Rechargeable lithium battery includes a negative electrode including a negative active material layer and a negative electrode functional layer disposed on the negative active material layer; a positive electrode including a positive active material; an electrolyte solution, wherein the negative electrode functional layer includes flake-shaped polyethylene particles, the electrolyte solution includes a lithium salt and a non-aqueous organic solvent, and the non-aqueous organic solvent includes about 60 volume % to about 80 volume % of a propionate-based solvent and about 20 volume % to about 40 volume % of a carbonate-based solvent.

A method of manufacturing a free-standing electrode film includes preparing a mixture including an electrode active material, a binder, and an additive solution or conductive paste, the additive solution or conductive paste being in an amount less than 5% by weight of the mixture and including a polymer additive and a liquid carrier, as well as a conductive material in the case of a conductive paste. The mixture may have total solid contents greater than 95% by weight. Preparing the mixture may include mixing the additive solution or conductive paste with the electrode active material to lubricate the electrode active material and subsequently adding and mixing in the binder. The method may further include subjecting the mixture to a shear force and, after the mixture has been subjected to the shear force, pressing the mixture into a free-standing film.

A negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode current collector, and a negative electrode mixture layer supported on the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode mixture layer includes a negative electrode active material capable of electrochemically absorbing and releasing lithium ions, a binder, and a conductive agent. The negative electrode active material includes flaky silicon particles, and the binder includes a silicate.

An electrochemical cell is provided, which includes a cathode comprising a three dimensional (3D) porous cathode structure, an anode, an electrolyte separator, comprised of a ceramic material, located between the cathode and the anode, and a cathode current collector, wherein the cathode is located between the cathode current collector and the electrolyte separator. The 3D porous cathode structure includes ionically conducting electrolyte strands extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, pores extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, and an electronically conducting network extending on sidewall surfaces of the pores from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator.

Disclosed is a positive electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery, including a current collector; and a positive electrode active material layer on the current collector, wherein the positive electrode active material layer includes a positive electrode active material and a binder, and the positive electrode active material layer has surface properties defined by the following S.sub.a (arithmetic mean surface roughness of the positive electrode) and S.sub.z (maximum height roughness of the positive electrode) ((i) 1 μm≤S.sub.a≤5 μm, (ii) 10 μm≤S.sub.z≤60 μm (wherein S.sub.a is the average value of the distance from the middle surface of the surface irregularity structure of the positive electrode to the highest point and the lowest point of each irregularity part, and S.sub.z means the distance from the lowest point to the highest point of the positive electrode)) and a method for manufacturing the same.

An energy storage device can include a cathode, an anode, and a separator between the cathode and the anode, where the anode and/or electrode includes an electrode film having a super-fibrillized binder material and carbon. The electrode film can have a reduced quantity of the binder material while maintaining desired mechanical and/or electrical properties. A process for fabricating the electrode film may include a fibrillization process using reduced speed and/or increased process pressure such that fibrillization of the binder material can be increased. The electrode film may include an electrical conductivity promoting additive to facilitate decreased equivalent series resistance performance. Increasing fibrillization of the binder material may facilitate formation of thinner electrode films, such as dry electrode films.

A disclosed film electrode includes an electrode base, and an active material layer formed on the electrode base, and a resin layer adhering to at least one of a peripheral portion of the active material layer and a surface of the active material layer in a direction extending along a plane of the electrode base.

Provided herein is a method of preparing anode slurries of lithium-ion batteries. The silicon-based material is uniformly dispersed prior to mixing with other components of the anode slurry. The method disclosed herein is capable of avoiding agglomeration of nano-sized silicon-based material and effectively dispersing the nano-sized silicon-based material uniformly in anode slurries. Anodes coated with the anode slurries disclosed herein also show an improvement in the electrical conductivity.

Methods of preparing Si-based anode slurries and anode made thereof are provided. Methods comprise coating silicon particles within a size range of 300-700 nm by silver and/or tin particles within a size range of 20-500 nm, mixing the coated silicon particles with conductive additives and binders in a solvent to form anode slurry, and preparing an anode from the anode slurry. Alternatively or complementarily, silicon particles may be milled in an organic solvent, and, in the same organic solvent, coating agent(s), conductive additive(s) and binder(s) may be added to the milled silicon particles—to form the Si-based anode slurry. Alternatively or complementarily, milled silicon particles may be mixed, in a first organic solvent, with coating agent(s), conductive additive(s) and binder(s)—to form the Si-based anode slurry. Disclosed methods simplify the anode production process and provide equivalent or superior anodes.

Provided is a conductive material dispersion liquid for a lithium-ion secondary battery positive electrode, containing a conductive material, methyl octyl cellulose, and a dispersion medium.