An electrode composite body includes: an active material molded body including active material particles which include a lithium composite oxide and have a particle shape, and a communication hole that is provided between the active material particles; a first solid electrolyte layer that is provided on a surface of the active material molded body, and includes a first inorganic solid electrolyte; and a second solid electrolyte layer that is provided on the surface of the active material molded body, and includes a second inorganic solid electrolyte of which a composition is different from a composition of the first inorganic solid electrolyte, and which contains boron as a constituent element and is amorphous.

Solid-state batteries, battery components, and related processes for their production are provided. The battery electrodes or separators contain sintered electrochemically active material, inorganic solid particulate electrolyte having large particle size, and low melting point solid inorganic electrolyte which acts as a binder and/or a sintering aid in the electrode.

Provided is a method of producing a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell, comprising: (a) providing an anode layer; (b) providing particulates comprising primary particles of a sulfur-containing material encapsulated or embraced by a thin layer of a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite, wherein the conductive sulfonated elastomer composite comprises from 0% to 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material, and the conductive sulfonated elastomer composite has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 510.sup.2 S/cm, and an electrical conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 100 S/cm; (c) forming the particulates, a resin binder, and an optional conductive additive into a cathode layer; and (d) combining the anode layer, the cathode layer, an optional porous separator, and an electrolyte to form the alkali metal-sulfur cell.

The invention provides a method of improving the anode stability and cycle-life of an alkali metal-sulfur. The method comprises implementing two anode-protecting layers between an anode active material layer and an electrolyte or electrolyte/separator assembly. These two layers comprise (a) a first anode-protecting layer, in physical contact with the anode active material layer, having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 m and comprising a thin layer of an electron-conducting material having a specific surface area greater than 50 m.sup.2/g; and (b) a second anode-protecting layer in physical contact with the first anode-protecting layer, having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 m and comprising an elastomer having a fully recoverable tensile elastic strain from 2% to 1,000% and a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.8 S/cm to 510.sup.2 S/cm when measure at room temperature.

A method for producing a homogenized mixture of carbon, sulfur, and PTFE, wherein the sulfur is liquefied, and the liquid sulfur is then ground for the first time together with the carbon, so that the liquid sulfur is absorbed by the pores of the carbon particles and forms a preferably powdery composite with the carbon particles, whereupon PTFE is added and the mixture of the composite and the PTFE is then ground a second time and is thus homogenized.

Methods for synthesizing single crystalline Ni-rich cathode materials are disclosed. The Ni-rich cathode material may have a formula LiNi.sub.xMn.sub.yM.sub.zCol.sub.1-x-y-zO.sub.2, where M represents one or more dopant metals, x0.6, 0.01y<0.2, 0z0.05, and x+y+z1.0. The methods are cost-effective, and include methods for solid-state, molten-salt, and flash-sintering syntheses.

A negative electrode for an electrochemical cell of a lithium metal battery may be manufactured by joining together a metallic current collector piece and a lithium metal piece. The metallic current collector piece may be positioned adjacent the lithium metal piece in an at least partially lapped configuration at a weld site. A laser beam may be directed at an upper surface of the metallic current collector piece at the weld site to melt a portion of the lithium metal piece adjacent the metallic current collector piece and produce a lithium metal molten weld pool. The second laser beam may be terminated to solidify the lithium metal molten weld pool into a solid weld joint that physically bonds the lithium metal piece and the metallic current collector piece together at the weld site.

A process for producing a graphene foam-protected selenium cathode layer, the process comprising: (A) preparing a layer of solid graphene foam having pores (or cells) and pore/cell walls containing graphene sheets and having a physical density from 0.001 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.5 g/cm.sup.3; and (B) infiltrating or impregnating selenium into the pores to obtain the graphene foam-protected selenium cathode layer; wherein the graphene sheets are selected from a pristine graphene or a non-pristine graphene material, having a content of non-carbon elements greater than 2% by weight, selected from graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof.

The invention relates to a method for applying polymer patches, in particular from polymer electrode material, on a carrier substrate, including the following method steps: a) plasticizing the polymer electrode material to form a melt, b) feeding the plasticized polymer electrode material via at least one die to a heated, structured roller or to a heated, structured conveyor belt, wherein the roller and/or the conveyor belt have recesses that correspond to the dimensions of the patches to be applied, c) applying the plasticized polymer electrode material on a carrier substrate by bringing the roller and/or the conveyor belt in contact with a carrier substrate.

Provided herein is a method of producing cathode materials. The method can include heating precursors in a first vessel to a first temperature to form heated precursors. The first temperature can be below a melting point of a solid including a compound formed from the precursors. The method can include transferring the heated precursors from the first vessel to a second vessel. The method can include heating the heated precursors to a second temperature to form a liquid. The second temperature can be at or above the melting point of the solid including the compound formed from the precursors.