An electrode including fluorinated and surface defluorinated coal is described, as well as methods of producing such and employing such within an electrical system. The coal in the electrodes is fluorinated at an amount of between 0.3 and 1.4. The resulting coal products can be further surface defluorinated and maintain functionality within an electrical system.

The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell comprising an anode of a Group IA metal and a cathode of a composite material prepared from an aqueous mixture of iron sulfate, nickel sulfate, and sulfur. The cathode material of the present invention provides for a lithium electrochemical cell having an increased operating voltage and power performance with high discharge capacity as compared to a lithium cell comprising nickel disulfide cathode material. In addition, the cathode material of the present invention exhibits a smaller initial irreversible voltage loss as compared to iron disulfide. This makes the cathode material of the present invention particularly useful for implantable medical applications.

The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell comprising an anode of a Group IA metal and a cathode of a composite material prepared from an aqueous mixture of iron sulfate, nickel sulfate, and sulfur. The cathode material of the present invention provides for a lithium electrochemical cell having an increased operating voltage and power performance with high discharge capacity as compared to a lithium cell comprising nickel disulfide cathode material. In addition, the cathode material of the present invention exhibits a smaller initial irreversible voltage loss as compared to iron disulfide. This makes the cathode material of the present invention particularly useful for implantable medical applications.

A nonaqueous battery includes at least one positive electrode plate, at least one negative electrode plate and at least one separator formed of a microporous resin film and laminated between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The separator has a square or rectangular shape with four sides, two of which are perpendicular to a machine direction of the microporous resin film and have been subjected to heat and the other two of which are parallel to the machine direction of the microporous resin film and have not been subjected to heat.

An apparatus for testing a battery-powered device is provided. The apparatus is configured to be inserted into a button cell battery slot of the device to provide temporary power for testing the device. The testing apparatus may include a button cell battery, electrical contacts connected to or provided by the button cell battery and configured to engage electrical contacts within the button cell battery slot of the device, and an extension portion shaped to project from the slot when the testing apparatus is inserted into the button battery slot.

An apparatus for testing a battery-powered device is provided. The apparatus is configured to be inserted into a button cell battery slot of the device to provide temporary power for testing the device. The testing apparatus may include a button cell battery, electrical contacts connected to or provided by the button cell battery and configured to engage electrical contacts within the button cell battery slot of the device, and an extension portion shaped to project from the slot when the testing apparatus is inserted into the button battery slot.

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery (10) proposed herein includes an electrode assembly (40), an electrolyte solution (80), and a battery case (20). The battery case (20) accommodates the electrode assembly (40) and the electrolyte solution (80). A membrane (201) capable of selectively releasing a hydrogen gas is provided on a portion of the battery case (20) so as to separate the interior and the exterior of the battery case (20).

An electrolyte contains a non-aqueous solvent, a lithium salt, and a fluorine-containing ether compound represented by the following Formula (I). In the following formula, R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom; at least 6 carbon atoms among carbon atoms bonded to the alkyl group represented by R.sup.1 are substituted with fluorine atoms; and at least one hydrogen atom among hydrogen atoms bonded to the alkyl group represented by R.sup.2 is substituted with a fluorine atom.

A lithium battery includes a positive electrode designed as a hollow cylinder and defines a cavity, a negative electrode arranged in the cavity, a separator, a liquid electrolyte, a first current collector for the negative electrode, a second current collector for the positive electrode, an at least two-part housing that encloses an interior space in which the positive electrode together with the negative electrode arranged in the cavity and the separator are arranged, wherein a pin is provided as a first current collector inside the housing, a part of the housing serves as a second current collector, the pin has a first, terminal section embedded in the negative electrode and in direct contact with the negative electrode, and the pin has a second section not in direct contact with the negative electrode, and an insulator element that protects the second section at least partially against direct contact with the electrolyte.

A discharge prevention system for a primary battery comprises an energy harvesting module that produces energy from an environment and a control circuit for applying electrical current to the primary battery from the energy harvesting module to prevent or reduce self-discharge. This system will prevent or reduce rapid self-discharge at high temperatures in lithium-based primary batteries, for example. It can significantly extend the operating lifetime of such batteries operating at high temperature, particularly in applications where battery power is used intermittently. Specifically, a very low current is supplied to the primary battery at high temperature, significantly extending its storage lifetime. In some cases, depending on the current characteristics of the battery, the energy associated with the bias current can be in the same order of magnitude as the energy that would be lost by self-discharge, but in many cases it is much lower. This bias current “biases” the battery in such a way that self-discharge current of the primary battery is minimized.