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: Unit cells for use in electrical current conductance, the electrode structure comprising an electrode separated from a counter electrode by a separator, the unit cell being configured to accommodate expansion of electrode active material during a second use of the device e.g., at least in part by using spacer structures.

Abstract: A secondary battery assembly includes an electrode assembly having mutually perpendicular transverse, longitudinal, and vertical axes corresponding to X, Y and Z axes, respectively. A constraint is disposed on an outer surface of the electrode assembly. At least one of the electrode assembly or constraint has a protrusion extending in an X-Y plane defined by the X and Y axes and having a first radius of curvature in the X-Y plane. A battery enclosure encloses the electrode assembly and the constraint. An enclosure protection layer is disposed over at least a portion of the protrusion and between the protrusion and the battery enclosure. The enclosure protection layer defines a second radius of curvature overlying the first radius of curvature in the X-Y plane. The second radius of curvature is greater than the first radius of curvature to thereby reduce the potential of the protrusion causing damage to the battery enclosure.

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: An apparatus for machining a web made of electrode material includes a track extending continuously between a web path and an offload path, and supports operatively coupled to the track and moveable continuously along the web path and the offload path. The track is operable to control a conveying speed of each support along the web path. Each support includes a work surface that engages with the web at a first end of the web path to convey the web in the down-web direction at the conveying speed along the web path between the first end and a second end of the web path. The web is disengaged from the work surface at the second end of the web path. The apparatus also includes a machining device operable to act on the web as the web is conveyed in the down-web direction at the conveying speed along the web path.

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 includes an electrode assembly disposed within a constraint. The electrode assembly comprises a population of unit cells comprising 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. A subset of the unit cell population includes extended spacer members between the electrode current collector layer and the counter-electrode current collector layer. One of the spacer members is spaced in a transverse direction from the other extended spacer member, at least a portion of the counter-electrode active material of the counter-electrode layer being located between the spacer members such that the portion of the counter-electrode active material and the spacer members lie in a common plane defined by x and z axes, wherein each of the extended spacer members extend a distance SD in the x-axis direction beyond an x-axis edge of the constraint.

Abstract: Secondary batteries and methods of manufacture thereof are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode layer comprising a population of spacer structures comprising a material other than the electrode active material, wherein (a) the spacer population occupies a total volume within the electrode layer within the range of about 0.1% to about 35% of the volume, VE, of the electrode layer, and (b) a member of the spacer population is located within each subvolume of the electrode layer comprising (i) at least 25% of the volume, VE, of the electrode layer, and (ii) bounded on all sides by (aa) the unit cell portion of the electrode current collector, (bb) the separator layer, (cc) the top surface of the electrode layer, (dd) the bottom surface of the electrode layer, (ee) the first end surface of the electrode layer, and (ff) the second end surface of the electrode layer.

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: 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 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 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: 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: An electrode assembly includes unit cells stacked in a longitudinal direction, each unit cell including an electrode structure, a separator, and a counter-electrode structure. The electrode structure includes an electrode current collector and an electrode active material layer. The counter-electrode structure includes a counter-electrode current collector and a counter-electrode active material layer. An end portion of the counter-electrode current collector extends past the counter-electrode active material and the separator. The end portion of the counter-electrode current collector is bent to define a bent end portion of the respective counter-electrode current collector. The bent end portions of at least some of the counter-electrode current collectors overlap the bent end portion of an adjacent counter-electrode current collector.

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 includes a constraint and an electrode assembly disposed within the constraint. The electrode assembly includes a population of unit cells 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 in a longitudinal direction. The electrode layer includes an electrode active material, and the counter-electrode layer includes 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.

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 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.