Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed related to a current collector comprising a porous, freestanding, three-dimensional structure and at least one current collector tab. The current collector tab and the three-dimensional structure are connected. The three-dimensional structure comprises at least one layer that is formed of a one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterial, a two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the nanomaterial in the layer is aligned towards the current collector tab.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cathode for a rechargeable battery with a monolithic-sulphur-structure cathode body, namely a sulphur wafer, comprising heterogenous branched and/or hyperbranched structures of twinned sulphur crystals as an active electrode material.

Abstract: A method for preparing a chalcogenide/sulfur cathode for an alkali metal secondary battery, where sulfur and/or other chalcogenide and/or mixtures represents both active mass and removable template/porogen, where the content of active mass is defined by the glassy sulfur and porosity is dictated by the crystalline phase template, with the steps of growing a chalcogenide/sulfur wafer, comprising tailored content of glass/polymeric and crystalline allotropes, having a specific presence/gradients/areal distribution of crystalline to glassy/polymeric allotropes, and removing the crystalline allotropes-template/porogen of chalcogenide/sulfur from the chalcogenide/sulfur glass-crystalline wafer by immersion in a solvent, creating a defined porosity within the wafer by etching crystalline phase out from glass-crystalline wafer-like cathode and leaving 3D glassy/polymeric chalcogenide/sulfur in a further incubation stage due the meta-stability of glass/polymer allotrope transition into gamma monoclinic sulfur with tr

Abstract: The present invention relates to the working principle and production methods for the pre-expansion of sulfur and/or other chalcogenides such as selenium or tellurium, and/or a mixture of any two or more. The present invention further relates an electrode/cathode comprising sulfur and/or a mixture of sulfur allotropes, for example, crystalline, glassy, amorphous, and/or polymeric (e.g., ?-, ?-, and/or ?-phasic) sulfur and/or a mixture of any two or more sulfur allotropes, wherein the sulfur is photonically/electronically/thermally pre-expanded to a state where it has a density equivalent to a metal sulfide, such as Li2S. The expansion is carried out before electrode/cathode fabrication for the realization of alkali and/or alkali earth metal/ion batteries, such as LiS batteries.

Abstract: A self-supported porous 3D flexible host anode for lithium metal secondary batteries having a primary coating >5 atomic wt % and in addition to <5 atomic wt % of at least two additional lithiophilic elements, leading to synergistic plating and stripping effect of the alkali ions, wherein all the coating elements have the capability of forming intermetallic alloys with lithium and/or between themselves within the potential window range of 1.5 V and ?0.5 V Vs Li/Li+, having a porosity of at least 70%, and a thickness between 10 ?m and 100 ?m, comprising a non-woven, woven or ordered arrangement of constituent fibres with a diameter ranging between 200 nm and 40 ?m.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a porous chalcogenide-based electrode including crystalline allotropes within the core, at least one of a glass, polymeric and amorphous chalcogenide present within the transition layer and/or a shell covering the surface of the active electrode material. The electrode includes a transition layer covalently bonded between a 2D material and the chalcogenide of the electrode material, a coating layer on top of the transition layer and including a 2D material, an electrode in which the volume of crystalline allotrope represents a buffer volume that compensates the volumetric fluctuation during battery cycling, and a chalcogenide electrode. The electrode active mass includes a dopant such as selenium and tellurium, wherein the mass content of sulfur in the cathode is above 50% per weight, wherein the coated electrode includes at least one sulfur allotrope that is doped with a chalcogenide, a halogen, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cathode for a rechargeable battery with a monolithic-sulphur-structure cathode body, namely a sulphur wafer, comprising heterogenous branched and/or hyperbranched structures of twinned sulphur crystals as an active electrode material.

Abstract: An alkali- and/or alkaline earth-ion sulfur battery having at least one cathode containing a cathode current collector foil, optionally a conductive adhesive interlayer, a primary cathode mass layer containing a conductive dimensionally stable porous host structure, sulfur as an active material, preferably at least 20% of the sulfur present is monoclinic sulfur allotrope, and optionally conductive additives, binders and pore-forming additives; a secondary cathode mass layer containing sulfur and alkali-ion- and/or alkaline earth-ion-intercalating material, optionally a layer containing graphene oxide and/or reduced graphene oxide, heteroatom Group VIIa and/or Group Va elements co-doped graphene, and a Group VIIa and/or Group Va heteroatom-containing polymer; at least one anode and at least one separator. The resulting cells offer a wide range of economic and ecological advantages over the currently available cells, as well as allowing versatility of materials and production processes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a negative electrode for the use in alkali-ion rechargeable battery where electrochemically active material is selected from the Group IV semiconductors, the active material forming a heterofibrous monolithic anode body, the anode body comprises at least of 2 layers of aligned and/or stacked and/or interlaced fibers wherein the layers of fibers are spot-fused together at points of their physical contact and further over-lithiated by ex-situ anisotropic chemical and or electrochemical means forming a monolithic wafer-like self-standing over-lithiated alloying type anode where part of the lithium excess is subsequently depleted during forming artificial SEI-layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new generation of alkali-ion-sulphur batteries in which specific sulphur allotropes, particularly the Psi allotrope of sulphur, are used as the active material of the cathode. Alkali metals or alkaline-earth metals are used as anodes. A preferred production method describes the production of the Psi-sulphur fibres by a special form of electrospinning. Another preferred production method describes the addition of the cation source in liquid form during the production of battery stacks. Finally, the invention relates to specific preferred novel forms of embodiment of alkali-ion-sulphur batteries, which are characterised by significant advantages in terms of capacity and service life.