate, removing loose/non-compacted powder from the segment of the substrate, create a printed/processed layer by performing one or more of a printing process or a processing operation on the segment of substrate, and transferring the printed/processed layers from the segment of substrate to a build platform.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method are provided to remove powder from a web, for example, in a 3D printing apparatus. A flexible blade is provided to contact and move across a first portion of the web located between adjacent portions of the web to scrape powder from the first portion without removing powder deposited on the adjacent portions. A pair of edge vacuum nozzles and a central vacuum nozzle are also provided to move with the flexible blade to remove powder from both edges of the first portion and a central region of the first portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to an improved method and apparatus for compacting a powder layer. An exemplary method comprises placing the substrate on a first plate, placing a second plate over the powder layer so that the substrate and the powder layer are sandwiched between the first plate and the second plate to form a multilayered structure comprising the first plate, the substrate, the powder layer and the second plate, and calendering the multilayered structure between a top calendering roller and a bottom calendering roller.

Abstract: Improved carrier plates and methods of use thereof are provided to secure and transport individual layers of a multilayer structure during manufacture of the multilayer structure. In one implementation a carrier plate is provided including a lower portion and a raised portion to support a flexible substrate holding an individual layer laid on an upper surface of the raised portion. Clamping mechanisms, such as rollers, are formed on extended regions adjacent to side walls of the raised portion. The clamping mechanisms are configured to move from open positions, where the clamping mechanisms are spaced apart from the sidewalls of the raised portion, to closed positions, where the clamping mechanisms secure opposite edge portions of the flexible substrate between the clamping mechanisms and the first and sidewalls of the raised portion.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided which includes a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte separator, and an anode current collector located on the anode. The anode is a three-dimensional (3D) porous anode including ionically conducting electrolyte strands and pores which extend through the anode from the anode current collector to the electrolyte separator. The anode also includes electronically conducting networks extending on sidewall surfaces of the pores from the anode current collector to the electrolyte separator.