Abstract: Compounds suitable for use in lithium-ion battery electrolytes are disclosed. An example of a suitable compound is lithium difluoro(bisoxalato) phosphate. A lithium-ion battery electrolyte includes a lithium salt composition and an electrolyte compound composition. In some embodiments, the lithium salt composition comprises one or more of the suitable compounds, a concentration of the suitable compounds in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte being in a range of about 0.1 mol. % to about 20 mol. %. In some implementations, the lithium salt composition may also comprise LiPF6. Lithium-ion batteries employing such electrolytes are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to Li-ion battery with an anode, a cathode, a porous separator membrane, and an electrolyte that fills pores in the anode, the cathode, and the porous separator membrane; and a porous separator membrane and methods of generating the same.

Abstract: Aspects relate to method of zinc-comprising nanowire fabrication, the method comprising forming a starting material comprising zinc metal or zinc metal alloy and at least one reactive metal, and exposing the starting material to one or more alcohols to obtain a reaction product comprising zinc-comprising nanowires, wherein the at least one reactive metal is more reactive than zinc to the one or more alcohols.

Abstract: In an aspect, a solid-state Li-ion battery (SSLB) cell, may comprise an anode electrode comprising an anode electrode surface and an anode active material, a cathode electrode comprising a cathode electrode surface and an cathode active material, and an inorganic, melt-infiltrated, solid state electrolyte (SSE) ionically coupling the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the electrode surfaces comprises an interphase layer separating the respective electrode active material from direct contact with the SSE, and wherein the interphase layer comprises two or more metals from the list of: Zr, Al, K, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La or non-La lanthanoids, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Nb.

Abstract: A method of making aluminum alkoxide nanowires is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes: (1) treating an alloy comprising aluminum (Al) and lithium (Li) with a reactive solvent to form a porous metal comprising Al; and (2) treating the porous metal with an alcohol-comprising solvent to form the Al alkoxide nanowires. In some embodiments, the reactive solvent has a pKa value at 25° C. that is less than 15. In some implementations, water is employed as the reactive solvent and ethanol is employed as the alcohol-comprising solvent. Methods of making Al oxide nanowires, Al hydroxide nanowires, an aerogel, and a lithium-ion battery are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrolyte for a lithium-ion battery includes a primary lithium salt and a solvent composition. In some implementations, the solvent composition includes fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), at least one linear ester, and at least one branched ester. In some implementations, a mole fraction of the FEC in the electrolyte is in a range of about 2 mol. % to about 30 mol. %, a total mole fraction of the at least one linear ester and the at least one branched ester in the electrolyte is at least about 45 mol. %, a molar ratio of the at least one linear ester to the at least one branched esters is in a range of about 1:10 to about 20:1, and the electrolyte is substantially free of four-carbon cyclic carbonates. Lithium-ion batteries employing such electrolytes are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrolyte for a lithium-ion battery includes a primary lithium salt and an organic compound composition. In some designs, the organic compound composition includes (1) fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), (2) vinylene carbonate (VC), (3) at least one ester (ES), and (4) a nitrile additive composition (NAC) which includes at least one nitrile compound. In some designs, a mole fraction of the NAC in the electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 2.0 mol. %. In some designs, a mole fraction of the at least one ES in the electrolyte is at least approximately 35 mol. %.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an alloy is exposed to a hydrophilic solvent at least until at least one Group I or Group II element is substantially removed so as to produce a nanomaterial that substantially includes a metal, semimetal or non-metal material and that exhibits a desired set of microstructure characteristics. The hydrophilic solvent is configured to be reactive with respect to the at least one Group I or Group II element and substantially unreactive with respect to the metal, semimetal or non-metal material. In another embodiment, an active material is infiltrated into pores of a nanoporous metal or metal oxide, after which the infiltrated nanoporous metal or metal oxide material is annealed to produce an active material-based nanocomposite material. A protective coating layer is deposited on at least part of a surface of the active material-based nanocomposite material.

Abstract: In an aspect, a solid-state Li-ion battery (SSLB) cell, may comprise an anode electrode comprising an anode electrode surface and an anode active material, a cathode electrode comprising a cathode electrode surface and an cathode active material, and an inorganic, melt-infiltrated, solid state electrolyte (SSE) ionically coupling the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the electrode surfaces comprises an interphase layer separating the respective electrode active material from direct contact with the SSE, and wherein the interphase layer comprises two or more metals from the list of: Zr, Al, K, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La or non-La lanthanoids, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Nb.

Abstract: In an aspect, a solid-state Li-ion battery (SSLB) cell, may comprise an anode electrode comprising an anode electrode surface and an anode active material, a cathode electrode comprising a cathode electrode surface and an cathode active material, and an inorganic, melt-infiltrated, solid state electrolyte (SSE) ionically coupling the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the electrode surfaces comprises an interphase layer separating the respective electrode active material from direct contact with the SSE, and wherein the interphase layer comprises two or more metals from the list of: Zr, Al, K, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La or non-La lanthanoids, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Nb.

Abstract: Aspects relate to method of zinc-comprising nanowire fabrication, the method comprising forming a starting material comprising zinc metal or zinc metal alloy and at least one reactive metal, and exposing the starting material to one or more alcohols to obtain a reaction product comprising zinc-comprising nanowires, wherein the at least one reactive metal is more reactive than zinc to the one or more alcohols.

Abstract: A Li-ion battery cell includes anode and cathode electrodes, a separator electrically separating the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and an electrolyte ionically coupling the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. In some designs, the anode electrode has a capacity loading in the range of about 2 mAh/cm2 to about 10 mAh/cm2 and includes anode particles that (i) have an average particle size in the range of about 0.2 microns to about 20 microns, (ii) exhibit a volume expansion in the range of about 8 vol. % to about 180 vol. % during one or more charge-discharge cycles of the battery cell, and (iii) exhibit a specific capacity in the range of about 800 mAh/g to about 3000 mAh/g.

Abstract: In an embodiment, metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers comprising polymer chains with around 100 or more repeat units are synthesized. The metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers are exposed to a reactive gas at a temperature in excess of around 100° C. and at a pressure in the range from around 0.001 to around 100 atmospheres.

Abstract: In an embodiment, metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers comprising polymer chains with around 100 or more repeat units are synthesized. The metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers are exposed to a reactive gas at a temperature in excess of around 100° C. and at a pressure in the range from around 0.001 to around 100 atmospheres.

Abstract: An aspect is directed to a Li-ion battery, comprising anode and cathode electrode, an electrolyte ionically coupling the anode and the cathode electrodes, and a separator electrically separating the anode and the cathode electrodes, wherein the anode electrode comprises a mixture of conversion-type anode material and intercalation-type anode material, wherein the conversion-type anode material exhibits median specific reversible capacity in the range from about 1400 mAh/g to about 2200 mAh/g, and wherein the conversion-type anode material exhibits first cycle coulombic efficiency in the range from about 88% to about 96%.

Abstract: In an aspect, a solid-state Li-ion battery (SSLB) cell, may comprise an anode electrode comprising an anode electrode surface and an anode active material, a cathode electrode comprising a cathode electrode surface and an cathode active material, and an inorganic, melt-infiltrated, solid state electrolyte (SSE) ionically coupling the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the electrode surfaces comprises an interphase layer separating the respective electrode active material from direct contact with the SSE, and wherein the interphase layer comprises two or more metals from the list of: Zr, Al, K, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La or non-La lanthanoids, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Nb.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a metal or metal-ion battery cell, includes anode and cathode electrodes, a separator electrically separating the anode and the cathode, and a solid electrolyte ionically coupling the anode and the cathode, wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a material having one or more rearrangeable chalcogen-metal-hydrogen groups that are configured to transport at least one metal-ion or metal-ion mixture through the solid electrolyte, wherein the solid electrolyte exhibits a melting point below about 350° C. In an example, the solid electrolyte may be produced by mixing different dry metal-ion compositions together, arranging the mixture inside of a mold, and heating the mixture while arranged inside of the mold at least to a melting point (e.g., below about 350° C.) of the mixture so as to produce a material comprising one or more rearrangeable chalcogen-metal-hydrogen groups.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a metal or metal-ion battery cell, includes anode and cathode electrodes, a separator electrically separating the anode and the cathode, and a solid electrolyte ionically coupling the anode and the cathode, wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a material having one or more rearrangeable chalcogen-metal-hydrogen groups that are configured to transport at least one metal-ion or metal-ion mixture through the solid electrolyte, wherein the solid electrolyte exhibits a melting point below about 350° C. In an example, the solid electrolyte may be produced by mixing different dry metal-ion compositions together, arranging the mixture inside of a mold, and heating the mixture while arranged inside of the mold at least to a melting point (e.g., below about 350° C.) of the mixture so as to produce a material comprising one or more rearrangeable chalcogen-metal-hydrogen groups.

Abstract: An aspect is directed to a vaccine adjuvant including a nanofiber that comprises an oxide or a salt of one, two, three or more metals selected from the group of Al, Ca, Mg, Li, Na, K, La, Y, Si, Fe and Zn. Another aspect is directed to a porous scaffold or a porous membrane that comprises nanofibers comprising an oxide or a salt of one, two, three or more metals selected from the group of Al, Ca, Mg, Li, Na, K, La, Y, Si, Fe and Zn, where the porous scaffold or the porous membrane is configured for use in an environment where the nanofibers are exposed to a direct contact with extracellular body fluids.

Abstract: Methods for disaggregating nanodiamond clusters, for example, by using ultrasound to break apart nanodiamond aggregates in a sodium chloride aqueous slurry. Compositions, such as aqueous nanodiamond dispersions and dry particulate compositions that may be produced using these methods.