Abstract: An all-solid-state electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes an electrode having a current collector that defines a major axis, and an electroactive material layer disposed on or adjacent to the current collector. The electroactive material layer includes a plurality of hierarchical silicon columns, and a solid sulfide electrolyte. The solid sulfide electrolyte is formed in-situ and fills greater than or equal to about 60 vol. % to less than or equal to about 100 vol. % of voids in the electroactive material layer. The voids being defined by openings between the hierarchical silicon columns. A longest dimension of each hierarchical silicon columns is perpendicular to the major axis of the second current collector.

Abstract: A system including a lithium-ion battery is provided. The system includes two electrodes, which include an anode and a cathode. The system further includes an electrolyte and a planar separator disposed between the anode and the cathode. The planar separator includes a first planar face, a second planar face, a layer of porous ceramic material coating the first planar face, and lithium deposited upon the layer of porous ceramic material. The lithium is in contact with one of the two electrodes.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a battery component includes a heating device configured to heat a surface of the battery component to a selected temperature, an optical-visible imaging device configured to take an optical image of the surface, a thermal imaging device configured to take a thermal image of the surface, and a processor configured to acquire the optical image and the thermal image. The processor is configured to correlate the thermal image with the optical image, identify a feature of interest in at least one of the optical image and the thermal image, determine a geometric characteristic and a temperature characteristic associated with the feature of interest, and determine whether the feature of interest is a defect based on the geometric characteristic and the temperature characteristic.

Abstract: An electrode assembly that includes an electroactive material layer and a protective layer disposed on or adjacent to the electroactive material layer is provided. The protective layer includes a carbonaceous matrix formed from a fluoropolymer, where lithium fluoride and a nitrate salt are distributed within the carbonaceous matrix. The protective layer further includes residual fluoropolymer and has a first surface adjacent to the electroactive material layer and a second surface opposite to the first surface. A first compositional gradient in the protective layer is defined from the first surface having a first amount of lithium fluoride that is greater than a second amount of lithium fluoride at the second surface, and a second compositional gradient in the protective layer is defined from the first surface having a first amount of residual fluoropolymer that is less than a second amount of residual fluoropolymer at the second surface.

Abstract: Presented are electrochemical devices with in-stack reference electrodes, methods for making/using such devices, and battery cells with stacked electrodes segregated by electrode separator assemblies including thermal barriers and built-in reference electrodes. An electrochemical device, such as a lithium-class secondary battery cell, includes an insulated and sealed housing with an ion-conducting electrolyte located inside the housing. A stack of working electrodes is also located inside the device housing, in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte. At least one electrode separator assembly is located inside the device housing, interposed between a neighboring pair of (anode and cathode) working electrodes. The electrode separator assembly includes a separator layer fabricated with an electrically insulating material that is sufficiently porous to transmit therethrough the ions of the electrolyte.

Abstract: A battery cell monitoring system provides a direct measurement of electrical and heat distributions in a battery cell, using segmented elements that are in direct contact with an electrode of the battery. The battery cell monitoring system provides distributed local through-plane current, temperature, and pressure measurements with power for operation of the battery being supplied via battery tabs. An embodiment of a battery cell monitoring system includes a two-dimensional current collector array, a two-dimensional temperature sensor array, a plurality of pressure sensors, and a plurality of reference electrodes interspersed within the current collector array. The current collector array, the temperature sensor array, the pressure sensors, and the reference electrodes are arranged on a printed circuit board. The current collector array is configured to have direct physical contact with an electrode of the battery cell. The current collector array is disposed within a container of the battery cell.

Abstract: A battery cell thermal insulator configured for mitigating a thermal event in a battery is provided. The battery cell thermal insulator includes a metal plate configured for providing rigidity to the battery cell thermal insulator. The battery cell thermal insulator further includes a layer of inorganic intumescent composite material disposed upon one side of the metal plate configured for providing thermal resistivity.

Abstract: Lithiated electrodes, electrochemical cells including lithiated electrodes, and methods of making the same are provided. The method includes lithiating at least one electrode in an electrochemical cell by applying current across a first current collector of the at least one electrode to a second current collector of an auxiliary electrode. The electrochemical cell may be disposed within a battery packaging and the auxiliary electrode may be disposed within the battery packaging adjacent to an edge of the electrochemical cell. The at least one electrode may include a first electroactive layer disposed on or near one or more surfaces of the first current collector, and the auxiliary electrode may include a second electroactive layer disposed at or near one or more surfaces of the second current collector. The method may further include extracting the auxiliary electrode from the battery packaging and sealing the battery packaging, which includes the pre-lithiated electrochemical cell.

Abstract: An electrode including an electrode active material and a mesoporous film coating at least a portion of the electrode active material is provided. The mesoporous film coats at least a portion of the electrode active material and includes M2SiO3, MAlO2, M2O—Al2O3—SiO2, or combinations thereof, where M is lithium (Li), sodium (Na), or a combination thereof. Methods of fabricating the electrode are also provided.

Abstract: A negative electrode for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium metal battery is manufactured by a method in which a precursor solution is applied to a major surface of a lithium metal substrate to form a precursor coating thereon. The precursor solution includes an organophosphate, a nonpolar organic solvent, and a lithium-containing inorganic ionic compound dissolved therein. At least a portion of the nonpolar organic solvent is removed from the precursor coating to form a protective interfacial layer on the major surface of the lithium metal substrate. The protective interfacial layer exhibits a composite structure including a carbon-based matrix component and a lithium-containing dispersed component. The lithium-containing dispersed component is embedded in the carbon-based matrix component and includes a plurality of lithium-containing inorganic ionic compounds, e.g., lithium phosphate (Li3PO4) and lithium nitrate (LiNO3).

Abstract: Presented are electrochemical devices with in-stack pressure sensors, methods for making/using such devices, and battery cells with electrode stacks having an electrode separator assembly with a piezoelectric layer for in-stack pressure sensing and dendrite cleaning. An electric machine, such as a lithium-class secondary battery cell for example, includes a device housing with an ion-conducting electrolyte located inside the device housing. A stack of working electrodes is also located inside the device housing, in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte. At least one electrode separator assembly is located inside the device housing, interposed between a neighboring pair of the working electrodes. The electrode separator assembly includes a pair of separator layers that transmit therethrough the ions of the electrolyte, and a piezoelectric layer that is interposed between the two separator layers.

Abstract: A battery module comprises a plurality of secondary battery cells arranged side-by-side; and a flame-retardant composition disposed atop the plurality of secondary battery cells; where the flame-retardant composition comprises a first composition and a second composition. The first composition comprises porous particles upon which are disposed a first metal catalyst particle and a first flame-retardant particle. The second composition comprises a fibrous composition that comprises a fibrous substrate upon which is disposed a second metal catalyst particle and a second flame-retardant particle.

Abstract: A method for forming a solid-state battery includes preparing a cell, heating the cell to a first temperature, and cycling the cell while maintaining the cell at the first temperature and/or while the cell is cooled to room temperature from the first temperature. The cell includes a solid-state electrolyte adjacent to a negative electrode, including a negative electroactive material selected from the group consisting of: lithium metal, lithium alloys, silicon, silicon alloys, and combinations thereof. The first temperature is between about 50° C. and about 175° C. The cell is cycled for between about 1 cycle and about 10 cycles, where current densities are between about 0.01 mA/cm2 and about 10 mA/cm2, and capacity per cycle between about 0.01 mAh/cm2 and about 1 mAh/cm2.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a coated separator including a porous separator and a ceramic coating disposed on one or more surfaces thereof. The ceramic coating includes a ceramic material and an additive selected from the group consisting of: lithium nitrate (LiNO3), lithium phosphate (LiPO3), lithium orthophosphate (Li3PO4), lithium difluoro (oxalate) borate (LiDBoB), cyclic sulfone, polysulfide, lithium halide salts, and combinations thereof. In certain variations, the coated separator is prepared by contacting the porous separator with a slurry including the ceramic material and the additive. In other variations, the coated separator is prepared by forming a ceramic coating on one or more surfaces of a porous separator and contacting the porous separator with the additive, for example by immersing, or alternatively, a spraying process.

Abstract: An electrode includes an electroactive material layer and a protective layer disposed on or adjacent to a surface of the electroactive material layer. The protective layer includes a polymerized cyclic ether and a salt dispersed therewithin. The salt includes a nitrate salt and a phosphate salt. The salt may also include a Lewis acid salt. The protective layer is formed by disposing a solution, including the salt and solvent, on or adjacent to the surface of the electroactive material layer, and polymerizing the solvent. The solvent includes the cyclic ether, and also, one or more organic phosphates.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell for a lithium battery includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a polymeric separator, and composite flame retardant particles including a particulate host material and a flame retardant material carried by the particulate host material. The composite flame retardant particles may be positioned within the electrochemical cell along a lithium-ion transport path or an electron transport path that extends through or between one or more components of the electrochemical cell. The composite flame retardant particles may be positioned within polymeric portions of a laminate structure that defines a housing in which the electrochemical cell is enclosed.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided herein as well as methods for preparing electrochemical cells. The electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode and a positive electrode. The negative electrode includes a prelithiated electroactive material including a lithium silicide. Lithium is present in the prelithiated electroactive material in an amount corresponding to greater than or equal to about 10% of a state of charge of the negative electrode. The electrochemical cell has a negative electrode capacity to positive electrode capacity for lithium (N/P) ratio of greater than or equal to about 1, and the electrochemical cell is capable of operating at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 5 volts.

Abstract: Methods for preparing a silicon-based electroactive material for use in an electrochemical cell are provided. The methods include heating a silicon oxide (SiOx, where 0.1?x?2) particle to a temperature between about 600° C. and about 1200° C. over a period between about 30 minutes and about 10 hours to form the silicon-based electroactive material, where the silicon-based electroactive material includes a silicon oxide matrix and a plurality of silicon crystallites embedded therein. In certain instances, the heating may occur in an inert atmosphere such that the silicon crystallites are distributed throughout the silicon oxide matrix. In other instances, the heating may occur in a reducing environment such that the silicon crystallites are condensed in one or more regions in the silicon oxide matrix. In each instance, the silicon-based electroactive material may be carbon coated by heating the silicon-based electroactive material in an environment including hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A thermal barrier component for an electrochemical cell (e.g., a battery) includes a mat, a functional material, and a polymer binder. The mat includes a porous matrix. The functional material is in pores of the porous matrix. The functional material includes an oxide. In certain aspects, the functional material may be a composite material. The polymer binder is in contact with the porous matrix and the functional material. At least one of the porous matrix, the functional material, and the polymer binder is configured to serve as an intumescent carbon source. The oxide is configured to catalyze thermal degradation of the intumescent carbon source to form intumescent carbon at a first temperature. The first temperature is greater than or equal to about 300° C. The thermal barrier component is configured to mitigate thermal runaway in an electrochemical cell. The thermal barrier component may include one or more layers.

Abstract: A thermal barrier component for an electrochemical cell according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes a functional material. The functional material includes at least one of a hydrate of a metal carbonate and a hydrate of a metal phosphate. The functional material is configured to release water vapor at a first temperature of greater than or equal to about 100° C. and decompose to release a gaseous fire retardant at a second temperature of greater than or equal to about 300° C. Another thermal barrier component according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes a hydrate and a fire retardant. The hydrate is configured to release water in an amount greater than or equal to about 1 kg at a first temperature of greater than or equal to about 100° C. The fire retardant is configured to decompose at a second temperature of greater than or equal to about 300° C.