Abstract: A sealed secondary battery cell that is chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state is provided. The sealed secondary battery cell comprises a hermetically sealed enclosure comprising a polymer enclosure material, an electrode assembly enclosed by the hermetically sealed enclosure, a set of electrode constraints, and a rated capacity of at least 100 mAmp·hr. A thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell along a thermally conductive path between the vertically opposing regions of the external vertical surfaces of hermetically sealed enclosure in the vertical direction is at least 2 Wm·K.

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 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 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: An auxiliary electrode includes a conductive layer having a first major surface in an X-Y plane, the conductive layer is electrically conductive and has a first surface area. The auxiliary electrode includes a first carrier ion supply layer and a second carrier ion supply layer, each carrier ion supply layer comprising a material that supplies carrier ions for an electrode of the secondary battery. The first carrier ion supply layer covers a first region of the first major surface of the conductive layer and the second carrier ion supply layer covers a second region of the first major surface of the conductive layer. The first and second regions are separated by a third region, the third region configured to be folded such that the first region and the second region are substantially parallel, and the third region is substantially perpendicular to the first and second regions in the folded configuration.

Abstract: A process for delineating a population of electrode structures in a web is disclosed. The web has a down-web direction, a cross-web direction, an electrochemically active layer, and an electrically conductive layer. The process includes laser machining the web in at least the cross-web direction to delineate members of the electrode structure population in the web without releasing the delineated members from the web and forming an alignment feature in the web that is adapted for locating each delineated member of the electrode structure population in the web.

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 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, the electrode structure comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and an electrically insulating material layer separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population, each member of the electrode population having a longitudinal axis AE that is surrounded by the electrically insulating separator layer.

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 process for merging webs for the production of an electrode assembly for a secondary battery, the process comprising: moving a first web comprising a population of first components for electrode sub-units, the first components delineated by corresponding weakened patterns, and a population of first conveying features. Moving a second web comprising a population of second components for the electrode sub-units, the second components delineated by corresponding weakened patterns, and a population of second conveying features. Conveying a receiving member, the receiving member comprising a plurality of projections. Receiving the first web on the receiving member. Overlaying, the second web on the first web such that the first components are aligned with the second components and the conveying features of the second web are engaged by the plurality of projections on the receiving member. The second web merge location being spaced from the first web merge location.

Abstract: A process for merging webs for the production of an electrode assembly for a secondary battery, the process comprising: moving a first web comprising a population of first components for electrode sub-units, the first components delineated by corresponding weakened patterns, and a population of first conveying features. Moving a second web comprising a population of second components for the electrode sub-units, the second components delineated by corresponding weakened patterns, and a population of second conveying features. Conveying a receiving member, the receiving member comprising a plurality of projections. Receiving the first web on the receiving member. Overlaying, the second web on the first web such that the first components are aligned with the second components and the conveying features of the second web are engaged by the plurality of projections on the receiving member. The second web merge location being spaced from the first web merge location.

Abstract: An electrode structure for use in an energy storage device, the electrode structure comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and an electrically insulating material layer separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population, each member of the electrode population having a longitudinal axis AE that is surrounded by the electrically insulating separator layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of secondary batteries having electrode assemblies are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode assembly having a stacked series of layers, the stacked series of layers having an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell member of the stacked series. A set of constraints can be provided with a primary constraint system with first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in a longitudinal direction, and connected by at least one primary connecting member, and a secondary constraint system comprises first and second secondary growth constraints separated in a second direction and connected by members of the stacked series of layers. The primary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, and the secondary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth in the second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

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 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 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: Embodiments of a method for the preparation of an electrode assembly, include removing a population of negative electrode subunits from a negative electrode sheet, the negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode sheet edge margin and at least one negative electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the negative electrode sheet edge margin, removing a population of separator layer subunits from a separator sheet, and removing a population of positive electrode subunits from a positive electrode sheet, the positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode edge margin and at least one positive electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the positive electrode sheet edge margin, and stacking members of the negative electrode subunit population, the separator layer subunit population and the positive electrode subunit population in a stacking direction to form a stacked population of unit cells.

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: Secondary batteries and methods of manufacture thereof are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell. Secondary batteries can be prepared by removing a population of negative electrode subunits from a negative electrode sheet, the negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode sheet edge margin and at least one negative electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the negative electrode sheet edge margin, removing a population of separator layer subunits from a separator sheet, and removing a population of positive electrode subunits from a positive electrode sheet, the positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode edge margin and at least one positive electrode sheet weakened region that is internal to the positive electrode sheet edge margin, and stacking members of the negative electrode subunit population, the separator layer subunit population and the positive electrode subunit population.

Abstract: A process for delineating a population of electrode structures in a web is disclosed. The web has a down-web direction, a cross-web direction, an electrochemically active layer, and an electrically conductive layer. The process includes laser machining the web in at least the cross-web direction to delineate members of the electrode structure population in the web without releasing the delineated members from the web and forming an alignment feature in the web that is adapted for locating each delineated member of the electrode structure population in the web.