Abstract: Systems and methods for batteries comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where prelithiation reagents are utilized to treat one or more of the anode and cathode. In one embodiment, the prelithiation reagent is a Li-organic complex solution comprising naphthalene and metallic lithium dissolved in an inhibitor-free THF.

Abstract: Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a roughness and/or thickness of the current collector, a metal used for the current collector, and/or a lamination process that adheres the active material to the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 ?m thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for control of thermal transfer during electrode pyrolysis based processing. An apparatus for processing battery electrodes may include a core configured for use in forming an electrode roll and a thermal rod. The core is configured to engage a sheet including electrode material applied on a current collector, specifically by rolling the sheet on the core to create concentric alternating layers of electrode material and current collector around an internal space formed by the core. The thermal rod is configured for engaging the electrode roll via the internal space of the core such that, once engaged, at least a portion of the thermal rod is disposed within the concentric alternating layers of electrode material and current collector. The thermal rod is configured to provide thermal transfer into the electrode roll via the core during processing of the electrode roll, with the processing including applying pyrolysis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an ultra-high voltage cobalt-free cathode for alkali ion batteries may include an anode, a cathode, and a separator, with the cathode comprising an active material ANi(1-x)MnxSbOy, where x is a number between 0.0 and 1.0, y is an integer, and A comprises one or more of lithium, sodium, and potassium. The anode may include one or more of an alkali metal, silicon, and carbon. In one example, x is a value in the range between 0.05 and 0.9 and y is a value in the range between 1 and 8 where a specific capacity of the active material is greater than 50 milliamp-hours per gram. In another example, x is a value in the range between 0.4 and 0.6 and y is a value in the range between 1 and 8, where a specific capacity of the active material is greater than 70 milliamp-hours per gram.

Abstract: Systems and methods for all-conductive battery electrodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer comprises more than 50% silicon, and where each material in the electrode has a resistivity of less than 100 ?-cm. The silicon may have a resistivity of less than 10 ?-cm, less than 1 ?-cm, or less than 1 m?-cm. The electrode coating layer may comprise pyrolyzed carbon and/or conductive additives. The current collector comprises a metal foil. The metal current collector may comprise one or more of a copper, tungsten, stainless steel, and nickel foil in electrical contact with the electrode coating layer. The electrode coating layer comprises more than 70% silicon. The electrode may be in electrical and physical contact with an electrolyte. The electrolyte may comprise a liquid, solid, or gel. The battery electrode may be in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: Systems and methods for silicon-dominant lithium-ion cells with controlled utilization of silicon may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode has an active material comprising more than 50% silicon. The battery may be charged by lithiating silicon while not lithiating carbon. The active material may comprise more than 70% silicon. A voltage of the anode during discharge of the battery may remain above a minimum voltage at which silicon can be lithiated. The anode may have a specific capacity of greater than 3000 mAh/g. The battery may have a specific capacity of greater than 1000 mAh/g. The anode may have a greater than 90% initial Coulombic efficiency and may be polymer binder free. The battery may be charged at a 10 C rate or higher. The battery may be charged at temperatures below freezing without lithium plating. The electrolyte may comprise a liquid, solid, or gel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for batteries comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, wherein the anode is a Si-dominant anode that utilizes water-soluble maleic anhydride- and/or maleic acid-containing polymers/co-polymers, derivatives, and/or combinations (with or without additives) as binders.

Abstract: Electrode or electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising symmetrical or asymmetrical alkylsulfonyl imide or cyclic alkylene sulfonylimide salts are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an electrolyte composition. Symmetrical or asymmetrical alkylsulfonyl imide or cyclic alkylene sulfonylimide salts may serve as additives to the electrodes or to the electrolyte composition, or both.

Abstract: Additives for energy storage devices comprising crown ethers are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, where at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an electrolyte composition. Crown ether compounds may serve as additives to the first electrode and/or the second electrode, as well as the separator.

Abstract: Systems and methods for water soluble weak acidic resins as carbon precursors for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and pyrolyzed water-soluble acidic polyamide imide as a primary resin carbon precursor. The electrode coating layer may include a pyrolyzed water-based acidic polymer solution additive. The polymer solution additive may include one or more of: polyacrylic acid (PAA) solution, poly (maleic acid, methyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid, butadiene/maleic acid) solutions, and water soluble polyacrylic acid. The electrode coating layer may include conductive additives. The current collector may include a metal foil, where the metal current collector includes one or more of a copper, tungsten, stainless steel, and nickel foil in electrical contact with the electrode coating layer. The electrode coating layer may be more than 70% silicon.

Abstract: A method for formation of cylindrical and prismatic can cells may include providing a battery, where the battery includes one or more cells, with each cell including at least one silicon-dominant anode, a cathode, and a separator. The battery also includes a metal can that contains the one or more cells such that during formation a pressure between 50 kPa and 1 MPa is applied to the one or more cells. The battery may include strain absorbing materials arranged between the one or more cells and interior walls of the can. The strain absorbing materials may include foam. The strain absorbing materials may include a solid electrolyte layer. The strain absorbing materials may include PMMA, PVDF, or a combination thereof. The pressure during a formation process may be due to a thickness of the strain absorbing materials being thicker than an expansion of the one or more cells.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an ultra-high voltage cobalt-free cathode for alkali ion batteries may include an anode, a cathode, and a separator, with the cathode comprising an active material ANi(1-x)MnxSbOy, where x is a number between 0.0 and 1.0, y is an integer, and A comprises one or more of lithium, sodium, and potassium. The anode may include one or more of an alkali metal, silicon, and carbon. In one example, x is a value in the range between 0.05 and 0.9 and y is a value in the range between 1 and 8 where a specific capacity of the active material is greater than 50 milliamp-hours per gram. In another example, x is a value in the range between 0.4 and 0.6 and y is a value in the range between 1 and 8, where a specific capacity of the active material is greater than 70 milliamp-hours per gram.

Abstract: Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising metal amide bases are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode and an electrolyte composition comprising at least one electrolyte additive comprising a metal amide base compound.

Abstract: Systems and methods for continuous lamination of battery electrodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode includes a current collector, a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, the anode comprising a polymeric adhesive layer coated onto the current collector, and an active material coated onto the polymeric adhesive layer such that the polymeric adhesive layer is arranged between the active material and the current collector, wherein the anode is subjected to a heat treatment to induce pyrolysis after application of the polymeric adhesive layer to the current collector and application of the active material to the polymeric adhesive layer, the heat being applied to the anode at a temperature between 500 and 850 degrees C.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pulverization mitigation additives for silicon dominant anodes may include an electrode including a metal current collector and an active material layer on the current collector. The active material layer may include islands of material separated by cracks, with the islands including, at least, silicon and conductive additives. At least a portion of the additives may extend from within the islands and bridge the cracks of the active material layer. The conductive additives may form a structure providing electrical conductivity between a first island and a second island, or between at least one island and the metal current collector. The additives may include between 1% and 40% of the active material layer. The active material layer may include between 20% to 95% silicon. The conductive additives may include carbon nanotubes and/or graphene sheets.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide for a silicon-carbon composite material that includes nanoparticulate (e.g., nanocrystalline) silicon derived from a reaction between a zintl salt and metal halide. The nanoparticulate silicon-carbon composite material can be used to provide electrode materials (e.g., anode) and cells.

Abstract: Systems and methods for conductive polymer monomers as cathode additives for silicon-based lithium ion batteries may include a silicon-based anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode. The cathode may include an active material and small amounts of dispersed conductive polymer monomer additive. The cathode active material may include one or more of nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), and lithium manganese oxide (LMO). The conductive polymer monomer additive may any known monomer based on thiophene, aniline, and/or pyrrole core structures alone or in combination. The conductive polymer monomer additive may comprise 5% or less by weight of the active material, or 1% or less by weight of the active material, or 0.5% or less by weight of the active material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating silicon carbon composite powder that have the electrical properties of thicker, active material silicon carbon composite films or carbon composite electrodes, and may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the electrodes may include silicon carbon composite powder.

Abstract: Systems and methods for silicon-dominant lithium-ion cells with controlled utilization of silicon may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode has an active material comprising more than 50% silicon. The battery may be charged by lithiating silicon while not lithiating carbon. The active material may comprise more than 70% silicon. A voltage of the anode during discharge of the battery may remain above a minimum voltage at which silicon can be lithiated. The anode may have a specific capacity of greater than 3000 mAh/g. The battery may have a specific capacity of greater than 1000 mAh/g. The anode may have a greater than 90% initial Coulombic efficiency and may be polymer binder free. The battery may be charged at a 10C rate or higher. The battery may be charged at temperatures below freezing without lithium plating. The electrolyte may comprise a liquid, solid, or gel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a thickness of the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 ?m thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.