An alkaline electrochemical cell includes a cathode, an anode which includes an anode active material, and a non-conductive separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the anode active material relative to a total amount of anode active material has a particle size of less than about 75 μm, and wherein the separator includes a unitary, cylindrical configuration having an open end, a side wall, and integrally formed closed end disposed distally to the open end.

Silicon nanoparticles and methods for preparation of silicon nanoparticles are provided. Embodiments include a method for grinding silicon. Methods include providing silicon material, providing a grinding liquid including a polar solvent, and grinding the silicon material in the presence of the grinding liquid to yield silicon nanoparticles. Grinding the silicon in the presence of the grinding liquid can chemically functionalize the silicon material as the nanoparticles are formed to provide stable chemically functionalized nanoparticles.

A secondary zinc-manganese dioxide secondary cell is disclosed. The cell includes a zinc gel anode, high manganese content cathode in either prismatic or jelly roll form. An aqueous based continuous reel to reel process for formulation and fabrication of the anode and cathode is provided. The cell is contained in a box assembly.

An alkaline electrochemical cell includes a cathode; a gelled anode having an anode active material and an electrolyte; and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode; wherein the separator includes a non-conductive, porous material having a mean pore size of about 1 micron to about 5 microns, a maximum pore size of about 19 microns, and an air permeability of about 0.5 cc/cm.sup.2/s to about 3.8 cc/cm.sup.2/s at 125 Pa.

An improved method for manufacturing alkaline (e.g., zinc-manganese dioxide) electrochemical cells and a corresponding anode formulation are disclosed. In particular, zinc and a mixture of gelling agents are employed to better control the manufacturing conditions and to improve the overall performance of the resulting battery. The gelling agents are selected to have differences in resistivity, viscosity and polymerization/cross-linking. The zinc may be of any type, as is known in the art.

A battery includes a substrate; a composite cathode disposed on the substrate; a solid-state electrolyte disposed on the composite cathode; and a lithium anode disposed on the solid-state electrolyte, such that the composite cathode comprises a gel polymer electrolyte layer and a porous cathode active material layer. A method of forming a cathode for a solid-state battery includes mixing an active cathode material, at least one of a conductive carbon component and an electronic conductive component, and a polymer binder to form a slurry; immersing the slurry in an alcohol reagent to form a porous disc structure by phase conversion; and immersing the porous disc structure in a liquid electrolyte to form the cathode.

Various embodiments are directed to an electrochemical cell having a non-homogeneous anode. The electrochemical cell includes a container, a cathode forming a hollow cylinder within the container, an anode positioned within the hollow cylinder of the cathode, and a separator between the cathode and the anode. The anode comprises at least two concentric anode portions, defined by different anode characteristics. For example, the two anode portions may contain different surfactant types, which provides the two anode portions with different charge transfer resistance characteristics. By lowering the charge transfer resistance of a portion of an anode located proximate the current collector of the cell (and away from the separator) relative to an anode portion located adjacent the separator, improved cell discharge performance may be obtained.

Corrosion mitigation in a battery may include displacing a first flowable medium with a second flowable medium along a first electrode to interrupt fluid communication of the first flowable medium with the first electrode—thus interrupting operation of the battery—while a second electrode remains in contact with a flowable medium (e.g., one or more of the first flowable medium or another flowable medium, such as a gel). For example, a membrane (e.g., an underwater oleophobic material) may be disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. An oil may displace an aqueous electrolyte on a first side of the membrane toward a metallic electrode while the aqueous form of the electrolyte remains in contact with an air electrode on a second side of the separator membrane disposed toward the air electrode.

A secondary zinc-manganese dioxide secondary cell is disclosed. The cell includes a zinc gel anode, high manganese content cathode in either prismatic or jelly roll form. An aqueous based continuous reel to reel process for formulation and fabrication of the anode and cathode is provided. The cell is contained in a box assembly.

Provided herein is a fiber having a fiber body including fiber body material with a longitudinal-axis fiber body length. A plurality of gel domains is disposed within the fiber body along at least a portion of the longitudinal-axis fiber body length. Each gel domain includes a porous host matrix material and a liquid gel component that is entrapped in the molecular structure of the host matrix material and that is disposed in interstices of the host material matrix. At least two of the gel domains within the fiber body are disposed directly adjacent to each other in direct physical contact with each other. This fiber can include polymeric fiber body material and gel domains including a porous polymer host matrix material and an ionically conducting liquid solvent that is entrapped in the molecular structure of the polymer host matrix material and disposed in interstices of the polymer host material matrix.