An energy storage device includes a current collector (negative electrode current collector), electrode body that includes a body portion and a tab projecting from the body portion, and a leading plate (negative electrode leading plate) that connects the current collector and the tab. In the leading plate, first and second plates and facing each other are continuously connected at end portions thereof in the first plate, the current collector is fixed to a first principal surface on the opposite side to the second plate. In the second plate, the tab is fixed to a second principal surface on the opposite side to the first plate.

An energy storage device includes a current collector (negative electrode current collector), electrode body that includes a body portion and a tab projecting from the body portion, and a leading plate (negative electrode leading plate) that connects the current collector and the tab. In the leading plate, first and second plates and facing each other are continuously connected at end portions thereof in the first plate, the current collector is fixed to a first principal surface on the opposite side to the second plate. In the second plate, the tab is fixed to a second principal surface on the opposite side to the first plate.

A negative electrode plate includes: a current collector; and a negative electrode framework located on the current collector, where the negative electrode framework includes at least a first negative electrode framework layer and a second negative electrode framework layer, the first negative electrode framework layer is located between the current collector and the second negative electrode framework layer, and a porosity of the first negative electrode framework layer is higher than a porosity of the second negative electrode framework layer. With this design, side reactions between lithium metal and an electrolyte can be reduced, formation of lithium dendrites can be inhibited, and drastic swelling and contraction of the negative electrode plate in volume due to intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions can be greatly alleviated or even eliminated, thereby improving safety and stability of the electrochemical apparatus.

Disclosed herein are a multilayer electrode and a lithium secondary battery including the same. The multilayer electrode includes an electrode current collector for transmitting electrons between an external wire and an electrode active material and three or more electrode mixture layers sequentially applied to the electrode current collector, wherein each of the electrode mixture layers includes an electrode active material and a conducting agent, and wherein the content of the conducting agent of one of adjacent electrode mixture layers that is relatively close to the current collector in the direction in which the electrode mixture layers are formed is higher than that of the conducting agent of the other of the adjacent electrode mixture layers that is relatively distant from the current collector.

Disclosed herein are a multilayer electrode and a lithium secondary battery including the same. The multilayer electrode includes an electrode current collector for transmitting electrons between an external wire and an electrode active material and three or more electrode mixture layers sequentially applied to the electrode current collector, wherein each of the electrode mixture layers includes an electrode active material and a conducting agent, and wherein the content of the conducting agent of one of adjacent electrode mixture layers that is relatively close to the current collector in the direction in which the electrode mixture layers are formed is higher than that of the conducting agent of the other of the adjacent electrode mixture layers that is relatively distant from the current collector.

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.

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.

The invention is a cathode arrangement comprising a cathode housing (20) defining a space (16) for cathode material and comprising a cathode housing wall being permeable to an electrolyte, and a collector member made of carbon, having a first end part extending into the space (16) for cathode material and a second end part extending outside the space (16) for cathode material, and cathode particles (10), having a cylindric shape with a diameter of 2-5 mm and being extruded from carbon, are arranged in the space (16) for cathode material. The invention is, furthermore, an energy cell comprising the cathode arrangement, an arrangement for processing hydrogen gas comprising the cathode arrangement and use the energy cell applying seawater or salt water as an electrolyte. Furthermore, the invention is a method for manufacturing the cathode arrangement.

The invention is a cathode arrangement comprising a cathode housing (20) defining a space (16) for cathode material and comprising a cathode housing wall being permeable to an electrolyte, and a collector member made of carbon, having a first end part extending into the space (16) for cathode material and a second end part extending outside the space (16) for cathode material, and cathode particles (10), having a cylindric shape with a diameter of 2-5 mm and being extruded from carbon, are arranged in the space (16) for cathode material. The invention is, furthermore, an energy cell comprising the cathode arrangement, an arrangement for processing hydrogen gas comprising the cathode arrangement and use the energy cell applying seawater or salt water as an electrolyte. Furthermore, the invention is a method for manufacturing the cathode arrangement.

Provided is a carbon material capable of obtaining a non-aqueous secondary battery, which has high capacity, initial efficiency, and low charging resistance and is excellent in productivity. As a result thereof, a high-performance non-aqueous secondary battery is stably provided with efficiency. A composite carbon material for a non-aqueous secondary battery is provided, which contains at least a bulk mesophase artificial graphite particle (A) and graphite particle (B) having an aspect ratio of 5 or greater, and which is capable of absorbing and releasing lithium ions. A graphite crystal layered structure of the graphite particle (B) is arranged in the same direction as a direction of an outer peripheral surface of the bulk mesophase artificial graphite particle (A) at a part of a surface of the bulk mesophase artificial graphite particle (A), and an average circularity of the composite carbon material is 0.9 or greater.