Abstract: Provided herein is a battery module for starting the engines of outdoor power equipment such as automobiles, boats, trucks and tractors. The battery module disclosed herein has high performance at low temperature and has a maximum pulse discharging current measured at ?30° C. of not less than 15% of the maximum pulse discharging current measured at 25° C. over a pulse discharge period of about 5 seconds. In addition, the battery module disclosed herein has a low self-discharging rate at both room temperature and high temperature. The capacity retention of the battery module is not less than 85% of its initial capacity after 7 months of room temperature storage.

Abstract: Provided herein a method of preparing electrode assemblies for lithium-ion batteries. The method disclosed herein comprises a step of pre-drying separator in the battery manufacturing process before the stacking step, thereby significantly lowering the water content of the separator. Therefore, separators can be used to prepare electrode assemblies regardless of conditions under which they are stored or transported. In addition, the peeling strength between the porous base material and protective porous layer is largely unaffected by the drying process disclosed herein.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of drying an electrode assembly of lithium-ion battery, comprising drying the electrode assembly in two successive stages under vacuum at elevated temperature; filling the oven with hot, dry air or inert gas; repeating the steps of vacuum drying and gas filling several times. The method disclosed herein is particularly suitable for drying electrode assemblies using aqueous binders.

Abstract: Provided herein is an electrode assembly of lithium-ion battery, comprising at least one anode, at least one cathode and at least one separator interposed between the at least one anode and at least one cathode, wherein the water content of the electrode assembly is less than 20 ppm by weight, based on the total weight of the electrode assembly.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of drying electrode assembly of lithium-ion battery, comprising the steps of vacuum drying the electrode assembly in an oven at elevated temperature; filling the oven with hot, dry air or inert gas; repeating the steps of vacuum drying and gas filling 2 or more times. The method disclosed herein can provide the electrode assembly having a water content of less than 20 ppm.

Abstract: Provided herein is electrode assembly for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising at least one anode, at least one cathode and at least one separator interposed between the at least one anode and at least one cathode, wherein the at least one anode comprises an anode current collector and an anode electrode layer, and the at least one cathode comprises a cathode current collector and a cathode electrode layer, wherein each of the cathode and anode electrode layers independently has a void volume of less than 35%, and wherein each of the at least one cathode and anode independently has a peeling strength of 0.15 N/cm or more.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for recycling lithium-ion batteries in a polar solvent such as an aqueous media or water. The method disclosed herein isolates a mixture of anode and cathode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries. The separated electrode materials can easily be collected with high recovery rate, providing a rapid, efficient and low-cost method for recycling electrode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract: Provided herein is a separator used for an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery. The separator disclosed herein comprises a porous base material, and a protective porous layer coated on one or both surfaces of the porous base material disclosed herein, wherein the protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and an inorganic filler, and wherein a difference in tensile strength of the separator along the TD direction and MD direction is about 15% or less. Also provided herein is a lithium-ion battery including the separator disclosed herein. The separator disclosed herein is excellent in terms of safety, ion permeability, and cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein is a separator used for an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery. The separator disclosed herein comprises a porous base material, and a protective porous layer coated on one or both surfaces of the porous base material disclosed herein, wherein the protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and an inorganic filler, and wherein the inorganic filler comprises a whisker-type material selected from the group consisting of Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, BaOx, ZnO, CaCO3, TiN, AlN, MTiO3, K2O.nTiO2, Na2O.mTiO2, and combinations thereof, wherein x is 1 or 2; M is Ba, Sr or Ca; n is 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8; and m is 3 or 6. Also provided herein is a lithium-ion battery including the separator disclosed herein. The separator disclosed herein is excellent in terms of safety, ion permeability, and cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein is a separator used for an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery. The separator disclosed herein comprises a porous base material, a first protective porous layer coated on one side of the porous base material, and a second protective porous layer coated on the other side of the porous base material, wherein the first protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and a first inorganic filler, and wherein the second protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and a second inorganic filler different from the first inorganic filler. Also provided herein is a lithium-ion battery including the separator disclosed herein. The separator disclosed herein is excellent in terms of safety, ion permeability, and cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for preparing a cathode electrode based on an aqueous slurry. The invention provides a cathode slurry comprising a cathode material especially high Ni ternary cathode material with improved water stability. The cathode material shows lower tendencies for pH change when applied in the aqueous slurry. The lower processing temperatures may avoid the undesirable decomposition of cathode material having high nickel and/or manganese content. In addition, the batteries having the electrodes prepared by the method disclosed herein show impressive energy retention. The capacity retention of the battery is not less than 60% of its initial capacity after 2 weeks of high temperature storage.

Abstract: The present application discloses a high voltage electrolyte including an electrolyte solvent which includes a mixture of a dinitrile solvent and a nitrile solvent and is stable at voltage of about 5 V or above. The dinitrile solvent may include at least one selected from the group consisting of malononitrile, succinonitrile, glutaronitrile, adiponitrile, pimelonitrile, suberonitrile, azelanitrile and sebaconitrile. The nitrile solvent may include at least one selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile, pivalonitrile and capronitrile. The present application also discloses a lithium ion battery including the above high voltage electrolyte. The lithium ion battery exhibits a cyclic performance of greater than about 300 cycles and with a capacity retention of greater than about 80%.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method of producing a p-type light-absorbing semiconductor copper zinc tin selenide/sulfide (Cu2(ZnxSn2-x)(SySe1-y)4) (abbreviated CZTS) with electrochemical deposition. It can be used in the production of solar cell when combined with an n-type inorganic or an organic semiconductor layer. The present method comprises a one-step or a sequence of depositions using electroplating to fabricate a low-cost and large-area CZTS solar cell, without using expensive and complicated deposition techniques or highly toxic and flammable chemicals in the production process. The present method significantly reduces the cost and energy requirement for production of solar cell.

Abstract: The present application discloses a high voltage electrolyte including an electrolyte solvent which includes a mixture of a dinitrile solvent and a nitrile solvent and is stable at voltage of about 5 V or above. The dinitrile solvent may include at least one selected from the group consisting of malononitrile, succinonitrile, glutaronitrile, adiponitrile, pimelonitrile, suberonitrile, azelanitrile and sebaconitrile. The nitrile solvent may include at least one selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile, pivalonitrile and capronitrile. The present application also discloses a lithium ion battery including the above high voltage electrolyte. The lithium ion battery exhibits a cyclic performance of greater than about 300 cycles and with a capacity retention of greater than about 80%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for recovering metals from indium tin oxide (ITO) scrap. It allows the selective recovery of indium and tin from waste ITO by means of a simple and environmentally benign dissolution-deposition method, with no requirement of using strong corrosive acid/alkaline chemicals (e.g. hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide) for dissolution and complicated procedures/operation. The dissolution baths can be reused without observable recovery deterioration. It significantly reduces the cost requirement in the recovery process.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method of producing a p-type light-absorbing semiconductor copper zinc tin selenide/sulfide (Cu2(ZnxSn2-x)(SySe1-y)4) (abbreviated CZTS) with electrochemical deposition. It can be used in the production of solar cell when combined with an n-type inorganic or an organic semiconductor layer. The present method comprises a one-step or a sequence of depositions using electroplating to fabricate a low-cost and large-area CZTS solar cell, without using expensive and complicated deposition techniques or highly toxic and flammable chemicals in the production process. The present method significantly reduces the cost and energy requirement for production of solar cell.