A single-electrode battery subassembly includes a separator comprising an electrolyte. The separator has a first surface and an opposing second surface. A single electrode is disposed over the first surface of the separator. A removable, electrically inert substrate disposed on the second surface of the separator.

Embodiments of the present invention are in the field of materials, apparatus, process, methods, and designs for manufacture of a thin film energy storage devices with a capacity greater then 1 mA-hr-cm.sup.−2 including thin film Lithium metal and Li+ ion batteries and capacitors having high energy density and high cycle life due to the incorporation of at least one vacuum thin film with respect to protection and electrical conductivity of the electrodes, and at least one vacuum thin film electrolyte for electrical insulation of the electrodes and ion conduction after assembly for low self discharge and high cycle life battery cells.

Various methods and apparatus relating to three-dimensional battery structures and methods of manufacturing them are disclosed and claimed. In certain embodiments, a three-dimensional battery comprises a battery enclosure, and a first structural layer within the battery enclosure, where the first structural layer has a first surface, and a first plurality of conductive protrusions extend from the first surface. A first plurality of electrodes is located within the battery enclosure, where the first plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes, and wherein the first plurality of electrodes includes a second plurality of electrodes selected from the first plurality of electrodes, each of the second plurality of electrodes being in contact with the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions. Some embodiments relate to processes of manufacturing energy storage devices with or without the use of a backbone structure or layer.

An apparatus for manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary cell negative-electrode carbon material by heat-treating carbon particles while causing the carbon particles to flow within a heat-treatment furnace, the apparatus having a heat-treatment furnace provided with a carbon-particle supply opening for supplying the carbon particles into the interior, and a negative-electrode carbon material recovery opening for taking out the negative-electrode carbon material from the interior and a cooling tank connected in an airtight manner to the negative-electrode carbon material recovery opening of the heat-treatment furnace, and provided with a cooling means.

An apparatus for manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary cell negative-electrode carbon material by heat-treating carbon particles while causing the carbon particles to flow within a heat-treatment furnace, the apparatus having a heat-treatment furnace provided with a carbon-particle supply opening for supplying the carbon particles into the interior, and a negative-electrode carbon material recovery opening for taking out the negative-electrode carbon material from the interior and a cooling tank connected in an airtight manner to the negative-electrode carbon material recovery opening of the heat-treatment furnace, and provided with a cooling means.

Provided is a process for preparing an electrode comprising an iron active material. The process comprises first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with water to thereby create an oxidized surface. The resulting iron electrode is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle to have the assessable surface of the iron active material in the same oxidation state as in discharged iron negative electrodes active material.

A permeable composite material for making an electrode for an electrochemical cell, the composite material comprising: a support defining pores; and alkali metal deposited on the support within a plurality of said pores. An electrode comprising the composite material is also described, as are methods of making the material and cells and assemblies comprising the electrode.

Disclosed is an electrode. An electrode according to the present invention includes an active material layer; and a current collector which includes a plurality of conductive filaments, wherein at least one from among the plurality of conductive filaments is embedded in the active material layer so that a set length is exposed from the surface thereof.

A method for preparing an electrode for use in lithium batteries and the resulting electrodes are described The method comprises coating a slurry of silicon, sulfur doped graphene and polyacrylonitrile on a current collector followed by sluggish heat treatment.

A method for manufacturing a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate provided with a negative electrode mixture layer containing graphite and a silicon material and includes a step of applying positive electrode mixture slurry containing a lithium-transition metal composite oxide and polyvinylidene fluoride to a positive electrode current collector, a step of forming a positive electrode mixture layer by drying the positive electrode mixture slurry, and a step of heat-treating the positive electrode mixture layer. The temperature of heat treatment is preferably 160° C. to 350° C.