Abstract: A method of making a cold plate includes stacking three aluminum sheets on top of each other while each of the three aluminum sheets is generally flat. An edge of the three aluminum sheets are secured together. A top one of the aluminum sheets is welded to a middle one of the aluminum sheets at a plurality of first locations and a bottom one of the aluminum sheets is welded to the middle one of the aluminum sheets at a plurality of second locations different than the plurality of first locations. A pressurized medium is supplied between the top one of the aluminum sheets and the bottom one of the aluminum sheets to separate the top one of the aluminum sheets from the bottom one of the aluminum sheets and deform the middle one of the aluminum sheets.

Abstract: An enclosure body and a method for manufacturing an enclosure includes one of extruding and deep drawing an enclosure including a plurality of side walls defining a first cavity. The plurality of side walls are formed without stiffening portions. After extruding and deep drawing of the enclosure, forming a plurality of stiffening portions on the enclosure using an expandable punch, a hydraulic punch, and/or hydroforming.

Abstract: A consolidated vehicle floor and a rechargeable energy storage system cover having a lower cover panel with a plurality of first structural formations including at least one of dimples and corrugations such that the lower cover panel includes upwardly protruding portions and downwardly protruding portions and an upper cover panel with second structural formations including at least one of dimples and corrugations such that the upper cover panel includes downwardly protruding portions and upwardly protruding portions, the downwardly protruding portions of the upper cover panel are secured to respective ones of the upwardly protruding portions of the lower cover panel. A vehicle floor panel with a plurality of third structural formations such that the vehicle floor panel includes downwardly protruding portions and upwardly protruding portions, the downwardly protruding portion of the vehicle floor panel are secured to respective ones of the upwardly protruding portions of the upper cover panel.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a current collector for an electrode of a battery cell includes providing a wire mesh current collector including wires that have a diameter and form mesh junctions; and rolling the wire mesh current collector using a first roller and a second roller, wherein the first roller and the second roller are spaced by a predetermined gap. The predetermined gap is less than 2 times the diameter of the wires of the wire mesh current collector.

Abstract: A stackable battery module mounting system includes a side wall structure and a plurality of cross members extending between opposite sides of the side wall structure, the plurality of cross members each having a plurality of first spaced apertures. A plurality of battery modules each include a face plate on opposite sides thereof and each face plate includes a plurality of protruding sections which nest with protruding sections of the face plate of adjacent battery modules. At least some of the protruding sections include second apertures aligned with a respective one of the first spaced apertures of the plurality of cross members. A plurality of bolts are received in corresponding ones of the second apertures of the plurality of battery modules and the first spaced apertures in the plurality of cross members for securing the plurality of battery modules to the plurality of cross members.

Abstract: A shear panel construction includes a patterned upper sheet metal panel including a planar section and having a plurality of upwardly protruding portions defining first strengthening crossbar sections extending upward from the planar section, the planar section of the patterned upper sheet metal panel extends to an edge of the patterned upper sheet metal panel. A patterned lower sheet metal panel is secured to a bottom surface of the patterned upper sheet metal panel, the patterned lower sheet metal panel having a plurality of protruding portions defining second strengthening crossbar sections.

Abstract: A vertical pump features stationary bowl assembly, a rotating power transmission shaft, impellers and bottom wear-ring bearings. The stationary bowl assembly includes bowls, each bowl having a respective bowl bottom inside surface. The rotating power transmission shaft is configured to extend through the stationary bowl assembly. The impellers are arranged on the rotating power transmission shaft to rotate and draw material through the stationary bowl assembly, each impeller having a respective impeller bottom outside surface. Each bottom wear-ring bearing is arranged between the respective impeller bottom outside surface of each impeller and the respective bowl bottom inside surface of each bowl, made from a non-galling bearing material, and configured to maintain the alignment of the rotating power transmission shaft in relation to the stationary bowl assembly.

Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a current collector, a lithium metal foil, and an alloyed interface that chemically binds the current collector and the lithium metal foil. In certain variations, the alloyed interface includes an intermediate layer disposed between the current collector and the lithium metal foil, a portion of the current collector adjacent to the intermediate layer is alloyed with the indium, gallium, or alloy of indium and gallium defining the intermediate layer, and a portion of the lithium metal foil adjacent to the intermediate layer is alloyed with the indium, gallium, or alloy of indium and gallium defining the intermediate layer. In other variations, the alloyed interface includes a copper-lithium alloy.

Abstract: A process for making a ribbon-shaped hollow thermal conductor includes forming a sacrificial material into an insert including a plurality of parallel strands. Plating the sacrificial insert with copper to form a ribbon-shaped structure and removing the sacrificial material from within the ribbon-shaped structure to create a hollow passage through a ribbon-shaped hollow copper thermal conductor.

Abstract: A method for forming a prelithiated, layered anode material includes contacting an ionic compound and a lithium precursor in an environment having a temperature ranging from about 200° C. to about 900° C. The ionic compound is a three-dimensional layered material represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B). The lithium precursor is selected from the group consisting of: LiH, LiC, LiOH, LiCl, and combinations thereof. The contacting of the ionic compound and the lithium precursor in the environment causes removal of cations from the ionic compound to create openings in interlayer spaces or voids in the three-dimensional layered material thereby defining a two-dimensional layered material and also causes introduction of lithium ions from the lithium precursor into the interlayer spaces or voids to form the prelithiated, layered anode material.

Abstract: A gradient steel includes a first layer, a second layer near a first surface of the first layer, and a third layer near a second surface of the first layer. The first layer includes a first ferrite phase volume. The second and third layers include a second ferrite phase volume greater than the first ferrite phase volume. The gradient steel may also include a fourth layer near the second layer and a fifth layer near the third layer. The fourth and fifth layers may each include a third ferrite phase volume greater than the second ferrite phase volume. The gradient steel may also include a sixth layer near the fourth layer and a seventh layer near the fifth layer. The sixth and seventh layers may each include a fourth ferrite phase volume greater than the third ferrite phase volume.

Abstract: A method for forming a layered anode material includes contacting a precursor material and a first electrolyte. The precursor material is a layered ionic compound represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium and magnesium and X is one of silicon, germanium, and boron. The method further includes applying a first bias and/or current as the precursor material contacts the first electrolyte to remove cations from the precursor material to create a two-dimensional structure that defines the layered anode material. In certain variations, the method further includes contacting the two-dimensional structure and a second electrolyte and applying a second bias and/or current as the two-dimensional structure contacts the second electrolyte so as to cause lithium ions to move into interlayer spaces or voids created in the two-dimensional structure by the removal of the cations thereby forming the layered anode material.

Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a current collector, a lithium metal foil, and an alloyed interface that chemically binds the current collector and the lithium metal foil. In certain variations, the alloyed interface includes an intermediate layer disposed between the current collector and the lithium metal foil, a portion of the current collector adjacent to the intermediate layer is alloyed with the indium, gallium, or alloy of indium and gallium defining the intermediate layer, and a portion of the lithium metal foil adjacent to the intermediate layer is alloyed with the indium, gallium, or alloy of indium and gallium defining the intermediate layer. In other variations, the alloyed interface includes a copper-lithium alloy.

Abstract: A structural assembly includes a frame and a plurality of panels. The frame includes a wall that at least partially defines an interior region. The plurality of panels is disposed at least partially in the interior region and is coupled to the frame. The plurality of panels includes a first panel and a second panel. The first panel includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface defines a first plurality of depressions and the second surface defines a first plurality of protrusions complementary to the first plurality of depressions. The second panel includes a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The third surface defines a second plurality of depressions. The fourth surface defines a second plurality of protrusions complementary to the first plurality of depressions. The first panel is coupled to the second panel.

Abstract: An electrode assembly that includes a current collector, a lithium foil, and a solid solution interface that chemically binds the current collector and the lithium foil is provided. The solid solution interface includes a portion of the current collector that is impregnated with lithium atoms diffused from the lithium foil. In some variations, a method for forming the electrode assembly includes heating a precursor electrode assembly that includes a current collector and a lithium metal film to a temperature that is less than a melting point of lithium, so that lithium atoms diffuse into the current collector during the heating. In other variations, a method for forming the electrode assembly includes disposing a molten lithium onto a heated current collector to form a precursor electrode assembly, and cooling the assembly to form a lithium metal layer that is chemically bonded to the current collector.

Abstract: A method of making a battery current collector foil includes heat treating a foil sheet and mechanically roughening the heat treated foil sheet to create a surface roughness of between 2-4 ?m. The heat treating and mechanical roughening of the foil sheet provides improved coating adhesion. One of an anode and cathode coating is then applied to the roughened, heat treated, foil sheet.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a lithiophilic-supported current collector for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The lithiophilic-supported current collector includes a current collector substrate and a lithiophilic material. The lithiophilic material includes an element selected from the group consisting of: indium, lead, bismuth, gold, and combinations thereof. In certain variations, the lithiophilic material defines a lithiophilic layer disposed on or adjacent to one or more surfaces of the current collector substrate. In other variations, the current collector substrate has one or more porous surfaces and the lithiophilic material coats the one or more porous surfaces.

Abstract: A steel workpiece includes an alloy substrate comprising iron, about 1.4 to about 2.0 weight percent aluminum, and about 0 to about 1.0 weight percent silicon. The steel workpiece further includes a coating comprising zinc. A method of spot welding a workpiece stack-up that includes a pair of the steel workpieces includes providing the stack-up, contacting first and second electrodes to the steel workpieces, passing an electrical current through the stack-up, forming a weld nugget from molten mixing of the alloy substrates of the pair of steel workpieces, forming a boundary layer between the coating and the alloy substrate from dispersion of the coating into the alloy substrate and reaction of the zinc with the aluminum and the silicon to prevent molten mixing of the coating within the alloy substrate, and ceasing passage of the electrical current.

Abstract: An electrode including an electrochemical layer defining a surface having a plurality of dimples formed thereon is provided. The dimples have an average lateral size greater than or equal to about 100 nm to less than or equal to about 100 ?m, and an average depth greater than or equal to about 100 nm to less than or equal to about 50 ?m. In certain variations, the dimples are formed in situ by applying a current to the electrochemical layer. In other variations, the dimples are formed by moving a roller having a plurality of shapes defined thereon along one or more surfaces of the electrochemical layer. In still other variations, the dimples are formed by contacting one or more surfaces of the electrochemical layer with a chemical etchant.

Abstract: A steel workpiece includes an alloy substrate comprising iron, about 1.4 to about 2.0 weight percent aluminum, and about 0 to about 1.0 weight percent silicon. The steel workpiece further includes a coating comprising zinc. A method of spot welding a workpiece stack-up that includes a pair of the steel workpieces includes providing the stack-up, contacting first and second electrodes to the steel workpieces, passing an electrical current through the stack-up, forming a weld nugget from molten mixing of the alloy substrates of the pair of steel workpieces, forming a boundary layer between the coating and the alloy substrate from dispersion of the coating into the alloy substrate and reaction of the zinc with the aluminum and the silicon to prevent molten mixing of the coating within the alloy substrate, and ceasing passage of the electrical current.