Provided is a secondary battery having a battery case which accommodates an electrode assembly including a cathode, a anode, and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, together with an electrolyte, wherein one or more selected from the group consisting of the cathode, the anode, the separator, the electrolyte, and the interior of the battery case include, as a water adsorbent, a first organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous material which may be regenerated by desorbing 70% or more of a total adsorption amount of adsorbed water at 150 C. or lower; and optionally, a second organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous material, of which water adsorption capacity is higher than water desorption capacity at a relative humidity p/p0 of 0.3 or less (herein, p0 represents a saturated vapor pressure at an application temperature and p represents a vapor pressure upon adsorption).

Provided is a secondary battery having a battery case which accommodates an electrode assembly including a cathode, a anode, and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, together with an electrolyte, wherein one or more selected from the group consisting of the cathode, the anode, the separator, the electrolyte, and the interior of the battery case include, as a water adsorbent, a first organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous material which may be regenerated by desorbing 70% or more of a total adsorption amount of adsorbed water at 150 C. or lower; and optionally, a second organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous material, of which water adsorption capacity is higher than water desorption capacity at a relative humidity p/p0 of 0.3 or less (herein, p0 represents a saturated vapor pressure at an application temperature and p represents a vapor pressure upon adsorption).

A solid electrolyte represented by general formula Li.sub.ySiR.sub.x(MO.sub.4), where x is an integer from 1 to 3 inclusive, y=4x, each R present is independently C1-C3 alkyl or C1-C3 alkoxy, and M is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. Methods of making the solid electrolyte include combining a phenylsilane and a first acid to yield mixture including benzene and a second acid, and combining at least one of an alkali halide, and alkali amide, and an alkali alkoxide with the second acid to yield a product d represented by general formula Li.sub.ySiR.sub.x(MO.sub.4).sub.y. The second acid may be in the form of a liquid or a solid. The phenylsilane includes at least one C1-C3 alkyl substituent or at least one C1-C3 alkoxy substituent, and the first acid includes at least one of sulfuric acid, selenic acid, and telluric acid.

A solid electrolyte represented by general formula Li.sub.ySiR.sub.x(MO.sub.4), where x is an integer from 1 to 3 inclusive, y=4x, each R present is independently C1-C3 alkyl or C1-C3 alkoxy, and M is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. Methods of making the solid electrolyte include combining a phenylsilane and a first acid to yield mixture including benzene and a second acid, and combining at least one of an alkali halide, and alkali amide, and an alkali alkoxide with the second acid to yield a product d represented by general formula Li.sub.ySiR.sub.x(MO.sub.4).sub.y. The second acid may be in the form of a liquid or a solid. The phenylsilane includes at least one C1-C3 alkyl substituent or at least one C1-C3 alkoxy substituent, and the first acid includes at least one of sulfuric acid, selenic acid, and telluric acid.

Disclosed are novel electrolytes, and techniques for making and devices using such electrolytes, which are based on compressed gas solvents. Unlike conventional electrolytes, disclosed electrolytes are based on compressed gas solvents mixed with various salts, referred to as compressed gas electrolytes. Various embodiments of a compressed gas solvent includes a material that is in a gas phase and has a vapor pressure above an atmospheric pressure at a room temperature. The disclosed compressed gas electrolytes can have wide electrochemical potential windows, high conductivity, low temperature capability and/or high pressure solvent properties.

Disclosed are novel electrolytes, and techniques for making and devices using such electrolytes, which are based on compressed gas solvents. Unlike conventional electrolytes, disclosed electrolytes are based on compressed gas solvents mixed with various salts, referred to as compressed gas electrolytes. Various embodiments of a compressed gas solvent includes a material that is in a gas phase and has a vapor pressure above an atmospheric pressure at a room temperature. The disclosed compressed gas electrolytes can have wide electrochemical potential windows, high conductivity, low temperature capability and/or high pressure solvent properties.

A high-capacity and a high-performance rechargeable battery is provided by forming a rechargeable battery stack that includes a spalled material structure that includes a spalled cathode material layer that has at least one textured surface and a stressor layer that has at least one textured surface. The stressor layer serves as a cathode current collector of the rechargeable battery stack. The at least one textured surface of the spalled cathode material layer forms a large interface area between the cathode and electrolyte which is formed above the spalled cathode material layer. The large interface area between the cathode and the electrolyte reduces interface resistance within the rechargeable battery stack.

The disclosure provides a method comprising inducing a first current between a source of a countercharge and a first electrode, the first current being through an electrolyte. In some instances, the first current is not present. A second current, in the form of waveform, is induced across the first electrode, the second current being transverse to the first current, and the second current inducing a relativistic charge across the first electrode. Metal from the electrolyte is deposited on the substrate or corroded from the substrate, among other things. The methods, as well as associated apparatus, improve deposition, bonding, corrosion, and other effects.

The disclosure provides a method comprising inducing a first current between a source of a countercharge and a first electrode, the first current being through an electrolyte. In some instances, the first current is not present. A second current, in the form of waveform, is induced across the first electrode, the second current being transverse to the first current, and the second current inducing a relativistic charge across the first electrode. Metal from the electrolyte is deposited on the substrate or corroded from the substrate, among other things. The methods, as well as associated apparatus, improve deposition, bonding, corrosion, and other effects.

Provided is a method of preparing an alkali-sulfur cell comprising: (a) combining a quantity of an active material, a quantity of an electrolyte containing an alkali salt dissolved in a solvent, and a conductive additive to form a deformable and electrically conductive electrode material, wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways; (b) forming the electrode material into a quasi-solid electrode (the first electrode), wherein the forming step includes deforming the electrode material into an electrode shape without interrupting the 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the electrode maintains an electrical conductivity no less than 10.sup.6 S/cm; (c) forming a second electrode (the second electrode may be a quasi-solid electrode as well); and (d) forming an alkali-sulfur cell by combining the quasi-solid electrode and the second electrode having an ion-conducting separator disposed between the two electrodes.