The invention relates to an electrochemical element and a battery comprising one or more electrochemical elements, with integrated sensors and/or actuators, in particular including an application for monitoring the operation of an electrochemical element or a Li-ion battery, and/or triggering actions in such an element or such a battery, intended to secure the element or the battery. The electrochemical element (1) comprises a closed shell (2) defining an internal volume and a beam (3) arranged therein having alternating positive and negative electrodes respectively connected to two positive and negative electrical output terminals housing separators, the beam (3) being impregnated with electrolyte and further connected by connection means (4) to one (5) of the electrical output terminals. It further comprises one or mote self-powered sensor and/or actuator elements (20 to 24) each arranged in contact with one component selected from the shell (2), the beam (3), the connection means (4), and the output terminal (5), and capable of measuring a physical or chemical magnitude relative to, and/or generating a physical action or effect on, the surroundings thereof.

Provided is a method of improving the cycle-life of a lithium metal secondary battery, the method comprising implementing an anode-protecting layer between an anode active material layer (or an anode current collector layer substantially without any lithium when the battery is made) and a porous separator/electrolyte assembly, wherein the anode-protecting layer is in a close physical contact with the anode active material layer (or the anode current collector), has a thickness from 10 nm to 500 m and comprises an elastic polymer foam having a fully recoverable compressive elastic strain from 2% to 500% and interconnected pores and wherein the anode active material layer contains a layer of lithium or lithium alloy, in a form of a foil, coating, or multiple particles aggregated together, as an anode active material.

A method of forming a layered manganese dioxide for use in a cathode of a battery comprises disposing a cathode into a housing of an electrochemical cell, disposing an anode into the housing, disposing a polymeric separator between the anode and the cathode such that the anode and the cathode are electrically separated, adding an alkaline electrolyte to the housing, cycling the electrochemical cell into the 2.sup.nd electron capacity of the manganese dioxide, and forming a layered manganese dioxide having a layered manganese dioxide structure with the one or more additives incorporated into the layered manganese dioxide structure. The cathode comprising a cathode material comprising: a manganese dioxide compound, one or more additives selected from the group consisting of bismuth, copper, tin, lead, silver, cobalt, nickel, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, lithium, calcium, gold, antimony, iron, zinc, and combinations thereof, and a conductive carbon.

A method for manufacturing a flexible battery includes the steps of: preparing an electrode current collector having a current collecting portion provided with at least one through-hole; carrying out electrospinning of electrode slurry including an electrode active material, a binder, a conductive material and a solvent on at least one surface of an edge of the current collecting portion and over the through-hole to form an electrode active material layer on at least one surface of the electrode current collector; and forming a battery provided with the electrode current collector having the electrode active material layer formed thereon as an electrode. A flexible battery obtained from the method is also provided.

The present invention is directed towards an electrodepositable coating composition comprising (a) a fluoropolymer; (b) an electrochemically active material and/or electrically conductive agent; (c) a pH-dependent rheology modifier; and (d) an aqueous medium comprising water; wherein water is present in an amount of at least 45% by weight, based on the total weight of the electrodepositable coating composition. Also disclosed herein is a method of coating a substrate, as well as coated substrates and electrical storage devices.

The present application relates to a method comprising: (a) providing a battery comprising a manganese oxide composition as a primary active material; and (b) cycling the battery by: (i) galvanostatically discharging the battery to a first V.sub.cell; (ii) galvanostatically charging the battery to a second V.sub.cell; and (iii) potentiostatically charging at the second V.sub.cell for a first defined period of time. The present application also relates to a chemical composition produced by the method above. The present application also relates to a battery comprising one or more chemical species, the one or more chemical species produced by cycling an activated composition.

A novel hybrid lithium-ion anode material based on coaxially coated Si shells on vertically aligned carbon nanofiber (CNF) arrays. The unique cup-stacking graphitic microstructure makes the bare vertically aligned CNF array an effective Li.sup.+ intercalation medium. Highly reversible Li.sup.+ intercalation and extraction were observed at high power rates. More importantly, the highly conductive and mechanically stable CNF core optionally supports a coaxially coated amorphous Si shell which has much higher theoretical specific capacity by forming fully lithiated alloy. Addition of surface effect dominant sites in close proximity to the intercalation medium results in a hybrid device that includes advantages of both batteries and capacitors.

An electrolytic copper foil capable of securing a secondary battery having a high capacity retention rate, an electrode including the same, a secondary battery including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same. The electrolytic copper foil, which includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, includes a copper layer including a matte surface facing the first surface and a shiny surface facing the second surface, and a first protective layer on the matte surface of the copper layer, wherein the first protective layer includes chromium (Cr) and the first surface of the electrolytic copper foil has an adhesion factor of 1.5 to 16.3.

To provide a fabricating method and a fabricating apparatus for a lithium-ion secondary battery having stable charge characteristics and lifetime characteristics. A positive electrode is subjected to an electrochemical reaction in a large amount of electrolytic solution in advance before a secondary battery is completed. In this manner, the positive electrode can have stability. The use of the positive electrode enables fabrication of a highly reliable secondary battery. Similarly, a negative electrode is subjected to an electrochemical reaction in a large amount of electrolytic solution in advance. The use of the negative electrode enables fabrication of a highly reliable secondary battery.

The present application relates to a method comprising: (a) providing a battery comprising a manganese oxide composition as a primary active material; and (b) cycling the battery by: (i) galvanostatically discharging the battery to a first V.sub.cell; (ii) galvanostatically charging the battery to a second V.sub.cell; and (iii) potentiostatically charging at the second V.sub.cell for a first defined period of time. The present application also relates to a chemical composition produced by the method above. The present application also relates to a battery comprising a chemical composition having an X-ray diffractogram pattern expressing a Bragg peak at about 26, said peak being of greatest intensity in comparison to other expressed Bragg peaks. The present application also relates to a battery comprising one or more chemical species, the one or more chemical species produced by cycling an activated composition.