Abstract: A secondary battery is provided for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, the secondary battery including a battery enclosure, an electrode assembly, carrier ions, a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte within the battery enclosure, and a set of electrode constraints. The set of electrode constraints includes a primary constraint system having first and second primary growth constraints and at least one primary connecting member, the first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, wherein the primary constraint array restrains growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction over 20 consecutive cycles of the secondary battery is less than 20%.

Abstract: A secondary battery for cycling between a charged and a discharged state is provided. The secondary battery has an electrode assembly having a population of anode structures, a population of cathode structures, and an electrically insulating microporous separator material. The electrode assembly also has a set of electrode constraints that at least partially restrains growth of the electrode assembly. Members of the anode structure population have a first cross-sectional area, A1 when the secondary battery is in the charged state and a second cross-sectional area, A2, when the secondary battery is in the discharged state, and members of the cathode structure population have a first cross-sectional area, C1 when the secondary battery is in the charged state and a second cross-sectional area, C2, when the secondary battery is in the discharged state, where A1 is greater than A2, and C1 is less than C2.

Abstract: A energy storage device for cycling between a charged state and a discharged state, the energy storage device including an enclosure, an electrode assembly and a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte within the enclosure, and a constraint that maintains a pressure on the electrode assembly as the energy storage device is cycled between the charged and the discharged states.

Abstract: A battery includes an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly has a population of unit cells, each unit cell including an electrode current collector layer, an electrode layer, a separator layer, a counter-electrode layer, and a counter-electrode current collector layer in stacked succession. The electrode layer has an electrode active material, and the counter-electrode layer has a counter-electrode active material. One of the electrode active material and the counter-electrode material is a cathodically active material and the other of the electrode active material and the counter-electrode material is an anodically active material. A subset of the unit cell population includes a pair of spacer members located between the electrode current collector layer and the counter-electrode current collector layer. At least a portion of the counter-electrode active material is located between the spacer members in a common plane defined by the x and z axes.

Abstract: A process for delineating a population of electrode structures in a web includes laser ablating the web to form ablations in the web, each ablation being formed by removing a portion of an electrochemically active layer to thereby expose a portion of an electrically conductive layer. The process includes forming alignment features in the web that are formed at predetermined locations on the web. The process also includes laser machining the web to form weakened tear patterns in the web that delineate members of the electrode structure population, each of the delineated members being individually bounded, at least in part, by a member of the weakened tear patterns that is adapted to facilitate separation of delineated members, individually, from the web by an application of a force, the alignment features being used to aid in the formation of the weakened tear patterns.

Abstract: A method includes stacking unit cells in a stacking direction. Each unit cell includes an electrode structure, a separator structure, and a counter-electrode structure. The electrode structure includes an electrode current collector and an electrode active material layer, and the counter-electrode structure includes a counter-electrode current collector and a counter-electrode active material layer. The electrode and counter-electrode structures extend in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction, and an end portion of the electrode current collector extends past the electrode active material and the separator structure in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A secondary battery for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, wherein a 2D map of the median vertical position of the first opposing vertical end surface of the electrode active material in the X-Z plane, along the length LE of the electrode active material layer, traces a first vertical end surface plot, EVP1, a 2D map of the median vertical position of the first opposing vertical end surface of the counter-electrode active material layer in the X-Z plane, along the length LC of the counter-electrode active material layer, traces a first vertical end surface plot, CEVP1, wherein for at least 60% of the length Lc of the first counter-electrode active material layer (i) the absolute value of a separation distance, SZ1, between the plots EVP1 and CEVP1 measured in the vertical direction is 1000 µm ? |SZ1| ? 5 µm.

Abstract: A secondary battery for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, comprises a battery enclosure, an electrode assembly, carrier ions, and an electrolyte, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a population of unit cells, each unit cell comprising, in a stacking direction, a unit cell portion of an electrode current collector layer, an electrode layer comprising electrode active material, a separator layer, a counter-electrode layer and a unit cell portion of a counter-electrode current collector layer, and a subset of the members of the unit cell population comprises a population of spacer structures located in the stacked succession, and for each member of unit cell population subset there exists an imaginary line that extends in a direction that is orthogonal to the stacking direction and intersects the counter-electrode layer and at least one member of the spacer structure population comprised by each respective member of the unit cell population subset.

Abstract: An apparatus for merging webs for the production of an electrode assembly for a secondary battery includes first and second webs of base material wound on a first spool and a second spool, respectively. The apparatus also includes first and second rotating assemblies configured to move the first and second webs of base material along a first web merge path and a second web merge path, respectively. The first and second rotating assemblies are configured to control a tension of the respective web of base material in a down web direction along a portion of the respective web merge path located between the respective spool and rotating assembly. The apparatus also includes a receiving member configured to receive the first and second webs of base material at first and second web merge locations, respectively, such that the second web of base material overlays the first web of base material.

Abstract: A battery pack having a population of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame to hold secondary battery cells in the battery pack is provided, members of the population of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly comprising a substantially polyhedral shape, and where the frame holds a cell array comprising a subset of the population of secondary batteries that are arranged adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and methods of charging are also described.

Abstract: A battery pack having a population of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame to hold secondary battery cells in the battery pack is provided, members of the population of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly comprising a substantially polyhedral shape, and where the frame holds a cell array comprising a subset of the population of secondary batteries that are arranged adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and methods of charging are also described.

Abstract: A method includes stacking unit cells in a stacking direction. Each unit cell includes an electrode structure, a separator structure, and a counter-electrode structure. The electrode structure includes an electrode current collector and an electrode active material layer, and the counter-electrode structure includes a counter-electrode current collector and a counter-electrode active material layer. The electrode and counter-electrode structures extend in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction, and an end portion of the electrode current collector extends past the electrode active material and the separator structure in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An electrode structure for use in an energy storage device comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and a microporous separator separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population. Each member of the electrode population comprises an electrode active material layer and an electrode current conductor layer, and each member of the electrode population has a bottom, a top, a length LE, a width WE and a height HE, wherein the ratio of LE to each of WE and HE is at least 5:1, the ratio of HE to WE is between 0.4:1 and 1000:1, and the electrode current collector layer of each member of the electrode population has a length LC that is measured in the same direction as and is at least 50% of length LE.

Abstract: A secondary battery is provided for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, the secondary battery including a battery enclosure, an electrode assembly, carrier ions, a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte within the battery enclosure, and a set of electrode constraints. The set of electrode constraints includes a primary constraint system having first and second primary growth constraints and at least one primary connecting member, the first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, wherein the primary constraint array restrains growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction over 20 consecutive cycles of the secondary battery is less than 20%.

Abstract: A method is provided for activating a secondary battery having a negative electrode, a positive electrode, and a microporous separator between the negative and positive electrodes permeated with carrier-ion containing electrolyte, the negative electrode having anodically active silicon or an alloy thereof. The method includes transferring carrier ions from the positive electrode to the negative electrode to at least partially charge the secondary battery, and transferring carrier ions from an auxiliary electrode to the positive electrode, to provide the secondary battery with a positive electrode end of discharge voltage Vpos,eod and a negative electrode end of discharge so voltage Vneg,eod when the cell is at a predefined Vcell,eod value, the value of Vpos,eod corresponding to a voltage at which the state of charge of the positive electrode is at least 95% of its coulombic capacity and Vneg,eod is at least 0.4 V (vs Li) but less than 0.9 V (vs Li).

Abstract: A secondary battery for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, wherein a 2D map of the median vertical position of the first opposing vertical end surface of the electrode active material in the X-Z plane, along the length LE of the electrode active material layer, traces a first vertical end surface plot, EVP1, a 2D map of the median vertical position of the first opposing vertical end surface of the counter-electrode active material layer in the X-Z plane, along the length LC of the counter-electrode active material layer, traces a first vertical end surface plot, CEVP1, wherein for at least 60% of the length Lc of the first counter-electrode active material layer (i) the absolute value of a separation distance, SZ1, between the plots EVP1 and CEVP1 measured in the vertical direction is 1000 ?m?|SZ1|?5 ?m.

Abstract: An electrode structure for use in an energy storage device comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and a microporous separator separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population. Each member of the electrode population comprises an electrode active material layer and an electrode current conductor layer, and each member of the electrode population has a bottom, a top, a length LE, a width WE and a height HE, wherein the ratio of LE to each of WE and HE is at least 5:1, the ratio of HE to WE is between 0.4:1 and 1000:1, and the electrode current collector layer of each member of the electrode population has a length LC that is measured in the same direction as and is at least 50% of length LE.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for a secondary battery and method are provided. The electrode assembly comprises a population of unit cells and a constraint system. The electrode assembly comprises a population of electrode structures, a population of counter-electrode structures, and an electrically insulating separator material. The constraint system comprises (i) first and second primary growth constraints separated in the longitudinal direction, (ii) first and second connecting members separated in the vertical direction that connect the first and second primary growth constraints and a subset of the members of the electrode or counter-electrode population. The first and second connecting members are adhered to the subset by an electrically-insulating, thermoplastic, hot-melt adhesive having (i) a melting temperature in the range of 75° C. to 130° C., and (ii) a melt index value as measured according to ASTM D1238 in a range of at least 20 to no more than 350.

Abstract: A sealed secondary battery cell chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state is provided. The sealed secondary battery cell comprises a hermetically sealed case, an electrode assembly enclosed by the hermetically sealed case, and a rated capacity of at least 100 mAmp·hr, The hermetically sealed case has opposing first and second case ends separated in the longitudinal direction, and a case sidewall that connects the first and second case ends, the opposing first and second case ends and case sidewall forming a hermetic seal about the electrode assembly, wherein the case sidewall comprises upper and lower sidewalls separated from each other in the vertical direction, and first and second transverse sidewalls that are separated from each other in the transverse direction.

Abstract: A battery pack having a population of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame to hold secondary battery cells in the battery pack is provided, members of the population of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly comprising a substantially polyhedral shape, and where the frame holds a cell array comprising a subset of the population of secondary batteries that are arranged adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and methods of charging are also described.