Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for silicon with a carbon-based coating for lithium-ion battery electrodes. An example electrode, for use in an electrochemical cell, includes an active material that includes a plurality of silicon particles, with each silicon particle having a coating covering a surface of the particle. The coating may include a carbon based coating. A least a portion of the silicon (e.g., at least 70%) in the silicon particles is elemental silicon.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for aqueous based electrodes (e.g., anodes) with mechanical enhancement additives. An electrode for use in an electrochemical cell has an active material that includes silicon and a mechanical enhancement additive, with the mechanical enhancement additive selected to offset or counter silicon volume changes, and with the mechanical enhancement additive selected based on one or more selection thresholds relating to one or both of Young's modulus and aspect ratio.

Abstract: Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising cyanate based compounds are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, an electrolyte comprising at least two electrolyte co-solvents, wherein at least one electrolyte co-solvent comprises a cyanate based compound.

Abstract: Systems and methods for water soluble weak acidic resins as carbon precursors for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and pyrolyzed water-soluble acidic polyamide imide as a primary resin carbon precursor. The electrode coating layer may include a pyrolyzed water-based acidic polymer solution additive. The polymer solution additive may include one or more of: polyacrylic acid (PAA) solution, poly (maleic acid, methyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid, butadiene/maleic acid) solutions, and water soluble polyacrylic acid. The electrode coating layer may include conductive additives. The current collector may include a metal foil, where the metal current collector includes one or more of a copper, tungsten, stainless steel, and nickel foil in electrical contact with the electrode coating layer. The electrode coating layer may be more than 70% silicon.

Abstract: Systems and methods for thermal curing of water soluble polymers for silicon dominant anodes to improve the mechanical properties of the anode and electrochemical performance of a battery are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an ultra-high voltage cobalt-free cathode for alkali ion batteries may include an anode, a cathode, and a separator, with the cathode comprising an active material ANi(1-x)MnxSbOy, where x is a number between 0.0 and 1.0, y is an integer, and A comprises one or more of lithium, sodium, and potassium. The anode may include one or more of an alkali metal, silicon, and carbon. In one example, x is a value in the range between 0.05 and 0.9 and y is a value in the range between 1 and 8 where a specific capacity of the active material is greater than 50 milliamp-hours per gram. In another example, x is a value in the range between 0.4 and 0.6 and y is a value in the range between 1 and 8, where a specific capacity of the active material is greater than 70 milliamp-hours per gram.

Abstract: Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising alkoxyethane based compounds are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, an electrolyte comprising at least two electrolyte co-solvents, wherein at least one electrolyte co-solvent comprises an alkoxyethane based compound.

Abstract: Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising metal amide bases are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode and an electrolyte composition comprising at least one electrolyte additive comprising a metal amide base compound.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for Si-based anodes with cross-linked carbon nanotubes. A slurry for use in anodes may be mixed, with the slurry including an anode active material and a carbon-based additive, where the slurry may be used in forming an anode. The anode active material may yield a silicon-dominant anode when the slurry is used in forming the anode, and the carbon-based additive forms a mesh-like structure in the silicon-dominant anode. The carbon-based additive includes cross-linked carbon nanotubes (CNT).

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide for a silicon-carbon composite material that includes nanoparticulate (e.g., nanocrystalline) silicon derived from a reaction between a zintl salt and metal halide. The nanoparticulate silicon-carbon composite material can be used to provide electrode materials (e.g., anode) and cells.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilizing water soluble (aqueous) PAA-based polymer binders for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and a pyrolyzed water soluble PAA-based polymer blend, wherein the water soluble PAA-based polymer blend comprises PAA and one or more additional water-soluble polymer components. The electrode coating layer may include more than 70% silicon and the anode may be in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilizing aqueous-based polymer binders for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and a water soluble polymer and may comprise one or more of the following materials: pH modifiers, viscosity modifiers, strengthening additives, surfactants and anti-foaming agents. The electrode coating layer may include more than 70% silicon and the anode may be in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: Systems and methods for water based phenolic binders for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and a pyrolyzed water-based phenolic binder. The water-based phenolic binder may include phenolic/resol type polymers crosslinked with poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride), poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid), and/or Poly(acrylamide-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADAM). The electrode coating layer may further include conductive additives. The current collector may comprise one or more of a copper, tungsten, stainless steel, and nickel foil in electrical contact with the electrode coating layer. The electrode coating layer may include more than 70% silicon. The electrode may be in electrical and physical contact with an electrolyte, where the electrolyte includes a liquid, solid, or gel. The battery electrode may be in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: Systems and methods for water soluble weak acidic resins as carbon precursors for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and pyrolyzed water-soluble acidic polyamide imide as a primary resin carbon precursor. The electrode coating layer may include a pyrolyzed water-based acidic polymer solution additive. The polymer solution additive may include one or more of: polyacrylic acid (PAA) solution, poly (maleic acid, methyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid, butadiene/maleic acid) solutions, and water soluble polyacrylic acid. The electrode coating layer may include conductive additives. The current collector may include a metal foil, where the metal current collector includes one or more of a copper, tungsten, stainless steel, and nickel foil in electrical contact with the electrode coating layer. The electrode coating layer may be more than 70% silicon.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rapid, reproducible solution-based method to synthesize solid sodium ion-conductive materials. The method includes: (a) forming an aqueous mixture of (i) at least one sodium salt, and (ii) at least one metal oxide; (b) adding at least one phosphorous precursor as a neutralizing agent into the mixture; (c) concentrating the mixture to form a paste; (d) calcining or removing liquid from the paste to form a solid; and (e) sintering the solid at a high temperature to form a dense, non-porous, sodium ion-conductive material. Solid sodium ion-conductive materials have electrochemical applications, including use as solid electrolytes for batteries.

Abstract: A metal-oxygen battery includes a catholyte with: (i) carbon black; and, (ii) at least one of graphite and graphene, wherein said at least one of graphite and graphene constitutes between 0 wt % and 30 wt % of the total carbon in the catholyte.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multiple carbon precursors for enhanced battery electrode robustness may include an electrode having an active material, the active material including two or more carbon precursor materials, wherein the carbon precursor materials have different pyrolysis temperatures. A battery may include the electrode. The carbon precursor materials may include polyimide (PI) and polyamide-imide (PAI). The active material may be pyrolyzed at a temperature such that a first carbon precursor material is partially pyrolyzed and a second carbon precursor material is completely pyrolyzed. The carbon precursor materials may include two or more of PI, PAI, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and sodium alginate. The active material may include silicon constituting at least 50% of weight of a formed anode after pyrolysis. The active material may include silicon constituting up to 97% of weight of a formed electrode after pyrolysis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for batteries comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, wherein one or both electrodes contain a functional lithiated agent-containing additive.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilizing aqueous-based polymer binders for silicon-dominant anodes may include an electrode coating layer on a current collector, where the electrode coating layer is formed from silicon and an aqueous-based suspension-solution binder composition comprising a water soluble (aqueous-based) polymer as part of a multi-component binder composition that also contains an water insoluble polymer. The electrode coating layer may include more than 70% silicon and the anode may be in a lithium ion battery.

Abstract: Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising functional thiophene compounds are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, an electrolyte, and at least one electrolyte additive selected from a thiophene compound.