Abstract: The present invention provides a vapour deposition method for preparing an amorphous lithium borosilicate or doped lithium borosilicate compound, the method comprising: providing a vapour source of each component element of the compound, wherein the vapour sources comprise at least a source of lithium, a source of oxygen, a source of boron, and a source of silicon, and, optionally, a source of at least one dopant element; delivering a flow of said lithium, said oxygen, said boron and said silicon, and, optionally, said dopant element; and co-depositing the component elements from the vapour sources onto a substrate wherein the component elements react on the substrate to form the amorphous compound; wherein the amorphous lithium borosilicate or doped lithium borosilicate ompound has a lithium content in the range 40-65 atomic %, based on the combined atomic percentages of lithium, boron and silicon.

Abstract: A composite material for use as an electrode of an electrochemical cell comprises: a matrix that is provided by matrix particles that comprise an electrode active material; and a conductive fraction that is both electronically-conductive and ionically-conductive, the conductive fraction being provided by conductive particles that are distributed among the matrix particles. The conductive particles comprise either a material that is both ionically- and electronically-conductive; or a mixture of ionically-conductive particles and electronically-conductive particles, the electronically-conductive particles having a sphericity of at least 0.6. The conductive particles have a D90 value that is at least 10% of the D50 value of the matrix particles.