Embodiments described herein relate to electrodes containing yolk-sell electroactive materials. In some aspects, an anode can include a carbon shell having an outer surface and an inner volume, the carbon shell including a plurality of pinholes on the outer surface. The anode particle is disposed in the inner volume of the carbon shell, such that a portion of the inner volume includes a void space. The anode further includes a plurality of graphene flakes disposed on the outer surface of the carbon shell, the plurality of graphene flakes covering at least a portion of the pinholes. In some embodiments, at least about 50% of the inner volume of the carbon shell can include void space. In some embodiments, the plurality of graphene flakes can cover at least about 90% of the pinholes.

An electrode stack is described. The electrode stack may include an anode electrode having an anode current collector, and an anode active material disposed on the anode current collector. The anode electrode may define one or more first apertures through the anode electrode. The electrode stack may also include a cathode electrode having a cathode current collector, and a cathode active material disposed on the cathode current collector. The cathode electrode may define one or more second apertures through the cathode electrode.

This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a combined total volume of at least 0.7 cm.sup.3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D.sub.90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

Certain embodiments of the invention relate to the design of three-dimensional battery cells and their incorporation into battery modules and battery packs. The present invention may be particularly advantageous when incorporated into large battery packs, for example, those used in electric vehicles. The unique architecture of the battery cells of certain embodiments of the invention provides improved thermal performance with significant impact on cycle and calendar life when incorporated into a battery pack. Substantially higher pack energy density for a given cell energy density is provided when compared to a conventional cell. Battery cells can be strung together to form modules and packs with whatever series/parallel arrangement required for a particular application. Cooling, if needed, can be incorporated at the module level rather than the individual die level, as is the case with conventional architectures, dramatically reducing the cost of the system.

A structural composite component, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, has a lightning strike protection layer, and a composite battery comprising a cathode layer, wherein the lighting strike protection layer is formed integrated with the cathode layer.

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to curved batteries. One example provides a battery comprising an anode arranged on an anode substrate, a cathode arranged on a cathode substrate, the anode substrate being curved at a first curvature and the cathode substrate being curved at a second curvature, and a separator between the anode and the cathode. A thickness of the anode substrate and a thickness of the cathode substrate are determined based on the curvature of the respective substrate, such that the one of the anode substrate and the cathode substrate with a larger curvature has a larger thickness.

According to a first embodiment, there is provided a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material-containing layer containing a first active material having a spinel type crystal structure. The positive electrode satisfies the formulas (1) to (3) when combined with a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material-containing layer containing a first active material having a spinel type crystal structure: 0.5≤a1/b1≤1.5 (1); 0.4≤a2/b2≤1.4 (2); and 0.5≤a3/b3≤2.3 (3), where a1 and b1 are a pore volume per 1 g weight, a2 and b2 are a pore specific surface area, and a3 and b3 are a median diameter in pore distribution, for the positive and negative electrode active material-containing layers, respectively.

An electrically conductive porous composite composed of an expanded microsphere matrix binding a material composition having electrical conductivity properties to form an electrically conductive porous composite is disclosed herein. An energy storage device incorporating the electrically conductive porous composite is also disclosed herein.

A patterned multilayered electrode includes at least one electrode layer comprising an array of cavities, and at least one electrode layer comprising a plurality of protrusions interlocked with the array of cavities. In some examples, a patterned multilayered electrode includes a first active material layer, a second active material layer comprising an array of cavities, and a separator layer comprising a plurality of protrusions interlocked with the cavities of the second active material layer. In some examples, a patterned multilayered electrode includes a first active material layer comprising an array of cavities and a second active material layer comprising a plurality of protrusions interlocked with the cavities of the first active material layer.

A system and method for manufacturing a micropillar array (20). A carrier (11) is provided with a layer of metal ink (20i). A high energy light source (14) irradiates the metal ink (20i) via a mask (13) between the carrier (11) and the light source. The mask is configured to pass a cross-section illuminated image of the micropillar array onto the metal ink (20i), thereby causing a patterned sintering of the metal ink (20i) to form a first subsection layer (21) of the micropillar array (20) in the layer of metal ink (20i). A further layer of the metal ink (20i) is applied on top of the first subsection layer (21) of the micropillar array (20) and irradiated via the mask (13) to form a second subsection layer (21) of the micropillar array on top. The process is repeated to achieve high aspect ratio micropillars 20p.