The present invention relates to a network of metal fibers, comprising a plurality of metal fibers fixed to one another; wherein at least some of the plurality of metal fibers have a length of 1.0 mm or more, a width of 100 μm or less and a thickness of 50 μm or less. The invention further relates to a method comprising step 1 of producing a plurality of metal fibers (2) by melt spinning; step 2 of providing a loose network of metal fibers (2) produced in step 1; and step 3 of fixating the plurality of metal fibers to one another by one of the following processes c1 to c4.

The present invention provides a viscous adhesive capable of retaining the shape of an electrode and allowing for production of an electrode for a lithium-ion battery having a structure in which the energy density of the electrode does not decrease. The present invention relates to a viscous adhesive for a lithium-ion electrode which allows active materials to adhere to each other in a lithium-ion electrode, the viscous adhesive having a glass transition temperature of 60° C. or lower, a solubility parameter of 8 to 13 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2, and a storage shear modulus and a loss shear modulus of 2.0×10.sup.3 to 5.0×10.sup.7 Pa as measured in a frequency range of 10.sup.−1 to 10.sup.1 Hz at 20° C., wherein the viscous adhesive is an acrylic polymer essentially containing a constituent unit derived from a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester monomer, the proportion of the (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester monomer in monomers constituting the viscous adhesive is 50 wt % or more based on the total monomer weight, and the proportion of a fluorine-containing monomer is less than 3 wt % based on the total monomer weight.

A working electrode for a subcutaneous sensor for use with a continuous biological monitor for a patient is disclosed. The working electrode includes a conductive substrate and an enzyme layer on the conductive substrate. The enzyme layer includes an enzyme, and the enzyme selected according to a biological function to be monitored. A hydrophobic material cross-linked with an acrylic polyol is included. The enzyme is fully entrapped in the cross-linked hydrophobic material with the acrylic polyol.

A method of forming a lithium metal film is provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a deposition cell comprising an anode and a substrate provided within the deposition cell. A lithium ion containing electrolyte is flowed across a surface of the substrate, and a voltage is applied to the substrate to deposit a lithium metal film onto the substrate from the lithium ion containing electrolyte. The voltage is controlled to be substantially constant within a range of −3.7 to −4 volts relative to an AgCl/Ag reference electrode or a constant current is used that stabilizes within a voltage range of −3.7 to −4 volts relative to an AgCl/Ag reference electrode. The present method can advantageously form a lithium metal film that has an optically smooth surface morphology and nano-rod structures.

The invention provides process for producing a stable Si or Ge electrode structure comprising cycling a Si or Ge nanowire electrode until a structure of the Si nanowires form a continuous porous network of Si or Ge ligaments.

Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to electrodes that include a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and a metal associated with the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The vertically aligned carbon nanotubes may be in the form of a graphene-carbon nanotube hybrid material that includes a graphene film covalently linked to the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The metal may become reversibly associated with the carbon nanotubes in situ during electrode operation and lack any dendrites or mossy aggregates. The metal may be in the form of a non-dendritic or non-mossy coating on surfaces of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The metal may also be infiltrated within bundles of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. Additional embodiments pertain to energy storage devices that contain the electrodes of the present disclosure. Further embodiments pertain to methods of forming said electrodes by applying a metal to a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.

A method for fabricating a stacked battery structure. The method includes preparing a plurality of battery layers separately, wherein each battery layer includes a substrate, a film battery element fabricated on the substrate and an insulator formed over the film battery element. The insulator has a flat top surface and the film battery element includes a current collector. The method also includes stacking the plurality of battery layers, wherein the insulator of a first battery layer of the plurality of battery layers bonds to the substrate of a second battery layer of the plurality of battery layers by the flat top surface. The method further includes forming a conductive path within the plurality of battery layers, wherein the conductive path connects with at least one of the current collectors of the plurality of battery layers.

There are provided a method capable of producing a large amount of a carbonaceous material for a negative electrode of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery from a carbon precursor impregnated with an alkali metal element or an alkali metal compound, and an apparatus for performing such production.

The method for producing a carbonaceous material for a negative electrode of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present invention includes a heat treatment step of feeding a carbon precursor containing an elemental alkali metal and/or an alkali metal compound, heating the carbon precursor in a temperature range from 1000° C. to 1500° C. in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere to produce a carbonaceous material, and discharging the carbonaceous material; and an exhaust gas treatment step of contacting a non-oxidizing exhaust gas containing a gas and a flying carbonaceous matter evolved in the heat treatment step with water or an aqueous solution to treat the exhaust gas.

Systems, articles, and methods generally related to the electrochemical formation of layers comprising halogen ions on substrates are described.

Porous solid materials are provided. The porous solid materials include a plurality of interconnected wires forming an ordered network. The porous solid materials may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 2 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 90 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 3% and 90% and an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm. The porous solid materials may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 3 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 72 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 80% and 95% and an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm. The porous solid materials (100) may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 3 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 85 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 65% and 90% and an electrical conductivity higher than 2000 S/cm. Methods for the fabrication of such porous solid materials and devices including such porous solid material are also disclosed.