Abstract: An inorganic compound for a Li-ion conductor includes an oxyhalide compound with a chemical composition of MOX where M is at least one of Al, Sc, La, and Y, and X is at least one of F, Cl, Br, and I. Also, the oxyhalide compound has a thermal decomposition start temperature of the oxyhalide compound is greater than a thermal decomposition start temperature of FeOCl and a conductivity that is general equal to or greater than a conductivity of the FeOCl.

Abstract: An inorganic compound for a Li-ion conductor includes an oxyhalide compound with a chemical composition of MOX where M is at least one of Al, Sc, La, and Y, and X is at least one of F, Cl, Br, and I. Also, the oxyhalide compound has a thermal decomposition start temperature of the oxyhalide compound is greater than a thermal decomposition start temperature of FeOCl and a conductivity that is general equal to or greater than a conductivity of the FeOCl.

Abstract: Carbon fiber reinforced steel matrix composites have carbon fiber impregnated in the steel matrix and chemically bonded to the steel. Chemical bonding is shown by the presence of a unique amorphous carbon layer at the carbon fiber/steel interface, and by canting of steel crystal edges adjacent to the interface. Methods for forming carbon fiber reinforce steel composites include sintering steel nanoparticles around a reinforcing carbon fiber structure, thereby chemically bonding a sintered steel matrix to the carbon fiber. This unique bonding likely contributes to enhanced strength of the composite, in comparison to metal matrix composites formed by other methods.

Abstract: 3-D magnesium voltaic cells have a magnesium anode coated on multiple opposing surfaces with a continuous protective/electrolyte layer that is ionically conductive and electronically insulating. The resulting protected 3-D magnesium anode is coated on multiple opposing surfaces with a continuous cathode layer that is electronically and ionically conductive, and includes a magnesium storage medium. Suitable magnesium anodes, in particular, magnesium foam anodes, can be made by pulsed galvanostatic deposition of magnesium on a copper substrate. The protective layer can be formed by electropolymerization of a suitable methylacrylate ester. The continuous cathode layer can be a slurry cathode having powders of an electronic conductor and a reversible magnesium storage component suspended in a magnesium electrolyte solution.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing an inorganic precursor for an ionic conductor includes mixing at least one oxide of M with at least one halide of M, heating the mixture of the at least one oxide of M and the at least one halide of M and forming an MOX inorganic oxyhalide compound, and injecting defects in the MOX inorganic oxyhalide compound and forming a defect doped (MOX)? precursor for an ionic conductor. The element or component M is selected from at least one of Fe, Al, La, and Y, the at least one halide of M is selected from at least one of a fluoride of M, a chloride of M, a bromide of M, and an iodide of M, and the element or component X is at least one of F, Cl, Br, and I.

Abstract: A solid-state electrolyte for a lithium battery that includes a hard-inorganic electrolyte and at least two soft electrolytes (SEs), where the melting point of the solid-state electrolyte is less than the melting point of a highest melting SE included in the solid-state electrolyte. The SEs include ammonium or phosphonium salts of closo-borates and can include lithium closo-borates salts. The hard-inorganic electrolyte is a lithium thiophosphate (LPS), where the plurality of SEs is melt-diffused throughout the homogeneous combined hard-inorganic electrolyte and a plurality of SEs at a temperature below the highest melting point SE, generally below 100° C. The relative density of the solid-state electrolyte is greater than 90 percent.

Abstract: A lithium-ion conducting composite material includes a Li binary salt, a Li-ion conductor with a chemical composition of Li2?3x+y?zFexOy(OH)1?yCl1?z, and at least two of: a first inorganic compound with a chemical composition of (Fe1?xM1x)O1?y(OH)yCl1?x; a second inorganic compound with a chemical composition of M2OX; and a defected doped inorganic compound with a chemical composition of (M3OX)?. The value of n is 1 or 2, x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, and y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25. Also, M1 is at least one of Mg and Ca, M2 and M3 are each at least one of Fe, Al, Sc, La, and Y, and X is at least one of F, Cl, Br, and I.

Abstract: An ionic conductor includes an inorganic oxychloride compound with a chemical composition of (Fe1-xMx)O1-y(OH)yCl1-x where M is selected from at least one of Mg and Ca, and x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25. The inorganic oxychloride compound has a thermal decomposition start temperature of about 410° C. and x-ray diffraction peaks (2?) between about 20.79° and about 22.79°, between about 30.03° and about 32.03°, between about 39.47° and about 41.47°, and between about 76.44° and about 78.44°.

Abstract: A solid-state electrolyte for a lithium battery that includes a hard-inorganic electrolyte and at least two soft electrolytes (SEs), where the melting point of the solid-state electrolyte is less than the melting point of a highest melting SE included in the solid-state electrolyte. The SEs include ammonium or phosphonium salts of closo-borates and can include lithium closo-borates salts. The hard-inorganic electrolyte is a lithium thiophosphate (LPS), where the plurality of SEs is melt-diffused throughout the homogeneous combined hard-inorganic electrolyte and a plurality of SEs at a temperature below the highest melting point SE, generally below 100° C. The relative density of the solid-state electrolyte is greater than 90 percent.

Abstract: A lithium-ion conductor includes an inorganic compound with a chemical composition of Li2?3x+y?zFexOy(OH)1?yCl1?z, where x is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1, y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal 1, and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal 0.25. Also, the inorganic compound has or exhibits a thermal decomposition temperature greater than 390° C., an ionic conductivity greater than about 1.0×10?4 S/cm at 25° C., and has a crystal structure that reflects or exhibits x-ray diffraction peaks with a 2? between about 22.12° and about 24.12°, between about 31.97° and about 33.97°, between about 39.55° and about 41.55°, between about 46.46° and about 48.46°, between about 57.77° and about 59.77°, and between about 68.04° and about 70.04°.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composite material of formula (I): (LPS)a(OIPC)b wherein each of a and b is a mass % value from 1% to 99% such that a+b is 100%; (LPS) is a material selected from the group consisting of Li3PS4, Li7P3S11, Li10GeP2S11, and a material of formula (II): xLi2S.yP2S5.(100?x?y)LiX; wherein X is I, Cl or Br, each of x and y is a mass % value of from 33.3% to 50% such that x+y is from 75% to 100% and the total mass % of Li2S, P2S5 and LiX is 100%; and (OIPC) is a salt of a cation and a closo-borane cluster anion.

Abstract: An insertion anode for a Li-ion cell, protected with an SEI by pre-treatment in an SEI-formation cell, is stable for cell cycling even in the presence of substantial water in the cell electrolyte. A method for making the protected anode includes forming an SEI on a lithium-ion insertion electrode by performing multiple charge/discharge cycles on the electrode in a first cell having an SEI formation electrolyte to produce the protected anode. The SEI formation electrolyte includes an ionic liquid having at least one of twelve organic cations.

Abstract: An anode for a lithium or lithium-ion cell, protected with an SEI by pre-treatment in an SEI-formation cell, is stable for cell cycling even in the presence of substantial water in the cell electrolyte. A method for making the protected anode includes forming an SEI on a lithium or lithium-ion electrode by performing multiple charge/discharge cycles on the electrode in a first cell having an SEI formation electrolyte to produce the protected anode. The SEI formation electrolyte includes an ionic liquid having at least one of eight organic cations.

Abstract: An anode composite (AC) for use in an anode for solid-state lithium batteries includes particles of a silicon active material, a carbon additive for electrical conductivity, and a solid electrolyte that combines solid elastic electrolyte (SEE) with a solid non-elastic electrolyte. The solid non-elastic electrolyte is a lithium thiophosphate or other ceramic lithium ion conductor and the SEE includes an ammonium or phosphonium ion closo-borate doped with a lithium salt. The SEE is diffused onto the combined particles uniformly by heating, where pressing achieves about 100% relative density at modest pressures. The anode displays high stability upon charge-discharge cycles of a solid-state lithium battery prepared with the AC layer, appearing to maintain stable intrinsic and extrinsic interfaces.

Abstract: Methods for forming polymeric protective layers on magnesium anodes for magnesium batteries include placing a solution of electropolymerizable monomers onto all exposed surfaces of a magnesium anode, and electropolymerizing the monomers in the solution. The monomers can be glycidyl methacrylate, a salt of 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, or a mixture of the two. Protected magnesium foam anodes for 3-D magnesium batteries have a magnesium foam electrolyte, and a polymeric coating covering all exposed surfaces of the magnesium foam electrolyte. The polymeric protective coating formed of (poly)glycidyl methacrylate, poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate), or a copolymer of the two.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composite material of formula (I): (LPS)a(OIPC)b wherein each of a and b is a mass % value from 1% to 99% such that a+b is 100%; (LPS) is a material selected from the group consisting of Li3PS4, Li7P3S11, Li10GeP2S11, and a material of formula (II): xLi2S?yP2S5?(100?x?y)LiX; wherein X is I, Cl or Br, each of x and y is a mass % value of from 33.3% to 50% such that x+y is from 75% to 100% and the total mass % of Li2S, P2S5 and LiX is 100%; and (OIPC) is a salt of a cation and a closo-borane cluster anion.

Abstract: Carbon fiber reinforced steel matrix composites have carbon fiber impregnated in the steel matrix and chemically bonded to the steel. Chemical bonding is shown by the presence of a unique amorphous carbon layer at the carbon fiber/steel interface, and by canting of steel crystal edges adjacent to the interface. Methods for forming carbon fiber reinforce steel composites include sintering steel nanoparticles around a reinforcing carbon fiber structure, thereby chemically bonding a sintered steel matrix to the carbon fiber. This unique bonding likely contributes to enhanced strength of the composite, in comparison to metal matrix composites formed by other methods.

Abstract: 3-D magnesium voltaic cells have a magnesium anode coated on multiple opposing surfaces with a continuous protective/electrolyte layer that is ionically conductive and electronically insulating. The resulting protected 3-D magnesium anode is coated on multiple opposing surfaces with a continuous cathode layer that is electronically and ionically conductive, and includes a magnesium storage medium. Suitable magnesium anodes, in particular, magnesium foam anodes, can be made by pulsed galvanostatic deposition of magnesium on a copper substrate. The protective layer can be formed by electropolymerization of a suitable methylacrylate ester. The continuous cathode layer can be a slurry cathode having powders of an electronic conductor and a reversible magnesium storage component suspended in a magnesium electrolyte solution.

Abstract: 3-D magnesium voltaic cells have a magnesium anode coated on multiple opposing surfaces with a continuous protective/electrolyte layer that is ionically conductive and electronically insulating. The resulting protected 3-D magnesium anode is coated on multiple opposing surfaces with a continuous cathode layer that is electronically and ionically conductive, and includes a magnesium storage medium. Suitable magnesium anodes, in particular, magnesium foam anodes, can be made by pulsed galvanostatic deposition of magnesium on a copper substrate. The protective layer can be formed by electropolymerization of a suitable methylacrylate ester. The continuous cathode layer can be a slurry cathode having powders of an electronic conductor and a reversible magnesium storage component suspended in a magnesium electrolyte solution.

Abstract: Methods for forming polymeric protective layers on magnesium anodes for magnesium batteries include placing a solution of electropolymerizable monomers onto all exposed surfaces of a magnesium anode, and electropolymerizing the monomers in the solution. The monomers can be glycidyl methacrylate, a salt of 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, or a mixture of the two. Protected magnesium foam anodes for 3-D magnesium batteries have a magnesium foam electrolyte, and a polymeric coating covering all exposed surfaces of the magnesium foam electrolyte. The polymeric protective coating formed of (poly)glycidyl methacrylate, poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate), or a copolymer of the two.