A separator for a secondary battery including a polyolefin and a separator body having a porous structure. The separator body has a difference in porosity along a thickness direction. It is possible to improve the problem of imbalance in ionic conductivity caused by differences in thickness and electrical conductivity between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly disposed within a constraint. The electrode assembly comprises a population of unit cells comprising an electrode current collector layer, an electrode layer, a separator layer, a counter-electrode layer, and a counter-electrode current collector layer in stacked succession. A subset of the unit cell population includes extended spacer members between the electrode current collector layer and the counter-electrode current collector layer. One of the spacer members is spaced in a transverse direction from the other extended spacer member, at least a portion of the counter-electrode active material of the counter-electrode layer being located between the spacer members such that the portion of the counter-electrode active material and the spacer members lie in a common plane defined by x and z axes, wherein each of the extended spacer members extend a distance SD in the x-axis direction beyond an x-axis edge of the constraint.

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly disposed within a constraint. The electrode assembly comprises a population of unit cells comprising an electrode current collector layer, an electrode layer, a separator layer, a counter-electrode layer, and a counter-electrode current collector layer in stacked succession. A subset of the unit cell population includes extended spacer members between the electrode current collector layer and the counter-electrode current collector layer. One of the spacer members is spaced in a transverse direction from the other extended spacer member, at least a portion of the counter-electrode active material of the counter-electrode layer being located between the spacer members such that the portion of the counter-electrode active material and the spacer members lie in a common plane defined by x and z axes, wherein each of the extended spacer members extend a distance SD in the x-axis direction beyond an x-axis edge of the constraint.

A standalone lithium ion-conductive sulfide solid electrolyte can include a freestanding inorganic vitreous sheet of sulfide-based lithium ion conducting glass capable of high performance in a lithium metal battery by providing a high degree of lithium-ion conductivity while being highly resistant to the initiation and/or propagation of lithium dendrites. Such an electrolyte is also itself manufacturable, and readily adaptable for battery cell and cell component manufacture, in a cost-effective, scalable manner. Methods of making and using the electrolyte, and battery cells and cell components incorporating the electrolyte are also disclosed.

A standalone lithium ion-conductive sulfide solid electrolyte can include a freestanding inorganic vitreous sheet of sulfide-based lithium ion conducting glass capable of high performance in a lithium metal battery by providing a high degree of lithium-ion conductivity while being highly resistant to the initiation and/or propagation of lithium dendrites. Such an electrolyte is also itself manufacturable, and readily adaptable for battery cell and cell component manufacture, in a cost-effective, scalable manner. Methods of making and using the electrolyte, and battery cells and cell components incorporating the electrolyte are also disclosed.

Separator systems for electrochemical systems providing electronic, mechanical and chemical properties useful for applications including electrochemical storage and conversion. Separator systems include structural, physical and electrostatic attributes useful for managing and controlling dendrite formation and for improving the cycle life and rate capability of electrochemical cells including silicon anode based batteries, air cathode based batteries, redox flow batteries, solid electrolyte based systems, fuel cells, flow batteries and semisolid batteries. Separators include multilayer, porous geometries supporting excellent ion transport properties, providing a barrier to prevent dendrite initiated mechanical failure, shorting or thermal runaway, or providing improved electrode conductivity and improved electric field uniformity, as well as composite solid electrolytes with supporting mesh or fiber systems providing solid electrolyte hardness and safety with supporting mesh or fiber toughness and long life required for thin solid electrolytes without fabrication pinholes or operationally created cracks.

Separator systems for electrochemical systems providing electronic, mechanical and chemical properties useful for applications including electrochemical storage and conversion. Separator systems include structural, physical and electrostatic attributes useful for managing and controlling dendrite formation and for improving the cycle life and rate capability of electrochemical cells including silicon anode based batteries, air cathode based batteries, redox flow batteries, solid electrolyte based systems, fuel cells, flow batteries and semisolid batteries. Separators include multilayer, porous geometries supporting excellent ion transport properties, providing a barrier to prevent dendrite initiated mechanical failure, shorting or thermal runaway, or providing improved electrode conductivity and improved electric field uniformity, as well as composite solid electrolytes with supporting mesh or fiber systems providing solid electrolyte hardness and safety with supporting mesh or fiber toughness and long life required for thin solid electrolytes without fabrication pinholes or operationally created cracks.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a single-layer or multi-layer porous film, said method comprising the following steps: a) providing a flowable first base mixture for a first film layer of the film, the first base mixture comprising a solvent, a filler that is insoluble in the solvent, and a polymeric binder that is dissolved in the solvent; b) forming a film precursor film, the film precursor film comprising at least one sub-layer composed of the first base mixture; c) bringing the film precursor film into contact with a precipitant, the solvent of the first base mixture being soluble in the precipitant, the binder being insoluble in the precipitant, and the binder being precipitated to form the porous film. The invention also relates to a film manufactured using said method, an electrode material manufactured from said film, and an energy storage medium comprising said electrode material.

A separator for a lithium secondary battery, including: a porous polymer substrate; and a crosslinked porous coating layer on at least one surface of the porous polymer substrate. The crosslinked porous coating layer includes inorganic particles and a crosslinkable binder polymer crosslinked through urethane crosslinking. The separator has improved heat resistance as compared to the conventional separators and maintains adhesion to an electrode. A lithium secondary battery including the separator is also disclosed.

A separator for a lithium secondary battery, including: a porous polymer substrate; and a crosslinked porous coating layer on at least one surface of the porous polymer substrate. The crosslinked porous coating layer includes inorganic particles and a crosslinkable binder polymer crosslinked through urethane crosslinking. The separator has improved heat resistance as compared to the conventional separators and maintains adhesion to an electrode. A lithium secondary battery including the separator is also disclosed.