Abstract: The present disclosure provides a solid-state battery including at least one current collector that is in communication with one or more switches configured to move between open and closed positions, where the open position corresponds to a first operational state of the solid-state battery and the closed position corresponds to a second operational state of the solid-state battery; one or more electrodes disposed adjacent to the one or more current collectors; and one or more electrothermal material foils including a resistor material that is in electrical communication with that at least one current collector, where in the first operational state electrons may flow through the one or more electrothermal material foils during cycling of the solid-state battery so as to initiate a heating mode, and in the second operational state electrons may flow through the current collector during cycling of the solid-state battery so as to initiate a non-heating mode.

Abstract: An electrode for a battery cell includes a current collector and an active material layer arranged on the current collector. In some examples, the active material layer includes an active material, a conductive additive, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material, and a binder. In other examples, the active material layer includes active material with an outer coating including PTC material. In other examples, a PTC layer is arranged on the active material layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to battery management systems utilizing thin-film pressure sensors to determine anomalous conditions associated with battery modules. Some embodiments may include receiving a pressure measurement from the thin-film pressure sensor disposed between two battery cells in a battery module, and determining, based on the pressure measurement from the thin-film pressure sensor, an abnormal condition associated with the battery module. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a battery cell comprising manufacturing C cathode electrodes by coating first and second cathode active material layers on opposite sides of C cathode current collectors, and applying first and second seal coatings on the C cathode current collectors to surround the first and second cathode active material layers, respectively. The method includes manufacturing A anode electrodes by coating first and second anode active material layers on opposite sides of A anode current collectors; and applying first and second seal coatings on the A anode current collectors to surround the first and second anode active material layers, respectively. The method includes arranging S separators between the C cathode electrodes and the A anode electrodes to form a battery cell stack, where C, A and S are integers greater than one.

Abstract: A cathode electrode includes a cathode current collector and a cathode active material layer comprising a plurality of cathode active material particles including nickel and a plurality of nano-particles that are mechanically inlaid on outer surfaces of the plurality of cathode active material particles to form a plurality of inlaid cathode active material particles.

Abstract: A cathode electrode includes a multi-functional cathode current collector including a cathode current collector and a layer including a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material arranged adjacent to the cathode current collector. A cathode active material layer is arranged on the multi-functional cathode current collector and includes a cathode active material including nickel.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In some communications systems, interference may impede signaling between a base station and a target user equipment (UE) such that a base station may identify a donor UE to relay communications to the target UE. The donor UE may receive a coded data packet from the base station, and may identify a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) scrambling code for the packets addressed to the target UE. In cases where the donor UE identifies that the packet has an RNTI scrambling code associated with the target UE, the donor UE may forward the coded data packet to the target UE base on the RNTI scrambling code. Such early detection of data packets addressed to the target UE may allow for the UE to forward a data packet without fully decoding the packet.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include systems and methods for manufacturing thermally stable nickel-rich cathodes. An exemplary method can include providing an active material including a plurality of active material particles. The plurality of active material particles include nickel. A nanoparticle slurry additive having a plurality of nanoparticles is provided. The plurality of nanoparticles include one or more of a thermally stable olivine type material, a thermally stable spinel type material, and a thermally stable manganese-nickel dioxide type material. The method includes forming a slurry by mixing the active material and the nanoparticle slurry additive. The plurality of nanoparticles form a thermal inhibitor layer on and in direct contact with a surface of the plurality of active material particles. A free-standing electrode film is formed by calendering the slurry and the free-standing electrode film is laminating to a current collector to define a thermally stable nickel-rich cathode.

Abstract: A polypyrrole-graphene/polyurethane antifouling coating as well as a preparation method and an application thereof are provided. The polypyrrole-graphene/polyurethane antifouling coating includes component A and component B, wherein the component A mainly includes the following raw materials in parts by weight: 500 parts of group-hydrolyzable polyurethane prepolymer, 25-50 parts of bentonite, 25-50 parts of titanium dioxide, 60-120 parts of zinc oxide, 15-30 parts of talcum powder, and 15-30 parts of polypyrrole-graphene nanofiller; and the component B mainly includes the following raw materials in parts by weight: 5-7 parts of leveling agent, 5-7 parts of defoamer, 6-15 parts of chain extender, 10-25 parts of silane coupling agent, and 1-2 parts of catalyst. The two-component polyurethane coating of the present invention has relatively good adhesion, collision resistance and cracking resistance, and the antifouling property and the antifouling durability can be improved.

Abstract: A thermal device comprises a first layer of a non-metallic material that is a good conductor of heat and electricity, that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, and that has a first surface and a second surface; a metallic material disposed on the first surface of the first layer; a first plastic layer disposed on the metallic material; and a second plastic layer disposed on the second surface of the first layer. The first plastic layer and the second plastic layer include a plastic material that is a good conductor of heat.

Abstract: A bipolar capacitor assisted battery includes a bipolar capacitor including a first capacitor, and a second capacitor. The second capacitor is connected in series with the first capacitor. A lithium ion battery is connected in parallel to the bipolar capacitor.

Abstract: A battery includes: a positive output terminal; a negative output terminal; a first battery module that is connected to the positive output terminal and the negative output terminal and that includes: a first string of first and second types of battery cells that are electrically connected in series, where the first type is different than the second type; and a second battery module that is electrically connected in parallel with the first battery module and that includes: a second string of the first and second types of battery cells that are electrically connected in series.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an antifouling coating and a use method and use thereof. In the antifouling coating of the present disclosure, polyaspartic acid ester is an isocyanate curing agent containing a secondary amine structure. An ester group and aliphatic properties in the polyaspartic acid ester can increase wear resistance of the coating. The polyaspartic acid ester is combined with a polyisocyanate-containing prepolymer in a component A to endow the antifouling coating with desirable toughness and elasticity, such that the antifouling coating has excellent impact and abrasion resistance. In the component A, a polydimethylsiloxane structure is introduced into the hydroxypropyl silicone oil-based isocyanate prepolymer. The polydimethylsiloxane structure can generate microphase separation with a polyurea hard segment and migrate to a surface of the coating, thereby reducing surface energy of the coating to reduce an adhesion between fouling organisms and an interface.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a single stranded RNA vector suitable for introducing a therapeutic agent, such as a peptide, a protein or a small RNA, into a host plant. The vector does not encode for any movement protein or coat protein, but is capable of systemic and phloem-limited movement and replication within the host plant.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, non-transitory computer-readable media, and methods for generating segmentation masks for a digital visual media item. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems generate, utilizing a neural network encoder, high-level features of a digital visual media item. Further, the disclosed systems generate, utilizing the neural network encoder, low-level features of the digital visual media item. In some implementations, the disclosed systems generate, utilizing a neural network decoder, an initial segmentation mask of the digital visual media item from the low-level features. Moreover, the disclosed systems generate, utilizing the neural network decoder, a refined segmentation mask of the digital visual media item from the initial segmentation mask and the high-level features.

Abstract: A state of charge (SOC) balancing system includes: first and second batteries; first and second capacitors; an SOC module configured to determine first and second SOCs of the first and second batteries, respectively; and a switching module configured to selectively, when the first SOC is greater than the second SOC: (i) electrically connect the first and second capacitors in parallel; (ii) electrically connect the first battery to the first and second capacitors while the first and second capacitors are electrically connected in parallel; (iii) electrically disconnect the first battery from the first and second capacitors; (iv) electrically connect the first and second capacitors in series; (v) electrically connect the second battery to the first and second capacitors while the first and second capacitors are electrically connected in series; and (vi) electrically disconnect the second battery from the first and second capacitors.

Abstract: A battery cell comprises an electrode stack including A anode electrodes with A anode current collectors. A external tabs extend from the first side of the A anode electrodes. C cathode electrodes include C cathode current collectors and C external tabs. A separator comprises a continuous sheet interleaved between the anode electrodes and the C cathode electrodes. The A external tabs of the A anode electrodes are folded along the separator on the first side of the A anode electrodes. The C external tabs of the C cathode electrodes are folded along the separator on the second side the C cathode electrodes. The electrode stack is arranged in a housing. First and second tab positioning members including first and second external lead tabs are connected to the A external tabs and the C external tabs, respectively.

Abstract: A method for testing a sample of a battery cell includes arranging the sample of the battery cell in a sample pan of a test crucible; arranging a spacer on the sample of the battery cell; sealing the sample pan; and performing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) testing of the sample.

Abstract: A vehicle system is provided and includes a modular dynamically allocated capacity storage system (MODACS) and an active management module. The MODACS includes blocks of cells. The active management module is configured to: detect a first state of a first block of cells of the blocks of cells; determine whether a safety fault condition exists with the first block of cells based on the first state of the first block of cells; in response to detecting existence of the safety fault condition, isolate the first block of cells from other ones of the blocks of cells; subsequent to isolating the first block of cells, actively discharge and detect a second state of the first block of cells; and based on the second state, continue isolating the first block of cells or reconnecting the first block of cells such that the first block of cells is no longer isolated.

Abstract: A battery module includes C battery cells, wherein each of the C battery cells comprises a housing and a terminals extending from the housing. T thermal interlayer devices are arranged between adjacent ones of the C battery cells. C and T are integers greater than one. Each of the T thermal interlayer devices comprises a first thermally conducting layer in thermal communication with a first one of the C battery cells, a second thermally conducting layer in thermal communication with a second one of the C battery cells, and a thermally resistant layer arranged between the first thermally conducting layer and the second thermally conducting layer. A cooling manifold is in thermal communication with at least one of the first thermally conducting layer and the second thermally conducting layer.