Abstract: The present invention discloses a composite material having an ionic and electronic conductive outer shell with an active material inner core located within the outer shell. The outer shell can be impervious to a gas and a liquid, and in some instances contains a compound such as SiO2, Al2O3, P2S5, and Li2S. The composite material may or may not have a secondary outer shell that is located on an exterior of the outer shell. The outer shell and/or the secondary outer shell can contain a compound such as SiO2, Al2O3, P2S5, and/or Li2S. In some instances, the outer shell contains Li2S:P2S5, while in other instances, the outer shell contains LiPON. In addition, the inner core can contain an element such as lithium, sodium, potassium, and the like.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes an anode having a metal material having an oxygen containing layer. The electrochemical cell also includes a cathode and an electrolyte. The anode includes a protective layer formed by reacting a D or P block precursor with the oxygen containing layer.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes an anode having a metal material having an oxygen containing layer. The electrochemical cell also includes a cathode and an electrolyte. The anode includes a chemically bonded protective layer formed by reacting a D or P block precursor with the oxygen containing layer.

Abstract: An electrolyte solution usable in a lithium or lithium-ion battery, among other types of batteries that offers one or more of the following: improved stability (e.g., stable discharge capacities even after several cycles), elimination of the risk of unintentionally producing hydrochloric acid, improved thermal stability, and reduced production costs associated with manufacturing a battery. Indeed, the inventors have discovered an unexpected result that by including an additive to a dinnimitride salt (e.g., LiDN), the discharge capacity of the battery may improve beyond what is available in the prior art, including LiPF6. For example, production costs may be decreased since LiDN is not water-sensitive, so precautions to ensure that the compound is not exposed to water may be avoided. Further benefits include thermal stability since LiDN may be more thermally stable when compared to LiPF6.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes an anode having a metal material having an oxygen containing layer. The electrochemical cell also includes a cathode and an electrolyte. The anode includes a chemically bonded protective layer formed by reacting a D or P block precursor with the oxygen containing layer.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes an anode having a metal material having an oxygen containing layer. The electrochemical cell also includes a cathode and an electrolyte. The anode includes a protective layer formed by reacting a D or P block precursor with the oxygen containing layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains structured particles. The process includes providing a first precursor in the form of a dry precursor powder, a precursor liquid, a precursor vapor of a liquid and/or a precursor gas. The process also includes providing a plasma that has a high field zone and passing the first precursor through the high field zone of the plasma. As the first precursor passes through the high field zone of the plasma, at least part of the first precursor is decomposed. An aerosol having a second precursor is provided downstream of the high field zone of the plasma and the decomposed first material is allowed to condense onto the second precursor to from structured particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains core-shell structured nanoparticles. The process includes providing a precursor in the form of a powder a liquid and/or a vapor of a liquid that contains a core material and a shell material, and suspending the precursor in an aerosol gas to produce an aerosol containing the precursor. In addition, the process includes providing a plasma that has a hot zone and passing the aerosol through the hot zone of the plasma. As the aerosol passes through the hot zone of the plasma, at least part of the core material and at least part of the shell material in the aerosol is vaporized. Vapor that contains the core material and the shell material that has been vaporized is removed from the hot zone of the plasma and allowed to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles.

Abstract: A hollow carbon sphere having a carbon shell and an inner core is disclosed. The hollow carbon sphere has a total volume that is equal to a volume of the carbon shell plus an inner free volume within the carbon shell. The inner free volume is at least 25% of the total volume. In some instances, a nominal diameter of the hollow carbon sphere is between 10 and 180 nanometers.

Abstract: An electrode material having carbon and lithium-alloying-material is provided. The carbon is in the form of a porous matrix having nanoporosity and the lithium-alloying-material is sorbed into the nanoporosity of the carbon matrix. The carbon matrix can have a volume of nanoporosity between 10 and 99%. In addition, the lithium-alloying-material can occupy between 5 to 99% of the nanoporosity. A portion of the carbon structure that is only partially filled with the lithium-alloying-material remains vacant providing room for volume expansion on alloying with lithium and allowing electrolyte egress. In some instances, the nanoporosity has nanopores and nanochannels with an average diameter between 1 nanometer and 999 nanometers. The lithium-alloying-material is sorbed into the nanoporosity using liquid transport or other mechanisms providing a material having intimate contact between the electronically conductive carbon structure and the electroactive lithium-alloying-material.

Abstract: The inventors of the subject matter of the present disclosure have developed an electrolyte solution usable in a lithium or lithium-ion battery, among other types of batteries that offers one or more of the following: improved stability (e.g., stable discharge capacities even after several cycles), elimination of the risk of unintentionally producing hydrochloric acid, improved thermal stability, and reduced production costs associated with manufacturing a battery. Indeed, the inventors have discovered an unexpected result that by including an additive to a dinnimitride salt (e.g., LiDN), the discharge capacity of the battery may improve beyond what is available in the prior art, including LiPF6. For example, production costs may be decreased since LiDN is not water-sensitive, so precautions to ensure that the compound is not exposed to water may be avoided. Further benefits include thermal stability since LiDN may be more thermally stable when compared to LiPF6.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composite material having an ionic and electronic conductive outer shell with an active material inner core located within the outer shell. The outer shell can be impervious to a gas and a liquid, and in some instances contains a compound such as SiO2, Al2O3, P2S5, and Li2S. The composite material may or may not have a secondary outer shell that is located on an exterior of the outer shell. The outer shell and/or the secondary outer shell can contain a compound such as SiO2, Al2O3, P2S5, and/or Li2S. In some instances, the outer shell contains Li2S:P2S5, while in other instances, the outer shell contains LiPON. In addition, the inner core can contain an element such as lithium, sodium, potassium, and the like.

Abstract: An electrode material having carbon and sulfur is provided. The carbon is in the form of a porous matrix having nanoporosity and the sulfur is sorbed into the nanoporosity of the carbon matrix. The carbon matrix can have a volume of nanoporosity between 10 and 99%. In addition, the sulfur can occupy between 5 to 99% of the nanoporosity. A portion of the carbon structure that is only partially filled with the sulfur remains vacant allowing electrolyte egress. In some instances, the nanoporosity has nanopores and nanochannels with an average diameter between 1 nanometer and 999 nanometers. The sulfur is sorbed into the nanoporosity using liquid transport or other mechanisms providing a material having intimate contact between the electronically conductive carbon structure and the electroactive sulfur.

Abstract: Disclosed is a material having a composite particle, the composite particle including an outer shell and a core. The core is made from a lithium alloying material and the outer shell has an inner volume that is greater in size than the core of the lithium alloying material. In some instances, the outer mean diameter of the outer shell is less than 500 nanometers and the core occupies between 5 and 99% of the inner volume. In addition, the outer shell can have an average wall thickness of less than 100 nanometers.

Abstract: A hollow carbon sphere having a carbon shell and an inner core is disclosed. The hollow carbon sphere has a total volume that is equal to a volume of the carbon shell plus an inner free volume within the carbon shell. The inner free volume is at least 25% of the total volume. In some instances, a nominal diameter of the hollow carbon sphere is between 10 and 180 nanometers.

Abstract: A process including providing a reactant, the reactant coming into contact with a first material and chemically reacting therewith to form a first compound and produce structured particles is provided. In some instances, second material particles are at least partially coated with the first compound. The first material can contain a transition metal and the reactant can be provided to an afterglow region of a plasma and/or be provided downstream from the afterglow region. The reactant can contain an element such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, fluorine, carbon, boride, chloride, and the like. In addition, the reactant can be a gas and the first compound can be an oxide, nitride, sulfide, phosphide, fluoride, carbide, boride, chloride, and/or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A process for making an first material/second material nanocomposite is disclosed. The process can include providing a precursor that contains an electrochemically active and an electrochemically inactive material. Thereafter, the precursor can be suspended in an aerosol gas to produce an aerosol and a plasma having a high field zone can be provided. The aerosol can be passed through the high field zone of the plasma and result in the vaporization of at least part of the precursor in the aerosol. The precursor that has been vaporized in the high field zone is subsequently removed therefrom and allowed to condense into an first material/second material nanocomposite with at least one electrochemically active material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains structured particles. The process includes providing a first precursor in the form of a dry precursor powder, a precursor liquid, a precursor vapor of a liquid and/or a precursor gas. The process also includes providing a plasma that has a high field zone and passing the first precursor through the high field zone of the plasma. As the first precursor passes through the high field zone of the plasma, at least part of the first precursor is decomposed. An aerosol having a second precursor is provided downstream of the high field zone of the plasma and the decomposed first material is allowed to condense onto the second precursor to from structured particles.

Abstract: A hollow carbon sphere having a carbon shell and an inner core is disclosed. The hollow carbon sphere has a total volume that is equal to a volume of the carbon shell plus an inner free volume within the carbon shell. The inner free volume is at least 25% of the total volume. In some instances, a nominal diameter of the hollow carbon sphere is between 10 and 180 nanometers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a material having a composite particle, the composite particle including an outer shell and a core. The core is made from a lithium alloying material and the outer shell has an inner volume that is greater in size than the core of the lithium alloying material. In some instances, the outer mean diameter of the outer shell is less than 500 nanometers and the core occupies between 5 and 99% of the inner volume. In addition, the outer shell can have an average wall thickness of less than 100 nanometers.