The present disclosure provides an electrode structure including a metal thin film and a patterned graphene-graphitic carbon composite layer disposed on the metal thin film, a method for fabricating the electrode structure using laser printing, and an electrochemical device including the same.

Functionalized Group IVA particles, methods of preparing the Group IVA particles, and methods of using the Group IVA particles are provided. The Group IVA particles may be passivated with at least one layer of material covering at least a portion of the particle. The layer of material may be a covalently bonded non-dielectric layer of material. The Group IVA particles may be used in various technologies, including lithium ion batteries and photovoltaic cells.

A method of making three-dimensional solid-state electrodes includes the steps of: providing a slurry of one or more active materials, a pore former and/or a solvent, a binder, and a conductive additive; casting the slurry to form a three-dimensional film; and drying, and removing the pore former from, the three-dimensional film to produce a three-dimensional structure characterized by a substantial number of pores having low tortuosity and having their longitudinal axes extend in substantially the same direction between upper and lower surfaces of the film.

Provided are electronic circuits, comprising electrochemical cells directly integrated with other devices of the circuits, and methods of manufacturing these circuits. The direct integration occurs during cell manufacturing, which allows sharing components, reducing operation steps and failure points, and reducing cost and size of the circuits. For example, a portion of a cell enclosure may be formed by a circuit board, providing direct mechanical integration. More specifically, the cell is fabricated right on the circuit board. In the same or other examples, one or both cell current collectors extend outside of the cell boundary and used by other devices, providing direct electrical integration without a need for intermediate connections and eliminating additional failure points. Furthermore, printing one or more components of electrochemical cells, such as electrolytes and current collectors, allows achieving higher levels of mechanical and electrical integration that are generally not available in conventional cells.

A new solvent-based method is presented for making low-cost composite graphite electrodes containing a thermoplastic binder. The electrodes, termed thermoplastic electrodes (TPEs), are easy to fabricate and pattern, give excellent electrochemical performance, and have high conductivity (1500 S m.sup.1). The thermoplastic binder enables the electrodes to be hot embossed, molded, templated, and/or cut with a CO.sub.2 laser into a variety of intricate patterns. These electrodes show a marked improvement in peak current, peak separation, and resistance to charge transfer over traditional carbon electrodes. The impact of electrode composition, surface treatment (sanding, polishing, plasma treatment), and graphite source were found to impact fabrication, patterning, conductivity, and electrochemical performance. Under optimized conditions, electrodes generated responses similar to more expensive and difficult to fabricate graphene and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrodes. These TPE electrodes provide an approach for fabricating high-performance carbon electrodes with applications ranging from sensing to batteries.

Provided are electrochemical cells and methods of manufacturing these cells. An electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode and an electrolyte layer, printed over the positive electrode. In some examples, each of the positive electrode, electrolyte layer, and negative electrode comprises an ionic liquid enabling ionic transfer. The negative electrode comprises a negative active material layer (e.g., comprising zinc), printed over and directly interfacing the electrolyte layer. The negative electrode also comprises a negative current collector (e.g., copper foil) and a conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer. The conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed between and adhered to, directly interfaces, and provides electronic conductivity between the negative active material layer and the negative current collector. In some examples, the conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprises carbon and/or metal particles (e.g., nickel, copper, indium, and/or silver). Furthermore, the conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer may comprise an acrylic polymer, encapsulating these particles.

A printable lithium composition is provided. The printable lithium composition includes lithium metal powder; a polymer binder, wherein the polymer binder is compatible with the lithium powder; and a rheology modifier, wherein the rheology modifier is compatible with the lithium powder and the polymer binder. The printable lithium composition may further include a solvent compatible with the lithium powder and with the polymer binder.

A high solids content paste for fabrication of secondary battery electrodes may comprise: a negative active material or a positive active material; a binder; a solvent; and a hyperdispersant; wherein the high solids content paste has a specific viscosity chosen for a particular coating tool and a composition such that the high solids content paste will maintain a deposited shape after coating at least until the high solids content paste has dried and wherein the dry coating thickness is in the range of 5 microns to 300 microns. The high solids content paste with negative active material has a viscosity in the range of 30,000 cP to 45,000 cP and a corresponding density of 1.40 g/cc to 1.43 g/cc. The high solids content paste with positive active material has a viscosity in the range of 25,479 cP to 47,184 cP and a corresponding density of 2.72 g/cc to 2.73 g/cc.

A lithium ion battery and method of making an electrode is disclosed. The lithium ion battery may comprise an anode, a cathode, a separator. The anode may comprise negative electrode material and a negative current collector. The cathode may comprise positive electrode material and a positive current collector. The negative or positive electrode material forms a continuous negative or positive electrode material layer on the negative or positive current collector. The separator may separate the anode and the cathode. At least one continuous electrode material layer may include a plurality of vertical structures. The vertical structures may have depths into the current collector and sidewalls. The sidewalls may define the plurality of vertical structures. The plurality of the vertical structures may be configured in an array.

A new solvent-based method is presented for making low-cost composite graphite electrodes containing a thermoplastic binder. The electrodes, termed thermoplastic electrodes (TPEs), are easy to fabricate and pattern, give excellent electrochemical performance, and have high conductivity (1500 S m.sup.1). The thermoplastic binder enables the electrodes to be hot embossed, molded, templated, and/or cut with a CO.sub.2 laser into a variety of intricate patterns. These electrodes show a marked improvement in peak current, peak separation, and resistance to charge transfer over traditional carbon electrodes. The impact of electrode composition, surface treatment (sanding, polishing, plasma treatment), and graphite source were found to impact fabrication, patterning, conductivity, and electrochemical performance. Under optimized conditions, electrodes generated responses similar to more expensive and difficult to fabricate graphene and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrodes. These TPE electrodes provide an approach for fabricating high-performance carbon electrodes with applications ranging from sensing to batteries.