Embodiments described herein relate to electrode and electrochemical cell material recycling. Recycling electrode materials can save significant costs, both for quenching chemicals and for the costs of the materials themselves. Separation processes described herein include centrifuge separation, settler separation, flocculant separation, froth flotation, hydro cyclone, vibratory screening, air classification, and magnetic separation. In some embodiments, methods described herein can include any combination of froth flotation, air classification, and magnetic separation. In some embodiments, electrolyte can be separated from active and/or conductive materials via drying, subcritical or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, solvent mass extraction (e.g., with non-aqueous or aqueous solvents), and/or freeze-drying. By applying these separation processes, high purity raw products can be isolated. These products can be re-used or sold to a third party. Processes described herein are scalable to large cell production facilities.

A method of charging a metal-air fuel cell. The method includes a step of orienting an anode chamber horizontally. The method further method includes a step of providing metal particles suspended in an electrolyte to flow through the anode chamber in a downstream direction oriented horizontally. The method further method includes a step of allowing a bed of the metal particles to form on the anode current collector. The plurality of particle collectors perturb the flow of electrolyte through the anode chamber and encourage settling of the particles one of on and between the particle collectors. The method further method includes a step of maintaining uniform formation of the bed.

An electrochemical cell system, including: a housing; an electrolyte disposed in the housing; a plurality of discharging cathodes immersed in the electrolyte and a plurality of first spaces between the discharging cathodes, a metallic material, when placed in the first spaces, forms a plurality of discharging anodes; an electrochemical system, including: a housing, an electrolyte disposed in the housing, a discharging assembly immersed in the electrolyte including one or more discharging cathodes and a first space amid the discharging cathodes and the interior surface of the housing, a metallic material, wherein the first space contains the metallic material to form one or more discharging anodes, and a second space above the discharging assembly contains the metallic material in excess of the portion in the first space; and methods of simultaneous charging and discharging.

An energy conversion device for conversion of various energy forms into electricity. The energy forms may be chemical, photovoltaic or thermal gradients. The energy conversion device has a first and second electrode. A substrate is present that has a porous semiconductor or dielectric layer placed thereover. The substrate itself can be planar, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional, and possess internal and external surfaces. These substrates may be rigid, flexible and/or foldable. The porous semiconductor or dielectric layer can be a nano-engineered structure. A porous conductor material is placed on at least a portion of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer such that at least some of the porous conductor material enters the nano-engineered structure of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer, thereby forming an intertwining region.

A fuel cell having a cathode, cathode chamber, anode and anode chamber. The anode chamber is at least partially defined by an anode current collector. The cathode chamber is at least partially defined by the cathode. The anode chamber includes one or a plurality of anode flow channels for flowing an electrolyte in a downstream direction. The anode current collector may include a plurality of particle collectors projecting into the anode chamber to collect particles suspended in the electrolyte.

Provided is an electrode including conductive particles, which sediment under gravitational force and a liquid fluidizing medium flowing through the electrode, in which the conductive particles are suspended and optionally further including conductive particles, which do not sediment under gravitational force when the fluidizing medium flows in the electrode. Further provided are electrochemical devices and energy storage systems including the electrode.

A flow battery includes a first liquid containing a first electrode mediator dissolved therein, a first electrode immersed in the first liquid, a first active material immersed in the first liquid, and a first circulation mechanism that circulates the first liquid between the first electrode and the first active material, wherein the first electrode mediator includes a bicarbazyl derivative. For example, the bicarbazyl derivative is represented by the general formula (1).

An energy conversion device for conversion of various energy forms into electricity. The energy forms may be chemical, photovoltaic or thermal gradients. The energy conversion device has a first and second electrode. A substrate is present that has a porous semiconductor or dielectric layer placed thereover. The substrate itself can be planar, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional, and possess internal and external surfaces. These substrates may be rigid, flexible and/or foldable. The porous semiconductor or dielectric layer can be a nano-engineered structure. A porous conductor material is placed on at least a portion of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer such that at least some of the porous conductor material enters the nano-engineered structure of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer, thereby forming an intertwining region.

An energy conversion device for conversion of chemical energy into electricity. The energy conversion device has a first and second electrode. A substrate is present that has a porous semiconductor or dielectric layer placed thereover. The porous semiconductor or dielectric layer can be a nano-engineered structure. A porous catalyst material is placed on at least a portion of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer such that at least some of the porous catalyst material enters the nano-engineered structure of the porous semiconductor or dielectric layer, thereby forming an intertwining region.

An electrolyte composition and an energy storage device employing the same are provided. The electrolyte composition includes a solid and a solution. The solid includes a core and a metal layer encapsulating the core, where the metal layer is selected from a group consisting of Zn, Al, Mg, Li, Na and the metal oxides thereof. In particular, the solid has a first density and the solution has a second density, and the ratio between the first density and the second density is from about 0.97 to 1.03.