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: In an embodiment, an electrolyte includes a lithium salt and a cosolvent, where the cosolvent comprises a cyclic carbonate-containing solvent and a linear carbonate-containing solvent. In an embodiment, a battery includes an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte and a separator. The anode includes an anode current collector and an anode active layer. The anode active layer comprises a lithiated silicon oxide or a combination of lithiated silicon oxide and carbon present in an amount of 20 wt % or greater, based on a total weight of the anode active layer. The cathode includes a cathode current collector and a cathode active layer. The electrolyte includes a lithium salt and a cosolvent that includes a cyclic carbonate-containing solvent and a linear carbonate-containing solvent.

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 battery that cycles lithium ions includes a negative electrode and an ionically conductive electrolyte. The negative electrode includes an electroactive material comprising a silicon oxide-based material. The electrolyte includes an organic solvent, a lithium salt, and a ternary additive system comprising a phosphite compound, a borate compound, and a sulfate compound.

Abstract: A monitoring assembly for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium battery includes a porous sensory structure and a transducer. The porous sensory structure includes a sensory layer disposed on a major surface of a porous separator and a buffer layer disposed between the sensory layer and a facing surface of a negative electrode layer. The buffer layer electrically isolates the sensory layer from the facing surface of the negative electrode layer. The sensory layer includes an electrically conductive material and is configured to produce a response to an input signal or to a physical stimulus received within the electrochemical cell. The transducer is configured to process the response produced by the sensory layer to generate an output signal indicative of a diagnostic condition within the electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an electric motor and a battery operable to provide electrical power to the electric motor. The battery system includes a first battery pack and a second battery pack. The first battery pack has a relatively high power density, and the second battery pack has a relatively high energy density. An electronic controller determines a remaining driving range of the first battery pack, and a remaining driving range of the second battery pack. The vehicle has a human-machine interface (HMI) operatively connected to the electronic controller and configured to indicate the remaining driving range of the first battery pack and the remaining driving range of the second battery pack. The controller executes a method of monitoring the battery system.

Abstract: A method includes determining a state of charge (SOC) of the battery and charging the battery using a plurality of charging steps. If the SOC of the battery is less than a predetermined SOC, the battery is charged at a first charge rate (C-rate) in a range from 3 C to 4 C in a first step until the SOC of the battery increases by a first ?SOC. After the first ?SOC, the battery is charged in the constant current mode at a second C-rate of 3?(1/n) C in a second step to (2+n?1)th step until the SOC of the battery increases by a second ?SOC, where n is an integer greater than zero. After the second ?SOC, the battery is charged in the constant current mode at a third C- rate of 2+ (1/n) C in a (2+n)th step until the SOC of the battery increases by a third ?SOC.

Abstract: A method for preparing an electrolyte layer supported by a dry process electrode layer, the method includes providing a sulfide electrolyte layer; providing a first dry process electrode layer; arranging a first side of the sulfide electrolyte layer adjacent to a first side of the first dry process electrode layer; and calendaring the sulfide electrolyte layer and the first dry process electrode layer to reduce a thickness of the sulfide electrolyte layer to a predetermined thickness in a range from approximately 5 micrometers (?m) to approximately 50 ?m.

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: 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 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 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: 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 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.