Abstract: A lithium metal electrode including ceramic particles is provided herein as well as electrochemical cells including the lithium metal electrode and methods of making the lithium metal electrode. The lithium metal electrode includes ceramic particles present as a ceramic layer adjacent to a first surface of the lithium metal electrode, embedded within the first surface, or a combination thereof. The ceramic particles include lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO) particles, alumina particles, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A monitoring assembly for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium battery includes a porous sensory structure and a transducer. The porous sensory structure includes a sensory layer disposed on a major surface of a porous separator and a buffer layer disposed between the sensory layer and a facing surface of a negative electrode layer. The buffer layer electrically isolates the sensory layer from the facing surface of the negative electrode layer. The sensory layer includes an electrically conductive material and is configured to produce a response to an input signal or to a physical stimulus received within the electrochemical cell. The transducer is configured to process the response produced by the sensory layer to generate an output signal indicative of a diagnostic condition within the electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A storage tank for a gas is provided. The storage tank includes a liner defining an internal compartment; a boss coupled to the liner; an interlayer covering a portion of the boss and the liner, the interlayer being non-pyrolyzed and including an interconnected web and pores having a diameter greater than the diameter of a hydrogen molecule and less than or equal to about 2 nm; and an outer shell including a carbon fiber reinforced composite, the outer shell covering the interlayer, except for an interlayer end that is in contact with the boss, so that the interlayer end defines an interlayer ring that is exposed to an external environment. The storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the exposed interlayer ring. Methods of fabricating the storage tank are also provided.

Abstract: A battery comprises a positive current collector that contacts a composite cathode and a negative current collector that supports an anode. The anode is opposedly disposed to the composite cathode. A compliant interlayer and a separator are located between the anode and the composite cathode, where the compliant interlayer comprises a compliant electrolyte. The separator is in a protective relationship with the cathode and prevents the compliant electrolyte from contacting the composite cathode.

Abstract: Systems, methods and compositions to produce fine powders are described. These include forming a hypereutectic melt including a target material, a sacrificial-matrix material, and an impurity, rapidly cooling the hypereutectic melt to form a hypereutectic alloy having a first phase and a second phase, annealing the hypereutectic alloy to alter a morphology of the target material to thereby produce target particles, and removing the sacrificial matrix to thereby produce a fine powder of the target particles. The first phase is defined by the target material and the second phase is defined by the sacrificial-matrix material. The sacrificial-matrix material forms a sacrificial matrix having the target material dispersed therethrough.

Abstract: A method of making a lithiated silicon-based precursor material for a negative electrode material of an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. An admixture comprising a plurality of lithium particles and a plurality of silicon particles is briquetted by applying pressure of greater than or equal to about 10 MPa and applying heat at a temperature of less than or equal to about 180° C. to form a precursor briquette. The briquette has lithium particles and silicon particles distributed in a matrix and has a porosity level of less than or equal to about 60% of the total volume of the precursor briquette. The briquetting is conducted in an environment having less than or equal to about 0.002% by weight of any oxygen-bearing species or nitrogen (N2).

Abstract: Anodes, and battery cells utilizing the same, include silicon particles embedded within a copper matrix, wherein the anode includes 40 at. % to 75 at. % silicon. The anode can include about 21 at. % to about 67 at. % silicon particles. The copper matrix can include pure copper and/or one or more copper-silicon intermetallic phases. The copper matrix can further include one or more of nickel, gold, silver, beryllium, and zinc. The silicon particles embedded in the copper matrix can have an average particle diameter less than 10 ?m. The non-surfacial silicon particles embedded in the copper matrix can be at least 99 at. % pure. The anode can be a woven mesh of ribbons or a planar sheet.

Abstract: A storage tank for a gas is provided. The storage tank includes a liner defining an internal compartment; a boss coupled to the liner; an interlayer covering a portion of the boss and the liner, the interlayer being non-pyrolyzed and including an interconnected web and pores having a diameter greater than the diameter of a hydrogen molecule and less than or equal to about 2 nm; and an outer shell including a carbon fiber reinforced composite, the outer shell covering the interlayer, except for an interlayer end that is in contact with the boss, so that the interlayer end defines an interlayer ring that is exposed to an external environment. The storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the exposed interlayer ring. Methods of fabricating the storage tank are also provided.

Abstract: A solid-state electrolyte is provided. The solid-state electrolyte includes an integrated molecular network that results from a mixture including a glass former including sulfur, a glass modifier including sulfur, and a glass co-modifier including lithium oxide or sodium oxide. The solid-state electrolyte is substantially resistant to hydrolysis in an atmosphere having a dew point of greater than about ?90° C. Methods of making the solid-state electrolyte are also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a crystalline aluminum-iron-silicon alloy, and optionally an automotive component comprising the same, comprising forming a composite ingot including a plurality of crystalline phases by melting aluminum, iron, and silicon raw materials in an inert environment to form a substantially homogenous melt, subsequently solidifying the melt, and annealing the ingot under vacuum by heating at a temperature in the range of 850° C. to 1000° C. yield an annealed crystalline ingot wherein the predominant crystalline phase is FCC Al3Fe2Si. The raw materials can further include one or more additives such as zinc, zirconium, tin, and chromium. Melting can occur above the FCC Al3Fe2Si crystalline phase melting point, or at a temperature of about 1100° C. to about 1400° C. Annealing can occur under vacuum conditions.

Abstract: An aluminum-iron alloy for casting includes aluminum, iron, silicon, and niobium present in the aluminum-iron alloy in an amount according to formula (I): (Al3Fe2Si)1-x+x Nb, wherein x is from 0.25 parts by weight to 2.5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the aluminum-iron alloy. A method of forming a component including forming the aluminum-iron alloy is also described.

Abstract: A green solid-state battery layer includes a spread of particles and a protective sacrificial binder that covers and binds together the spread of particles. The spread of particles includes sulfide-based solid-state electrolyte particles and the protective sacrificial binder is removable through thermal decomposition or volatilization at a temperature of 400° C. or lower. A method of forming a solid-state battery layer is also disclosed in which a green solid-state battery layer is formed, a protective sacrificial binder that covers and binds a spread of particles of the green solid-state battery layer is removed, and the resultant intermediate battery layer is consolidated.

Abstract: Anodes, and battery cells utilizing the same, include silicon particles embedded within a copper matrix, wherein the anode includes 40 at. % to 75 at. % silicon. The anode can include about 21 at. % to about 67 at. % silicon particles. The copper matrix can include pure copper and/or one or more copper-silicon intermetallic phases. The copper matrix can further include one or more of nickel, gold, silver, beryllium, and zinc. The silicon particles embedded in the copper matrix can have an average particle diameter less than 10 ?m. The non-surfacial silicon particles embedded in the copper matrix can be at least 99 at. % pure. The anode can be a woven mesh of ribbons or a planar sheet.

Abstract: Systems, methods and compositions to produce fine powders are described. These include forming a hypereutectic melt including a target material, a sacrificial-matrix material, and an impurity, rapidly cooling the hypereutectic melt to form a hypereutectic alloy having a first phase and a second phase, annealing the hypereutectic alloy to alter a morphology of the target material to thereby produce target particles, and removing the sacrificial matrix to thereby produce a fine powder of the target particles. The first phase is defined by the target material and the second phase is defined by the sacrificial-matrix material. The sacrificial-matrix material forms a sacrificial matrix having the target material dispersed therethrough.

Abstract: An electrolyte system for an electrochemical cell includes an aprotic solvent, such as an ether-based solvent and a lithium salt, and a solid component. The aprotic solvent has a dielectric constant of ?3. The solid component is in direct communication with the aprotic solvent. The solid component includes a sulfide or oxy-sulfide, glass or glass-ceramic electrolyte. The sulfide or oxy-sulfide, glass or glass-ceramic electrolyte has a weighted average bond dissociation enthalpy of greater than or equal to about 380 kJ/mol, which corresponds to a glass having strong bonds. The sulfide or oxy-sulfide, glass or glass-ceramic electrolyte is therefore insoluble in the aprotic solvent. The solid component is lithium ion-conducting and electrically insulating. The electrolyte system may be disposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode in an electrochemical cell. In various aspects, the negative electrode includes lithium metal and the positive electrode includes sulfur.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes suitable for use in a cell employing an anode comprising an alkali metal are disclosed. Such fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes may be at least partially amorphous and prepared by compacting, at elevated temperatures, powders of an ion-conducting composition appropriate to the anode alkali metal. The separators/solid electrolytes may employ discrete high aspect ratio fibers and fiber mats or plate-like mineral particles to reinforce the separator solid electrolyte. The reinforcing fibers may be inorganic, such as silica-based glass, or organic, such as a thermoplastic. In the case of thermoplastic fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes, any of a wide range of thermoplastic compositions may be selected provided the glass transition temperature of the polymer reinforcement composition is selected to be higher than the glass transition temperature of the amorphous portion of the separator/solid electrolyte.

Abstract: Thin amorphous or partially crystalline lithium-containing and conducting sulfide or oxysulfide glass electrode/separator members are prepared from a layer of molten glass or of glass powder. The resulting glass films are formed to lie face-to face against a lithium metal anode or a sodium metal anode and a cathode and to provide for good transport of lithium ions between the electrodes during repeated cycling of the cell and to prevent shorting of the cell by dendrites growing from the lithium metal or sodium metal anode.

Abstract: Certain glass, glass-ceramic, and ceramic electrolyte bodies formed from lithium or sodium sulfides and glass-forming sulfides, sulfoxides and/or certain glass-forming oxides provide good conductivity of lithium ions or sodium ions for use in lithium metal electrode or sodium metal electrode battery cells. The stability of the lithium or sodium metal anode-glass electrolyte interface is improved by forming a metal oxide passivation layer by atomic layer deposition on the facing surface of the electrolyte and activating the coating by contact of the passivated surface with the lithium or sodium electrode material.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode that contains lithium and an electrolyte system. In one variation, the electrolyte system includes a first liquid electrolyte, a solid-dendrite-blocking layer, and an interface layer. The solid dendrite-blocking layer is ionically conducting and electrically insulating. The dendrite-blocking layer includes a first component and a distinct second component. The dendrite-blocking layer has a shear modulus of greater than or equal to about 7.5 GPa at 23° C. The interface layer is configured to interface with a negative electrode including lithium metal on a first side and the dendrite blocking layer on a second opposite side. The interface layer includes a second liquid electrolyte, a gel polymer electrolyte, or a solid-state electrolyte. The dendrite-blocking layer is disposed between the first liquid electrolyte and the interface layer.

Abstract: A solid state electrolyte including an oxy-sulfide glass or glass ceramic, solid state electrolyte layer having a thickness in the range of ten micrometers to two hundred micrometers is provide. The composition of the electrolyte layer is the reaction product of a mixture initially including either a glass former including sulfur or a glass co-former including sulfur, and a glass modifier including Li2O or Na2O. The solid-state electrolyte layer is further characterized as having a wholly amorphous microstructure or as having small recrystallized regions separated from each other in an amorphous matrix, the recrystallized regions having a size of up to five micrometers. The solid-state electrolyte layer includes mobile lithium ions or mobile sodium ions associated with sulfur anions chemically anchored in the microstructure.