An object of the present invention is to provide an aluminum foil and an aluminum member for electrodes having good adhesiveness to an electrode material and high conductivity with the electrode material. Provided is an aluminum foil having through holes including an aluminum oxide film having a thickness of 25 nm or less on a surface of the aluminum foil, and further a hydrophilic layer on a part of a surface of the aluminum oxide film.

An energy storage device includes a negative electrode having a negative active material layer containing amorphous carbon as an active material, a curve attained by determining a rate of change (dQ/dV) in a potential (V) of the amorphous carbon in a discharge capacity (Q) of the amorphous carbon per unit quantity based on a result attained by measuring the potential (V) with respect to the discharge capacity (Q) and representing the rate of change (dQ/dV) with respect to the potential (V) has one or more peaks in a range in which the potential of the amorphous carbon is 0.8 V or more and 1.5 V or less, and a potential of the negative electrode at time of full charge is 0.25 V or more with respect to a lithium potential.

A metal foil including on at least one of its sides a layer of a material including: a metal or a metal alloy, carbon, hydrogen, and optionally oxygen, the atomic percentage of the metal or of the metals of the alloy in the material ranging from 10 to 60%, the atomic percentage of carbon in the material ranging from 35 to 70%, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the material ranging from 2 to 20%, and the atomic percentage of oxygen if present in the material being less than or equal to 10%. The metal foil can be used in the manufacture of a cathode of a lithium-ion electrochemical cell. The deposition of this layer reduces the internal resistance of the cell.

A lithium-ion battery may include a cathode, an anode, and a polymer electrolyte. The anode may include a current collector. The current collector may include a metal oxide layer provided in a first pattern overlaying a metal layer. The anode may also include a patterned lithium storage structure. The patterned lithium storage structure may include a continuous porous lithium storage layer overlaying at least a portion of the first pattern of metal oxide. These and other lithium-ion batteries are described.

A lithium-ion battery may include a cathode, an anode, and a polymer electrolyte. The anode may include a current collector. The current collector may include a metal oxide layer provided in a first pattern overlaying a metal layer. The anode may also include a patterned lithium storage structure. The patterned lithium storage structure may include a continuous porous lithium storage layer overlaying at least a portion of the first pattern of metal oxide. These and other lithium-ion batteries are described.

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional structure electrode, a method for manufacturing same, and an electrochemical element including the electrode. The present invention is characterized by comprising: (a) an upper conductive layer and a lower conductive layer which have a structure constituting an assembly within which a conductive material and a porous nonwoven fabric including a plurality of polymeric fibers are three-dimensionally connected in an irregular and continuous manner, thereby forming a mutually connected porous structure; and (b) an active material layer forming the same assembly structure as the conductive layers and forming a three-dimensionally filled structure in which electrode active material particles are uniformly filled inside the mutually connected porous structure formed in the assembly structure, wherein the active material layer is formed between the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer.

The present invention provides a thin film forming composition for energy storage device electrodes, said composition containing a conductive carbon material, a dispersant, a solvent and a polymer that has a partial structure represented by formula (P1) in a side chain.

##STR00001##

(In the formula, L represents —O— or —NH—; R represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; T represents a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a nitrogen-containing heteroaryl group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a nitrogen-containing aliphatic heterocyclic group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and * represents a bonding hand.)

The present invention provides a thin film forming composition for energy storage device electrodes, said composition containing a conductive carbon material, a dispersant, a solvent and a polymer that has a partial structure represented by formula (P1) in a side chain.

##STR00001##

(In the formula, L represents —O— or —NH—; R represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; T represents a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a nitrogen-containing heteroaryl group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a nitrogen-containing aliphatic heterocyclic group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and * represents a bonding hand.)

The present invention relates to a novel gold-based porous material, the use of said gold-based porous material as a precursor of a negative active material, the preparation process of said gold-based porous material, a novel gold-based porous material comprising lithium, the use of said gold-based porous material comprising lithium as a negative electrode material, a lithium-ion battery comprising said gold-based porous material comprising lithium, and a process for the preparation of said gold-based porous material comprising lithium.

An ultracapacitor that includes an energy storage cell immersed in an electrolyte and disposed within an hermetically sealed housing, the cell electrically coupled to a positive contact and a negative contact, wherein the ultracapacitor has a gel or polymer based electrolyte and is configured to output electrical energy at temperatures between about −40° C. and about 250° C. Methods of fabrication and use are provided.