Abstract: A cathode and a battery providing the cathode is provided. The cathode comprises a lithium metal oxide. The lithium metal oxide comprises nickel, aluminum, and iron. The lithium metal oxide is substantially free of cobalt. The battery comprises an anode, the cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte.

Abstract: A lithium-ion battery comprising: (a) an anode; (b) a cathode; and (c) an electrolyte composition comprising lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) dissolved in the following solvent system containing at least the following solvent components: (i) ethylene carbonate and/or propylene carbonate in an amount of 5-70 wt % by weight of the solvent system; and (ii) at least one additional solvent selected from acyclic carbonate, acyclic or cyclic ester, and acyclic or cyclic ether solvents having a molecular weight of no more than 110 g/mol, wherein said at least one additional solvent is in an amount of 30-70 wt % by weight of the solvent system; wherein the wt % amounts for solvent components (i) and (ii), or any additional solvent components (if present) sum to 100 wt %, and wherein LiFSI is present in the solvent system in a concentration of 1.2 M to about 2 M.

Abstract: A positive electrode for a sodium ion battery is provided. The positive electrode includes a sodium metal vanadium fluorophosphate having a formula according to Formula I: Na3V2-xMxOy(PO4)2F3-y??I; wherein 0<x?1, 0?y?1, and M is one or more additional metals.

Abstract: A super ion conductor composition is disclosed. The super ion conductor composition has the general formula: A1+xMx/2Zr2?x/2(PO4)3, where each A is independently Na or Li, M is Mn or Mg, and subscript x is from 0.5 to 3. A solid electrolyte comprising the super ion conductor composition, and a method of preparing the solid electrolyte, are also disclosed. The method comprises combining a zirconium compound, a manganese or magnesium compound, a sodium compound, and a phosphate compound to give a mixture; and calcining the mixture to give the super ion conductor composition, thereby preparing the solid electrolyte. Functional materials and devices comprising the super ion conductor composition are also disclosed, including a catholyte composition, an ion conducting solid electrolyte membrane, as well as all-solid-state batteries.

Abstract: A method of recycling lithium-ion batteries is disclosed. The method includes isolating a composite electrode that comprises an electrode material adhered to a current collector with a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) binder from a spent lithium-ion battery. The method also includes contacting the composite electrode in a polyol fluid capable of releasing the PVDF binder from the current collector without substantially altering either component. The composite electrode may be a cathode or an anode. The method also includes rapidly delaminating the electrode material from the current collector to give a free electrode material and a free current collector, and recovering each of the free electrode material and the free current collector from the mixture. The free electrode material may be reused to prepare another composite electrode, as well as a lithium-ion battery comprising the same, which are also disclosed.

Abstract: The complex transition metal phosphonates include one or more of compounds with the chemical formula: (1) AxMy(R(PO3)2)z; (2) AxMy(RPO3)z; (3) AxMy(R(PO3)2; nHO; (4) AxMy(RPO3); nH2O; and (5) AxMy(R(PO3)2)z(X)t, where A is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, M is a divalent or trivalent transition metal, R is an organic group, and X is OH, F or CI. For example, A is Li, Na, K, Cs, Rb, Mg, Ca and/or combinations thereof. M is Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cr, V, Ti, Cu and/or combinations thereof. R is a C1-C5 alkyl group; e.g., CH2, C2H4, or C3H6, The complex transition metal phosphonates can be used as cathode or anode materials for rechargeable batteries.

Abstract: A cathode for a lithium battery includes LiNi0.5-x/2Mn0.5-x/2MxO2 where M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mo, Ti, Cr, Zr and V, and x is between 0.005-0.02. The LiNi0.5-x/2Mn0.5-x/2MxO2 can be coated with Mn2P2O7. The Mn2P2O7 can be 1-3 wt. %, based on the total weight of the LiNi0.5-x/2Mn0.5-x/2 MxO2 and Mn2P2O7. A cathode composition, a lithium battery, and a method of making a lithium battery are also disclosed.

Abstract: The lithium-sulfur rechargeable battery (10) includes a negative electrode (14) formed from a composite of sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN), carbon black and carbon nanofibers coated on an aluminum substrate. The negative electrode (14), a corresponding positive electrode (16), an electrolyte (20) and a separator (18) are each disposed within a cell housing (12). The positive electrode (16) is formed from an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or salts thereof. The alkali metal of the positive electrode (16) may be, for example, lithium, sodium, potassium or cesium, and the alkaline earth metal of the positive electrode (16) may be, for example, magnesium, calcium or barium. Alternatively, the positive electrode (16) may be formed from aluminum, silver, zinc, hydrogen or salts thereof. The electrolyte (20) is formed from an alkali metal salt dissolved in an organic solvent.

Abstract: A cathode active material precursor for a lithium metal oxide is provided. The cathode active material precursor comprises a metal-containing oxyhydroxide. The metal-containing oxyhydroxide comprises nickel and an additional metal. At least 50 mol. % of the nickel of the metal-containing oxyhydroxide has an oxidation state of +3. A method of forming a cathode active material precursor is also provided. The method comprises combining a nickel-containing compound, an additional metal-containing compound, an oxidizing agent, and a solvent to form a solution. The method further comprises exposing the solution to heat at a temperature of from about 30° C. to about 90° C. to form a precipitate comprising the metal-containing oxyhydroxide.

Abstract: A cathode and a battery providing the cathode is provided. The cathode comprises a lithium metal oxide. The lithium metal oxide comprises nickel, aluminum, and iron. The lithium metal oxide is substantially free of cobalt. The battery comprises an anode, the cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte.

Abstract: The orthophosphate electrodes for rechargeable batteries include an anode and a cathode, each formed from an orthophosphate material, for use in a conventional electrolytic cell-type rechargeable battery. The orthophosphate anode is an anode formed from an orthophosphate material having the formula A2T2B(PO4)3, and the orthophosphate cathode is a cathode formed from an orthophosphate material having the formula A3T2B(PO4)3, where A represents an alkali metal and T and B each represent a transition metal. The alkali metal may be lithium (Li) sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), monovalent cations thereof, or combinations thereof and each transition metal may be titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), or combinations thereof.

Abstract: The electrode for a sodium-ion battery is a fluorine-doped sodium metal hydroxide phosphate having the general formula Na3+xV2?xMx(PO4)2F3, wherein “M” is a divalent metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu and 0<x?1. Materials comprising such compounds can be used as positive electrode materials for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries. The compounds of the present disclosure may be produced by a hydrothermal synthesis route, or by sol-gel or solid-state synthesis.

Abstract: The electrode for sodium-ion batteries is a fluorine-doped sodium metal hydroxide phosphate having the general formula Na3V2(PO4)2F3-x(OH)x, wherein 0<x?3. Materials comprising such compounds can be used as a positive electrode material for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries. The compounds of the present disclosure may be produced by a hydrothermal synthesis route.

Abstract: An active material for an electrochemical device wherein a surface of the active material is modified by a surface modification agent, wherein the surface modification agent is an organometallic compound.

Abstract: A process for forming a surface-treatment layer on an electroactive material includes heating the electroactive material and exposing the electroactive material to a reducing gas to form a surface-treatment layer on the electroactive material, where the surface-treatment layer is a layer of partial reduction of the electroactive material.

Abstract: An active electrode material for electrochemical devices such as lithium ion batteries includes a lithium transition metal oxide which is free of sodium and sulfur contaminants. The lithium transition metal oxide is prepared by calcining a mixture of a lithium precursor and a transition metal oxalate. Electrochemical devices use such active electrodes.

Abstract: An active material for an electrochemical device wherein a surface of the active material is modified by a surface modification agent, wherein the surface modification agent is an organometallic compound.

Abstract: A method includes modifying a surface of an electrode active material including providing a solution or a suspension of a surface modification agent; providing the electrode active material; preparing a slurry of the solution or suspension of the surface modification agent, the electrode active material, a polymeric binder, and a conductive filler; casting the slurry in a metallic current collector; and drying the cast slurry.

Abstract: An active electrode material for electrochemical devices such as lithium ion batteries includes a lithium transition metal oxide which is free of sodium and sulfur contaminants. The lithium transition metal oxide is prepared by calcining a mixture of a lithium precursor and a transition metal oxalate. Electrochemical devices use such active electrodes.

Abstract: A process includes preparing a solution including a silicon precursor or mixture of silicon precursors and a monomer or mixture of monomers; polymerizing the monomer to form a polymer-silicon precursor matrix; and pyrolyzing the polymer-silicon precursor matrix to form an electrochemically active carbon-coated silicon material.