An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell that includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The electrochemical cell also includes an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.05 M to at most 3 M when water is introduced between the anode and at least one cathode of the electrochemical cell. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack including an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing, and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack including an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing, and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode and having a surface characterized by an electrochemical roughness factor of at least 5 and a mean pore diameter of at least 50 m; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.

An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode and having a surface characterized by an electrochemical roughness factor of at least 5 and a mean pore diameter of at least 50 m; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.

Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy at the anode; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port in the housing. When the cell is in operation, the concentration of aluminum species in the electrolyte is maintained between at least 0.01 M to at most 0.7 M.

Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy at the anode; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port in the housing. When the cell is in operation, the concentration of aluminum species in the electrolyte is maintained between at least 0.01 M to at most 0.7 M.

A method is disclosed for producing a battery preparing a first electrode by providing a substrate and depositing onto the substrate at least one silicon-based semiconductor layer of a specific porosity, in particular a doped micro-crystalline silicon layer that may comprise additions of Ge, Sn and/or C; treating the semiconductor layer using laser radiation for fully or partially varying the porosity, in particular by increasing the porosity of active regions for accommodating ions, in particular lithium-ions, or for reducing the porosity of inactive regions, for decreasing the ion-absorption capacity; arranging the first electrode together with a second electrode and an electrolyte within a housing; and contacting the two electrodes and connecting with external terminals accessible from outside the housing. Also disclosed is a battery made according to the disclosed method.

A separator for an electrochemical cell, in particular a lithium cell, and a corresponding manufacturing method. In order to provide a separator having an elevated dendrite resistance, in particular ion-conducting, particles are introduced into pores of a polymer layer and frictionally retained between polymer walls delimiting pores. An electrochemical cell equipped therewith is also described.

A separator for an electrochemical cell, in particular a lithium cell, and a corresponding manufacturing method. In order to provide a separator having an elevated dendrite resistance, in particular ion-conducting, particles are introduced into pores of a polymer layer and frictionally retained between polymer walls delimiting pores. An electrochemical cell equipped therewith is also described.