Articles and methods including layers for protection of electrodes in electrochemical cells are provided. As described herein, a layer, such as a protective layer for an electrode, may comprise a plurality of particles (e.g., crystalline inorganic particles, amorphous inorganic particles). In some aspects, at least a portion of the plurality of particles (e.g., inorganic particles) are fused to one another. For instance, in some aspects, the layer may be formed by aerosol deposition or another suitable process that involves subjecting the particles to a relatively high velocity such that fusion of particles occurs during deposition. In some cases, the protective layer may be porous.

The present disclosure relates to a lithium-sulfur battery cathode. The lithium-sulfur battery cathode comprises a carbon nanotube sponge and a plurality of sulfur nanoparticles. Wherein the carbon nanotube sponge comprises a plurality of micropores. The plurality of sulfur nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the plurality of micropores. The present disclosure also relates a method for making the lithium-sulfur battery cathode and a lithium-sulfur battery using the lithium-sulfur battery cathode.

Solid-state lithium ion electrolytes of lithium metal nitride based compounds are provided which contain an anionic framework capable of conducting lithium ions. Materials of specific formulae are provided and methods to alter the materials with inclusion of aliovalent ions shown. Lithium batteries containing the composite lithium ion electrolytes are provided. Electrodes containing the lithium metal nitride based composites are also provided.

Provided is a binder composition for a non-aqueous secondary battery electrode with which it is possible to form an electrode having excellent electrolyte solution injectability and process adhesiveness. The binder composition for a non-aqueous secondary battery electrode contains a particulate polymer formed by a polymer that includes a block region composed of an aromatic vinyl monomer unit and has a tetrahydrofuran-insoluble content of not less than 5 mass % and not more than 40 mass %. The binder composition for a non-aqueous secondary battery electrode preferably further contains a water-soluble polymer that includes a hydrophilic group and has a weight-average molecular weight of not less than 15,000 and not more than 500,000.

The present invention provides a vapour deposition method for preparing an amorphous lithium borosilicate or doped lithium borosilicate compound, the method comprising: providing a vapour source of each component element of the compound, wherein the vapour sources comprise at least a source of lithium, a source of oxygen, a source of boron, and a source of silicon, and, optionally, a source of at least one dopant element; delivering a flow of said lithium, said oxygen, said boron and said silicon, and, optionally, said dopant element; and co-depositing the component elements from the vapour sources onto a substrate wherein the component elements react on the substrate to form the amorphous compound; wherein the amorphous lithium borosilicate or doped lithium borosilicate ompound has a lithium content in the range 40-65 atomic %, based on the combined atomic percentages of lithium, boron and silicon.

The present invention provides a binder for a secondary battery that can reduce the initial resistance value of the secondary battery. A binder for a secondary battery comprising a polymer compound, wherein the polymer compound contains repeating units represented by formulae (1), (2), and (3):

##STR00001## in formula (1), R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and M is a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom; and in formula (3), R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and when a total ratio of repeating units constituting the polymer compound is taken as 100 mol %, a total ratio of the repeating unit represented by formula (3) is less than 2 mol %.

This electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is provided with a collector, an active material layer that is formed on the collector, and an assembly of filler particles, said assembly being present on the surface of the active material layer. The filler particles contain at least one of boron oxide, potassium pyrosulfate and a compound containing an alkali metal or Br, while having a transformation point, at which the filler particles undergo a transformation from a solid phase to a liquid phase or a thermal decomposition, within the range of from 180° C. to 650° C. The compound containing an alkali metal or Br contains at least one of a borate, a silicate, a carbonate, a hydrogen carbonate, a citrate or an aromatic compound.

This electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is provided with a collector, an active material layer that is formed on the collector, and an assembly of filler particles, said assembly being present on the surface of the active material layer. The filler particles contain at least one of boron oxide, potassium pyrosulfate and a compound containing an alkali metal or Br, while having a transformation point, at which the filler particles undergo a transformation from a solid phase to a liquid phase or a thermal decomposition, within the range of from 180° C. to 650° C. The compound containing an alkali metal or Br contains at least one of a borate, a silicate, a carbonate, a hydrogen carbonate, a citrate or an aromatic compound.

With respect to a secondary battery of one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of a positive electrode core body and a negative electrode core body is configured such that the tensile elongation in the central part in the width direction is higher than the tensile elongation in both end parts in the width direction. With respect to a secondary battery of another embodiment of the present invention, at least one of a positive electrode core body and a negative electrode core body is configured such that the number of crystal grains per unit area in the central part in the width direction is smaller than the number of crystal grains per unit area in both end parts in the width direction.

An electrode plate includes a current collector, a first active substance layer, a second active substance layer, and an insulation layer. The current collector includes a first surface, the first active substance layer includes a first active substance, and the second active substance layer includes a second active substance. The first active substance layer is sandwiched between the current collector and the second active substance layer and covers a first portion of the first surface, the insulation layer covers a second portion of the first surface, and the first active substance layer and the insulation layer are stacked to form an overlapped portion in a length direction of the electrode plate. The current collector can be covered by a high-resistance layer, thereby improving safety performance of the electrochemical apparatus and the electronic apparatus.