Abstract: A composite electrode for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is manufactured by introducing a solvent, a binder, electroactive material particles, and an electrically conductive agent into a screw extruder to form an electrode precursor mixture. The electrode precursor mixture is discharged from the screw extruder and deposited on a metal substrate to form an electrode precursor layer. The electrode precursor layer is calendared by passing the electrode precursor layer between rollers to adhere the electrode precursor layer to and uniformly distribute the electrode precursor layer over the metal substrate. Then, the electrode precursor layer is dried to remove the solvent therefrom and form a solid electrode layer including the electroactive material particles, the electrically conductive agent, and the binder on the surface of the metal substrate.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions includes a positive electrode that includes a positive electroactive material, a negative electrode that includes a silicon-containing negative electroactive material, a separating layer disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte that is in contact with at least one of the positive electroactive material, the negative electroactive material, and the separating layer. The electrolyte includes greater than or equal to about 0.1 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % of a phosphite-type additive.

Abstract: A battery system includes: a battery cell; and a temperature sensing array disposed on a surface of the battery cell, the temperature sensing array including: a conducting strip; and a plurality of temperature sensors connected in series with the conducting strip such that current flowing through the conducting strip flows through each of the temperature sensors, where each of the plurality of temperature sensors has at least one characteristic that varies in accordance with temperature, where the plurality of temperature sensors is distributed in different locations across the surface of the battery cell, and where an output current of the temperature sensing array varies in accordance with a change in temperature in any of the different locations.

Abstract: A battery cell includes a cathode electrode comprising a cathode coating arranged on a cathode current collector and a separator. A dual function interlayer comprising capacitor material and lithium-ion source material is arranged one of between the cathode coating and the cathode current collector and between the cathode coating and the separator. An anode electrode is arranged adjacent to the separator and comprising an anode coating arranged on an anode current collector.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a negative electrode material and methods of preparation and use relating thereto. The electrode material comprises a plurality of electroactive material particles, where each electroactive material particle includes an electroactive material core and an electronically conductive coating. The method includes contacting an electroactive material precursor including a plurality of electroactive material particles with a solution so as to form an electronically conductive coating on each of the electroactive material particles. The solution includes a solvent and one or more of copper fluoride (CuF2), titanium tetrafluoride (TiF3 or TiF4), iron fluoride (FeF3), nickel fluoride (NiF2), manganese fluoride (MnF2, MnF3, or MnF4), and vanadium fluoride (VF3, VF4, VF5). The electronically conductive coating includes a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions. The plurality of first regions include lithium fluoride.

Abstract: A reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium ion battery and methods of manufacturing the same. The reference electrode assembly includes a porous membrane having a major surface and a porous reference structure deposited on the major surface of the porous membrane. The porous reference structure includes a porous carbon layer and a porous reference electrode layer that at least partially overlaps the porous carbon layer on the major surface of the porous membrane.

Abstract: A battery includes S battery cells of a first type. Each of the S battery cells includes a plurality of first cathode electrodes and a plurality of first anode electrodes. The battery includes T battery cells of a second type, wherein each of the T battery cells includes a plurality of second cathode electrodes and a plurality of second anode electrodes, where S and T are integers greater than one. The T battery cells are arranged between the S battery cells. At least one of the plurality of first cathode electrodes includes a first cathode active material that is different than a second cathode active material of the plurality of second cathode electrodes. The plurality of first anode electrodes includes a first anode active material that is different than a second anode active material of the plurality of second anode electrodes.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrode for an electrochemical cell includes providing an admixture including an electroactive material, a binder, and a solvent. The method further includes rolling the admixture to form a sheet and forming a multi-layer stack from the sheet. The method further includes forming an electrode film precursor by performing a plurality of sequential rollings, each including rolling the stack through a first gap. The plurality of sequential rollings includes first and second rollings. In the first rolling, the stack is in a first orientation. In the second rolling, the stack is in a second orientation different from the first orientation. The method further includes forming an electrode film by rolling the electrode film precursor through a second gap less than or equal to the first gap. The method further includes drying the electrode film to remove at least a portion of the solvent.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a dual-layer capacitive cabode electrode includes fabricating a first film including capacitive active material; fabricating a second film including cathode active material; hot jointing the first film and the second film to create a cabode film; and laminating the cabode film onto opposite sides of a current collector using conductive adhesive.

Abstract: A system for assessing a characteristic of a reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell that cycle lithium ions includes a controller and a test cell assembly. The test cell assembly includes a metal case electrically coupled to the controller and a test cell disposed within the metal case. The test cell includes a lithium metal layer and a separator assembly. The separator assembly includes a separator layer, a current collector layer deposited on the separator layer, and optionally an electroactive layer deposited on the separator layer such that the electroactive layer at least partially overlaps the current collector layer. The current collector layer is in direct physical contact with an electroactive layer and is electrically isolated from the lithium metal layer by the separator layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The electrochemical cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a separator physically separating the first and second electrodes, a solid-state interlayer disposed between the separator and the first electrode, and a liquid electrolyte disposed in each of the first electrode, the second electrode, the separator, and the solid-state interlayer. The solid-state interlayer includes a plurality of solid-state electrolyte particles. The solid-state interlayer covers greater than or equal to about 85% of a total surface area of the surface of the first electrode.

Abstract: A method of making an electrode material for an electrode in an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided, where a protective coating is applied to an electrode precursor material. The electrode precursor may be a silicon-containing composition. The protective coating is selected from the group consisting of: an oxide-based coating, a fluoride-based coating, and a nitride-based coating. The method also includes lithiating the electrode precursor material in a continuous process. The continuous process is conducted in a reactor having a first reaction chamber and a second reaction chamber to form a lithiated electrode material comprising the protective coating.

Abstract: Methods of making negative electrode materials for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions are provided. A surface of the electrode material formed of silicon, silicon-containing alloys, tin-containing alloys, or combinations thereof is treated with an oxidant at a first temperature of greater than or equal to about 100° C. to form a continuous intermediate layer comprising oxides. The method also includes pyrolyzing a carbon-containing precursor over the continuous intermediate layer at a second temperature of greater than or equal to about 600° C. to form a continuous carbon coating thereon. The intermediate layer oxides may be transformed to carbides. The continuous carbon coating comprises both graphitic carbon and amorphous carbon and may be a multilayered coating, where the inner layer predominantly includes amorphous carbon and the outer layer predominantly includes graphitic carbon.

Abstract: An electrochemical device according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes an electrochemical cell and an inductor coil. The electrochemical cell includes a current collector. The current collector includes an electrically-conductive material. The inductor coil is configured to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field is configured to induce an eddy current in the current collector to generate heat in the current collector. In various aspects, the present disclosure also provides a method of internally heating an electrochemical cell. In various aspects, the present disclosure also provides a method of controlling heating of an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: An all-solid-state electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes an electrode having a current collector that defines a major axis, and an electroactive material layer disposed on or adjacent to the current collector. The electroactive material layer includes a plurality of hierarchical silicon columns, and a solid sulfide electrolyte. The solid sulfide electrolyte is formed in-situ and fills greater than or equal to about 60 vol. % to less than or equal to about 100 vol. % of voids in the electroactive material layer. The voids being defined by openings between the hierarchical silicon columns. A longest dimension of each hierarchical silicon columns is perpendicular to the major axis of the second current collector.

Abstract: An anode-free solid-state battery includes a cathode layer having transient anode elements and a bare current collector devoid of non-transitory anode material and configured to accept thereon the transient anode elements. The battery also includes a solid-state electrolyte layer defining voids and arranged between the current collector and the cathode layer. The battery additionally includes a gel situated within the solid-state electrolyte and cathode layers, to permeate the electrolyte voids and form a gelled solid-state electrolyte layer, coat the cathode layer, and facilitate ionic conduction of the anode elements between the cathode layer, the solid-state electrolyte layer, and the current collector. Charging the battery diffuses the anode elements from the cathode layer, via the gelled solid-state electrolyte layer, onto the current collector. Discharging the battery returns the anode elements, via the gelled solid-state electrolyte layer, to the cathode layer.

Abstract: A capacitor-assisted electrode for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. The capacitor-assisted electrode may include at least two electroactive materials disposed on one or more surfaces of a current collector. A first electroactive material of the at least two electroactive materials may have a first reversible specific capacity and forms a first electroactive material having a first press density. A second electroactive material of the at least two electroactive materials has a second reversible specific capacity and forms a second electroactive material having a second press density. The second reversible specific capacity may be different from the first reversible specific capacity. The second press density may be different from the first press density. One or more capacitor materials may be disposed on or intermingled with one or more of the at least two electroactive materials.

Abstract: Presented are electrochemical devices with in-stack reference electrodes, methods for making/using such devices, and battery cells with stacked electrodes segregated by electrode separator assemblies including thermal barriers and built-in reference electrodes. An electrochemical device, such as a lithium-class secondary battery cell, includes an insulated and sealed housing with an ion-conducting electrolyte located inside the housing. A stack of working electrodes is also located inside the device housing, in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte. At least one electrode separator assembly is located inside the device housing, interposed between a neighboring pair of (anode and cathode) working electrodes. The electrode separator assembly includes a separator layer fabricated with an electrically insulating material that is sufficiently porous to transmit therethrough the ions of the electrolyte.

Abstract: A reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell includes a separator constructed from an electrically-insulating porous material. The reference electrode assembly also includes a current collector having a sputtered electrically-conducting porous layer arranged directly on the separator and a sputtered lithium iron phosphate (LFP) layer arranged directly on the electrically-conducting porous layer. The reference electrode assembly additionally includes an electrical contact connected to the current collector. A method using successive vacuum deposition of individual layers onto the separator is employed in fabricating the reference electrode assembly.

Abstract: Lithiated electrodes, electrochemical cells including lithiated electrodes, and methods of making the same are provided. The method includes lithiating at least one electrode in an electrochemical cell by applying current across a first current collector of the at least one electrode to a second current collector of an auxiliary electrode. The electrochemical cell may be disposed within a battery packaging and the auxiliary electrode may be disposed within the battery packaging adjacent to an edge of the electrochemical cell. The at least one electrode may include a first electroactive layer disposed on or near one or more surfaces of the first current collector, and the auxiliary electrode may include a second electroactive layer disposed at or near one or more surfaces of the second current collector. The method may further include extracting the auxiliary electrode from the battery packaging and sealing the battery packaging, which includes the pre-lithiated electrochemical cell.