Abstract: A battery includes an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly has a population of unit cells, each unit cell including an electrode current collector layer, an electrode layer, a separator layer, a counter-electrode layer, and a counter-electrode current collector layer in stacked succession. The electrode layer has an electrode active material, and the counter-electrode layer has a counter-electrode active material. One of the electrode active material and the counter-electrode material is a cathodically active material and the other of the electrode active material and the counter-electrode material is an anodically active material. A subset of the unit cell population includes a pair of spacer members located between the electrode current collector layer and the counter-electrode current collector layer. At least a portion of the counter-electrode active material is located between the spacer members in a common plane defined by the x and z axes.

Abstract: A secondary battery for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, comprises a battery enclosure, an electrode assembly, carrier ions, and an electrolyte, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a population of unit cells, each unit cell comprising, in a stacking direction, a unit cell portion of an electrode current collector layer, an electrode layer comprising electrode active material, a separator layer, a counter-electrode layer and a unit cell portion of a counter-electrode current collector layer, and a subset of the members of the unit cell population comprises a population of spacer structures located in the stacked succession, and for each member of unit cell population subset there exists an imaginary line that extends in a direction that is orthogonal to the stacking direction and intersects the counter-electrode layer and at least one member of the spacer structure population comprised by each respective member of the unit cell population subset.

Abstract: Embodiments of secondary batteries having electrode assemblies are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode assembly having a stacked series of layers, the stacked series of layers having an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell member of the stacked series. A set of constraints can be provided with a primary constraint system with first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in a longitudinal direction, and connected by at least one primary connecting member, and a secondary constraint system comprises first and second secondary growth constraints separated in a second direction and connected by members of the stacked series of layers. The primary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, and the secondary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth in the second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: Secondary batteries and methods of manufacture thereof are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell. Secondary batteries can be prepared by removing a population of negative electrode subunits from a negative electrode sheet, the negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode sheet edge margin and at least one negative electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the negative electrode sheet edge margin, removing a population of separator layer subunits from a separator sheet, and removing a population of positive electrode subunits from a positive electrode sheet, the positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode edge margin and at least one positive electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the positive electrode sheet edge margin, and stacking members of the negative electrode subunit population, the separator layer subunit population and the positive electrode subunit population.

Abstract: Secondary batteries and methods of manufacture thereof are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode layer comprising a population of spacer structures comprising a material other than the electrode active material, wherein (a) the spacer population occupies a total volume within the electrode layer within the range of about 0.1% to about 35% of the volume, VE, of the electrode layer, and (b) a member of the spacer population is located within each subvolume of the electrode layer comprising (i) at least 25% of the volume, VE, of the electrode layer, and (ii) bounded on all sides by (aa) the unit cell portion of the electrode current collector, (bb) the separator layer, (cc) the top surface of the electrode layer, (dd) the bottom surface of the electrode layer, (ee) the first end surface of the electrode layer, and (ff) the second end surface of the electrode layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of secondary batteries having electrode assemblies are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode assembly having a stacked series of layers, the stacked series of layers having an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell member of the stacked series. A set of constraints can be provided with a primary constraint system with first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in a longitudinal direction, and connected by at least one primary connecting member, and a secondary constraint system comprises first and second secondary growth constraints separated in a second direction and connected by members of the stacked series of layers. The primary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, and the secondary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth in the second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: Secondary batteries and methods of manufacture thereof are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell. Secondary batteries can be prepared by removing a population of negative electrode subunits from a negative electrode sheet, the negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode sheet edge margin and at least one negative electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the negative electrode sheet edge margin, removing a population of separator layer subunits from a separator sheet, and removing a population of positive electrode subunits from a positive electrode sheet, the positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode edge margin and at least one positive electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the positive electrode sheet edge margin, and stacking members of the negative electrode subunit population, the separator layer subunit population and the positive electrode subunit population.

Abstract: Secondary batteries and methods of manufacture thereof are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell. Secondary batteries can be prepared by removing a population of negative electrode subunits from a negative electrode sheet, the negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode sheet edge margin and at least one negative electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the negative electrode sheet edge margin, removing a population of separator layer subunits from a separator sheet, and removing a population of positive electrode subunits from a positive electrode sheet, the positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode edge margin and at least one positive electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the positive electrode sheet edge margin, and stacking members of the negative electrode subunit population, the separator layer subunit population and the positive electrode subunit population.

Abstract: Embodiments of secondary batteries having electrode assemblies are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode assembly having a stacked series of layers, the stacked series of layers having an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell member of the stacked series. A set of constraints can be provided with a primary constraint system with first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in a longitudinal direction, and connected by at least one primary connecting member, and a secondary constraint system comprises first and second secondary growth constraints separated in a second direction and connected by members of the stacked series of layers. The primary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, and the secondary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth in the second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.