Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a pouch-shaped battery cell, the method including (a) forming an electrode assembly receiving portion in a laminate sheet to manufacture a preliminary battery case, (b) receiving an electrode assembly in the electrode assembly receiving portion and sealing other outer peripheries of the preliminary battery case excluding a first side outer periphery of the preliminary battery case, through which gas is discharged, (c) disposing a fixing jig at each of opposite end corner portions of a first side outer periphery of the electrode assembly receiving portion, (d) performing an activation process and a degassing process, (e) resealing the first side outer periphery of the electrode assembly receiving portion, and removing an end of the preliminary battery case, wherein step (d) to step (f) are performed in the state in which the corner portion is in tight contact with the inner surface of the fixing jig, which is technology capable of preventing the preliminary battery case from being deformed by force continuously applied to the preliminary battery case in a process of manufacturing the pouch-shaped battery cell.

An electrochemical apparatus includes an electrode plate including a current collector, a first coating layer, and a second coating layer. The first coating layer is provided between the current collector and the second coating layer. The second coating layer includes a first active material. R2*d/D<R1, wherein R1 refers to a resistance of the first coating layer, R2 refers to a resistance of the second coating layer, d refers to a thickness of the first coating layer, D refers to a thickness of the second coating layer, R2 and R1 are measured in ohms, and D and d are measured in microns.

A method for identifying a cell quality during cell formation includes: conducting a beginning of life cycling following an initial cell formation charge of multiple cells; collecting and preprocessing a discharge data set generated by one of the multiple cells during the beginning of life cycling; calculating a statistical variance from the discharge data set identifying an estimated probability of meeting a target cell usage time; and projecting a life span of the multiple cells.

A quality control system analyzes the quality of a battery cell, with the battery cell defining a gas pouch configured to expand from a deflated configuration to an inflated configuration when filled with a gas formed during a cell formation process. The system comprises a computational system comprising a processor and a memory and a measurement instrument in electronic communication with the computational system. The measurement instrument is arranged to measure a distance defined by the gas pouch and transmit a signal to the computational system corresponding to the distance. The computational system is arranged to analyze the distance with the processor and determine a volumetric measurement of the gas within the gas pouch and compare the volumetric measurement to a threshold in the memory to assess a quality score for the battery cell. A corresponding method analyzes the quality of the battery cell with the quality control system.

A clamping device for an electrochemical cell stack is provided. The clamping device can include a first plate and a second plate. The second plate can be positionable relative to the first plate such that a space between the first plate and the second plate can be sized to receive an electrochemical cell stack. The device also can include a coupling member coupling the first plate to the second plate. At least one of the first and second plates can be movable away from the other plate. The coupling member can have a first end portion and a second end portion. The device further can include an elastic member disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion.

A method of diagnosing degradation of an electrode active material for a secondary battery including obtaining a first differential curve (dQ/dV) by differentiating an initial charge/discharge curve obtained by performing first charging and first discharging of the lithium secondary battery in a voltage range of 2.5 V to 4.2 V, and obtaining a second differential curve (dQ/dV) by differentiating a charge/discharge curve obtained by performing second charging and second discharging of the lithium secondary battery in a voltage range of 2.5 V to 4.2 V, and diagnosing whether a beta phase of the positive electrode active material has been formed by comparing maximum discharge peak values of the first differential curve and the second differential curve.

The present disclosure provides methods of compensation for capacity loss resulting from cycle-induced lithium consumption in an electrochemical cell including at least one electrode. Such methods may include adding a lithiation additive to the at least one electrode so as to create a lithium source. The lithium source compensates for cycle-induced lithiation loss such that the electrochemical cell having the lithiation additive experiences total capacity losses of less than or equal to about 5% of an initial capacity prior to cycling of lithium. The lithiation additive includes a lithium silicate represented by the formula Li.sub.uH.sub.r, where H.sub.r=Li.sub.y-uSiO.sub.z and where 0≤y≤3.75 and 0≤z≤2 and u is a useable portion of y, 0≤u≤y. The lithium source may include $\frac{z}{4}L{i}_4\mathrm{Si}{O}_4$
and Li.sub.mSi, where 0≤m≤4.4.

The present invention provides a polymer which contains a repeating unit represented by formula (1).

##STR00001##

(In the formula, n represents an integer of 1 or more; R.sup.1 represents an optionally substituted monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 60 carbon atoms, an optionally substituted monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having from 6 to 60 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted monovalent heterocyclic ring-containing group having from 2 to 60 carbon atoms; L represents a single bond, an optionally substituted divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 60 carbon atoms, an optionally substituted divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having from 6 to 60 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted divalent heterocyclic ring-containing group having from 2 to 60 carbon atoms; and Ar represents an optionally substituted divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having from 6 to 60 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted divalent heterocyclic ring-containing group having from 2 to 60 carbon atoms.)

Disclosed are methods, systems, and devices for battery formation. A first set of pulses, having a first frequency, and that carry a net zero charge, are applied to a battery. After the first set of pulses are applied to the battery, a second set of pulses that carry a net positive charge are applied to the battery. The second set of pulses are either applied after expiry of a particular time period following the application of the first set of pulses, or based on some battery measurements. After the second set of pulses are applied to the battery, a battery parameter is measured, and based on the measured battery parameter, a third set of pulses, having a second frequency, and that also carry a net zero charge, are applied to the battery.

A technique for suppressing formation of a black region in a wound electrode body is provided. A method for fabricating a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery disclosed here includes: an assembly step of constructing a secondary battery assembly including a wound electrode body; and an initial charging step of performing initial charging on the secondary battery assembly. In the initial charging step, the secondary battery assembly is charged at a first charging rate until a negative electrode potential with respect to a lithium metal reference (vs. Li/Li+) of the secondary battery assembly reaches at least 0.5 V, and a remaining gas amount of the wound electrode body at the end of the initial charging step is 58 cc or less.