Abstract: A method is provided for pre-forming anode particles for use in lithium ion batteries. The pre-formed anode particles bear a solid electrolyte of a composition that cannot be formed in situ in the battery. The method includes providing a dispersion of anode precursor particles and an additive not found in the battery in a liquid electrolyte solution. Applying a voltage or current across the dispersion forms the solid electrolyte interphase, on the particles. These particles can be used in an electrode of a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: A vehicle coolant system includes a pipe configured to facilitate a flow of vehicle coolant through the pipe, a light source configured to transmit at least one wavelength of light through the vehicle coolant, and a signal detector configured to receive at least one wavelength of light transmitted through the vehicle coolant, and to generate a signal intensity value corresponding to a measured intensity of the at least one wavelength of light received at the signal detector. A controller is configured to receive the signal intensity value from the signal detector, identify a coolant contamination threshold value corresponding to the vehicle coolant, compare the signal intensity value received from the signal detector to the coolant contamination threshold value, and initiate a vehicle coolant remedial action according to a result of comparing the signal intensity value received from the signal detector to the coolant contamination threshold value.

Abstract: An electroactive material for an electrochemical cell includes one or more oxygen storage material coatings or layers. The electroactive material may include a plurality of electroactive material particles disposed to form an electroactive material layer. In certain variations, at least a portion of the plurality of electroactive material particles may have a coating that includes an oxygen storage material. In other variations, an oxygen storage material layer may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the electroactive material layer. In still other variations, at least a portion of the plurality of electroactive material particles may have a coating that includes an oxygen storage material, and an oxygen storage material layer may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the electroactive material layer. The one or more oxygen storage material coatings or layers may help to improve the thermal stability of the electroactive materials.

Abstract: An electroactive material for an electrochemical cell includes one or more conductive oxygen storage material coatings or layers. The electroactive material includes a plurality of electroactive material particles disposed to form an electroactive material layer. In certain variations, at least a portion of the plurality of electroactive material particles may have a coating that includes a conductive oxygen storage material. In other variations, a conductive oxygen storage material layer may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the electroactive material layer. In still other variations, at least a portion of the plurality of electroactive material particles may have a coating that includes a conductive oxygen storage material, and a conductive oxygen storage material layer may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the electroactive material layer. The one or more conductive oxygen storage material coatings or layers may help to improve the thermal stability of the electroactive materials.

Abstract: A quality control system in a battery manufacturing process includes two or more capacitive measurement apparatuses to obtain a capacitance measurement from two or more intermediate products generated during the battery manufacturing process. The system also includes processing circuitry to obtain the capacitive measurement from the two or more capacitive measurement apparatuses, to determine a characteristic of the corresponding intermediate product, and to control at least one process of the battery manufacturing process that produced at least one of the two or more intermediate products based on the characteristic.

Abstract: An electroactive material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. The electroactive material includes a plurality of atomic layers and a plurality of cations disposed between the atomic layers. The plurality of atomic layers includes an atom selected from the group consisting of: silicon, germanium, boron, and combinations thereof. The plurality of cations is selected from the group consisting of: calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, nickel, potassium, sodium, and combinations thereof. A ratio of the cations to atoms that define the atomic layer may be less than about 1:2.

Abstract: A method for extracting lithium from lithium-based materials to be recycled using an electrochemical reactor includes applying a voltage to a current collector at least partially disposed in an electrolyte carried by the electrochemical reactor, where the lithium-based materials including lithium to be recovered is disposed in the electrolyte and lithium ions move from the lithium-based material towards the current collector upon application of the voltage. In certain variations, the method may also include, prior to the application of the voltage, applying a current to the current collector.

Abstract: A method for forming an electroactive material includes sourcing a current or voltage to an electrochemical reactor that includes a cation source, an electrolyte mixture, and an electroactive material precursor in contact with one another, where the current or voltage serves to ionize and form cations at the cation source that react with the electroactive material precursor in the electrolyte mixture to form the electroactive material. The method may include one or more filtering steps, one or more rinsing steps, or a combination of one or more filtering steps and one or more rinsing steps to collect the electroactive material from the electrolyte.

Abstract: A method for forming a layered anode material includes contacting a precursor material and a first electrolyte. The precursor material is a layered ionic compound represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium and magnesium and X is one of silicon, germanium, and boron. The method further includes applying a first bias and/or current as the precursor material contacts the first electrolyte to remove cations from the precursor material to create a two-dimensional structure that defines the layered anode material. In certain variations, the method further includes contacting the two-dimensional structure and a second electrolyte and applying a second bias and/or current as the two-dimensional structure contacts the second electrolyte so as to cause lithium ions to move into interlayer spaces or voids created in the two-dimensional structure by the removal of the cations thereby forming the layered anode material.

Abstract: An electroactive material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. The electroactive material includes a plurality of atomic layers and a plurality of cations disposed between the atomic layers. The plurality of atomic layers includes an atom selected from the group consisting of: silicon, germanium, boron, and combinations thereof. The plurality of cations is selected from the group consisting of: calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, nickel, potassium, sodium, and combinations thereof. A ratio of the cations to atoms that define the atomic layer may be less than about 1:2.

Abstract: A method for detecting a contaminant in a vehicle coolant system during service includes contacting a chromophore impregnated strip and a heat transfer fluid sample, where the chromophore impregnated strip includes a complexing agent selected to form a complex with the contaminant that causes a color change in the chromophore impregnated strip and thereby indicates the presence of the contaminant in the heat transfer fluid sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming a pre-lithiated layered anode material. The method includes removing cations from a precursor material including a layered ionic compound to form creates a two-dimensional structure that defines a layered anode material. The method further includes inserting lithium ions using an anion insertion wet-chemical process into the layered anode materials to form the pre-lithiated layered anode material. The anion insertion wet-chemical process can be the same as or different form the cation extraction wet-chemical process. In each instance, the precursor material is be represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B) and the precursor material has alternating layers of M and X.

Abstract: A battery with passive fire suppression capabilities includes a housing, a battery cell stack disposed within an interior of the housing, and a fire suppression material disposed within the interior of the housing. The battery cell stack includes a plurality of battery cells, with each of the plurality of battery cells including a nonaqueous electrolyte. When the fire suppression material is exposed to the nonaqueous electrolyte, the fire suppression material is configured to retain the nonaqueous electrolyte within the interior of the housing.

Abstract: A battery system includes a battery housing having an interior compartment. A battery pack, including a plurality of battery cells, is in the interior compartment of the housing. A vessel defines an interior chamber and includes an air inlet, an oxygen discharge port, and an inert gas discharge port each in communication with the interior chamber. An oxygen separation material is in the chamber and is configured to separate oxygen from air supplied through the air inlet and to direct the oxygen to the oxygen discharge port. The oxygen separation material is further configured to direct remaining oxygen deficient air to the inert gas discharge port. The inert gas discharge port in communication with the interior compartment of the battery housing.

Abstract: A battery cell comprises a battery cell enclosure made of a non-metallic material. First battery terminals arranged in the battery cell enclosure. Second battery terminals arranged in the battery cell enclosure. Electrolyte is located between the first battery terminals and the second battery terminals. C conductive portions are arranged adjacent to an outer surface of the battery cell enclosure, where C is an integer greater than zero.

Abstract: A quality control system in a battery manufacturing process includes two or more capacitive measurement apparatuses to obtain a capacitance measurement from two or more intermediate products generated during the battery manufacturing process. The system also includes processing circuitry to obtain the capacitive measurement from the two or more capacitive measurement apparatuses, to determine a characteristic of the corresponding intermediate product, and to control at least one process of the battery manufacturing process that produced at least one of the two or more intermediate products based on the characteristic.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming a layered anode material. The method includes contacting a precursor material and a first electrolyte. The precursor material is a layered ionic compound represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium and magnesium and X is one of silicon, germanium, and boron. The method further includes applying a first bias and/or current as the precursor material contacts the first electrolyte so as to remove cations from the precursor material to create a two-dimensional structure that defines the layered anode material. In certain variations, the method further include contacting the two-dimensional structure and a second electrolyte, and applying a second bias and/or current as the two-dimensional structure contacts the second electrolyte so as to cause lithium ions to move into interlayer spaces or voids created in the two-dimensional structure by the removal of the cations thereby forming the layered anode material.