Provided is a negative electrode active material that contains silicon clathrate II and that is suitable for a negative electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery. The negative electrode active material includes a silicon material in which silicon clathrate II represented by composition formula Na.sub.xSi.sub.136 (0≤x≤10) is contained and a volume of a pore having a diameter of not greater than 100 nm is not less than 0.025 cm.sup.3/g.

Provided is a negative electrode active material that contains silicon clathrate II and that is suitable for a negative electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery. The negative electrode active material includes a silicon material in which silicon clathrate II represented by composition formula Na.sub.xSi.sub.136 (0≤x≤10) is contained and a volume of a pore having a diameter of not greater than 100 nm is not less than 0.025 cm.sup.3/g.

An electrochemically active material includes a silicon alloy material having the formula:
Si.sub.wM.sup.1.sub.xC.sub.yO.sub.z,
where w, x, y, and z represent atomic % values and w+x+y+z=1; M.sup.1 comprises a transition metal; w>0; x>0; y≥0; and z≥0. The electrochemically active material also includes a metal-based material having the formula:
M.sup.2.sub.aO.sub.bA.sub.c,
where a, b, and c represent atomic % values and a+b+c=1; M.sup.2 comprises a metal; A is an anion; a>0; b≥0; and c≥0.

An electrochemically active material includes a silicon alloy material having the formula:
Si.sub.wM.sup.1.sub.xC.sub.yO.sub.z,
where w, x, y, and z represent atomic % values and w+x+y+z=1; M.sup.1 comprises a transition metal; w>0; x>0; y≥0; and z≥0. The electrochemically active material also includes a metal-based material having the formula:
M.sup.2.sub.aO.sub.bA.sub.c,
where a, b, and c represent atomic % values and a+b+c=1; M.sup.2 comprises a metal; A is an anion; a>0; b≥0; and c≥0.

A process for producing lithium aluminum ingots is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes preparing a master alloy comprising about 70 to 90 percent by weight lithium and 10 to 30 percent by weight aluminum and dissolving the master alloy in lithium at a temperature of from about 230° C. to 330° C. to provide a lithium aluminum ingot having between about 1500 to 2500 ppm by weight aluminum. In another embodiment, the process may produce a lithium aluminum ingot having about 0.001 to about 1.0 percent aluminum.

A process for producing lithium aluminum ingots is provided. In one embodiment, the process includes preparing a master alloy comprising about 70 to 90 percent by weight lithium and 10 to 30 percent by weight aluminum and dissolving the master alloy in lithium at a temperature of from about 230° C. to 330° C. to provide a lithium aluminum ingot having between about 1500 to 2500 ppm by weight aluminum. In another embodiment, the process may produce a lithium aluminum ingot having about 0.001 to about 1.0 percent aluminum.

An anode of a battery comprises lithium metal, and a dopant, in the lithium metal. The anode has a thickness of at most 50 μm, and the dopant is a metal with an electronegativity greater than lithium.

The present invention relates to a method for the economic production of light structural components with high flexibility in the geometry attainable. It also relates to the material required for the manufacturing of those parts. The method of the present invention allows a very fast manufacturing of the parts. The method of the present invention also allows the economic manufacturing of components with intricate internal geometries (such as for example cooling or heating circuits).

A lithium strip that can be used in lithium supplementation equipment is described. The lithium strip has a first surface, and a thinned area is formed at the edge of the first surface along the width direction of the lithium strip to form a space for accommodating a release agent at the thinned area. The thinned area is designed to enable the lithium strip to pick up more release agent when it is applied to a coating device, and the release agent can remain in the above thinned area. The presence of the thinned area in the lithium strip can reduce the lithium load per unit width, so that during the calendering process of the lithium strip, there will be no calendering exceeding the preset width, so that the lithium strip will not stick to the roller after calendering.

A lithium strip that can be used in lithium supplementation equipment is described. The lithium strip has a first surface, and a thinned area is formed at the edge of the first surface along the width direction of the lithium strip to form a space for accommodating a release agent at the thinned area. The thinned area is designed to enable the lithium strip to pick up more release agent when it is applied to a coating device, and the release agent can remain in the above thinned area. The presence of the thinned area in the lithium strip can reduce the lithium load per unit width, so that during the calendering process of the lithium strip, there will be no calendering exceeding the preset width, so that the lithium strip will not stick to the roller after calendering.