Abstract: A new class of electrolyte salts that contain substituted imidazole or benzimidazole groups is described. The salts can be used in non-aqueous electrolytes in lithium or other alkali battery cells. When used with a lithium metal anode, the salts are electrochemically stable up to 5V vs. Li/Li+.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell in one embodiment includes a first electrode, and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the second electrode including a substrate of active material, a form of lithium, and a solvent or electrolyte having an electrophilicity index value of less than or equal to 1.1 eV.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell in one embodiment includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode spaced apart from the negative electrode, a separator positioned between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and an active material particle within the positive electrode, the active material particle including an outer shell defining a core with a substantially constant volume and including a form of oxygen, the outer shell substantially impervious to oxygen and pervious to lithium.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an electrochemical cell includes an anode including form of lithium, a cathode spaced apart from the anode, and a microstructured composite separator positioned between the anode and the cathode, the microstructured composite separator including a first layer adjacent the anode, a second layer positioned between the first layer and the cathode, and a plurality of solid electrolyte components extending from the first layer toward the second layer.

Abstract: A thermoelectric half-Heusler material comprising niobium (Nb), iron (Fe) and antimony (Sb) wherein the material comprises grains having a mean grain size less than one micron. A method of making a nanocomposite half-Heusler thermoelectric material includes melting constituent elements of the thermoelectric material to form an alloy of the thermoelectric material, comminuting (e.g., ball milling) the alloy of the thermoelectric material into nanometer scale mean size particles, and consolidating the nanometer size particles to form the half-Heusler thermoelectric material comprising at least niobium (Nb), iron (Fe) and antimony (Sb) and having grains with a mean grain size less than one micron.

Abstract: A cathode active material including a lithium intercalation material; a coating including an oxide, phosphate, or borate; and a moiety capable of forming a bond with the coating.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a metal/oxygen battery with an oxygen management system includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a separator positioned between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, a first oxygenated gas supply reservoir, a compressor with an outlet fluidly coupled to the first oxygenated gas supply reservoir, and a valve and pressure regulator fluidly coupled to the first oxygenated gas supply reservoir and to the positive electrode and configured to place the first oxygenated gas supply reservoir in fluid communication with the positive electrode during a discharge cycle, and place the positive electrode in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressor during a charge cycle.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell in one embodiment includes an anode including a form of lithium, a cathode including an active material which intercalates lithium, and a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode, the separator including a first structured surface portion positioned in opposition to the anode, the first structured surface portion having a non-planar profile in aggregate.

Abstract: An electrochemical battery system in one embodiment includes a first electrochemical cell including an anode with a form of lithium, a first plurality of pressure sensors positioned and configured to sense localized variations in pressure along the anode, a memory in which command instructions are stored, and a processor configured to execute the command instructions to (i) identify an indication of a variation in localized pressure along the anode, and (ii) selectively control the first electrochemical cell based upon the identified indication.

Abstract: A solid-state lithium-ion battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a separator. The cathode includes an active material, a catholyte material, and a barrier layer coating only the active material. The barrier layer is configured to isolate physically the active material from direct contact with the catholyte material and to connect ionically the active material and the catholyte material. The separator is located between the anode and the cathode and is configured to connect ionically the anode and the cathode and to isolate electronically the anode and the cathode.

Abstract: A metal/air battery includes an oxygen management system that delivers oxygen to the battery during a discharge cycle. The oxygen management system includes an oxygen separations unit and an oxygenated gas supply reservoir that are fluidly coupled to a positive electrode of the battery via a valve system. The valve system selectively places the oxygen separations unit and the oxygenated gas supply reservoir in fluid communication with the positive electrode during the discharge cycle. The oxygen management system also includes a compressor with an outlet fluidly coupled to the oxygenated gas supply reservoir and an inlet fluidly connected to the oxygen separations unit via the valve system. The valve system selectively places the oxygen separations unit in fluid communication with the oxygenated gas supply reservoir during one or more of the discharge cycle and a charge cycle of the battery.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode including a form of lithium, a positive electrode spaced apart from the negative electrode and including an electron conducting matrix, a current collector, and a conductor, the conductor having a potential controllable with respect to the collector potential, a separator positioned between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, an electrolyte including a salt, and a charging redox couple located within the positive electrode, wherein the electrochemical cell is characterized by the transfer of electrons from a discharge product located in the positive electrode to the electron conducting matrix by the charging redox couple during a charge cycle.

Abstract: A lithium ion-conducting compound, having a garnet-like crystal structure, and having the general formula: Lin[A(3-a?-a?)A?(a?)A?(a?)][B(2-b?-b?)B?(b?)B?(b?)][C?(c?)C?(c?)]O12, where A, A?, A? stand for a dodecahedral position of the crystal structure, where A stands for La, Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and/or Yb, A? stands for Ca, Sr and/or Ba, A? stands for Na and/or K, 0<a?<2 and 0<a?<1, where B, B?, B? stand for an octahedral position of the crystal structure, where B stands for Zr, Hf and/or Sn, B? stands for Ta, Nb, Sb and/or Bi, B? stands for at least one element selected from the group including Te, W and Mo, 0<b?<2 and 0<b?<2, where C and C? stand for a tetrahedral position of the crystal structure, where C stands for Al and Ga, C? stands for Si and/or Ge, 0<c?<0.5 and 0<c?<0.4, and where n=7+a?+2·a??b??2·b??3·c??4·c? and 5.5<n<6.875.

Abstract: Among other things, the present disclosure provides a particle comprising a form of sulfur and/or lithium sulfide (Li2S) that is doped with a group VIA element, such as selenium (e.g. Se34), tellurium (e.g. Te52), or polonium (e.g. Po84). The present disclosure also provides a cell comprising a negative electrode, a separator, and a positive electrode comprising the particles of the present disclosure.

Abstract: A hydrogen/bromine reduction-oxidation flow battery system includes a bromine electrode, a hydrogen electrode, a membrane, a first catalyst, and a second catalyst. The membrane is positioned between the bromine electrode and the hydrogen electrode. The first catalyst is associated with the bromine electrode. The second catalyst is associated with the hydrogen electrode and at least partially formed from a subsurface alloy configured (i) to promote facile dissociation of H2, and (ii) to prevent bromide from adsorbing onto the hydrogen electrode.

Abstract: An essentially carbon-free cathode for a lithium/air secondary battery and methods for making are provided. The cathode includes a hollow porous conductive metal oxide particle such as indium tin oxide, an optional functional layer, and an electrically conductive binder.

Abstract: A metal/air battery electrochemical cell in one embodiment includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, an oxygen supply, and a closed oxygen conducting membrane less than about 50 microns thick located between the oxygen supply and the positive electrode.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator includes a hot side heat exchanger, a cold side heat exchanger, a plurality of n-type semiconductor legs arranged between the hot side heat exchanger and the cold side heat exchanger, and a plurality of p-type semiconductor legs arranged between the hot side heat exchanger and the cold side heat exchanger and alternating electrically in series with the plurality of n-type semiconductor legs. At least one of the plurality of n-type semiconductor legs and the plurality of p-type semiconductor legs is formed of an alloy having a half-Heusler structure and comprising Si and Sn with molar fractions of x Sn and 1-x Si, and x is less than 1.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode including a form of lithium, a positive electrode spaced apart from the negative electrode and including an electron conducting matrix and a lithium insertion material which exhibits a volume change when lithium is inserted, a separator positioned between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and an electrolyte including a salt, wherein Li2O2 or Li2O is formed as a discharge product.

Abstract: A vehicular battery system includes a vehicular battery system stack including at least one negative electrode including a form of lithium, an oxygen reservoir having a first outlet operably connected to the vehicular battery system stack, a multistage compressor having a first inlet operably connected to the vehicular battery system stack, and a second outlet operably connected to a second inlet of the oxygen reservoir, and a cooling system operably connected to the multistage compressor and configured to provide a coolant to the multistage compressor to cool a compressed fluid within the multistage compressor.