A method of preparing a secondary battery including pre-lithiating an electrode assembly including an electrode structure including a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of separators, and a metal substrate. The plurality of electrodes and the plurality of separators are alternatingly stacked. The pre-lithiating includes supplying lithium ions from one of the plurality of positive electrodes to one of the plurality of negative electrodes up to a state of charge (SOC) of A % by electrically connecting one of the plurality of positive electrodes and one of the plurality of negative electrodes and applying a first current, supplying lithium ions from the metal substrate to the positive electrodes up to B % of capacity of the positive electrodes by electrically connecting the metal substrate and the positive electrodes and applying a second current, after applying the first current, and resting the electrode assembly, after applying the second current.

A negative electrode pre-lithiation method comprising the steps of: manufacturing a negative electrode by forming, on a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode active material layer comprising a negative electrode active material. Then, manufacturing a pre-lithiation cell, which comprises the negative electrode and a lithium metal counter electrode, and impregnating the pre-lithiation cell with a pre-lithiation solution; and charging the pre-lithiation cell with a constant voltage to form a pre-lithiated negative electrode. The pre-lithiation solution comprises 3 vol % to 30 vol % of an organic carbonate compound substituted with halogen.

The invention relates to active electrode materials and to methods for the manufacture of active electrode materials. Such materials are of interest as active electrode materials in lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries. The invention provides an active electrode material expressed by the general formula [M][Nb].sub.y[O].sub.z; wherein the active electrode material is oxygen deficient; wherein M consists of one of Mg, Cr, W, Mo, Cu, Ga, Ge, Ca, K, Ni, Co, Al, Sn, Mn, Ce, Sb, Y, La, Hf, Ta, Zn, In, or Cd; y satisfies 0.5≤y≤49; and z satisfies 4≤z≤124.

A method of preparing a secondary battery which includes pre-lithiating an electrode assembly which includes an electrode structure including a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of separators, and a metal substrate. The plurality of electrodes and the plurality of separators are alternatingly, stacked. The metal substrate is present on an outermost surface of the electrode structure in a direction in which the electrode and the separator are stacked. Each positive electrode and negative electrode are spaced apart from each other with one separator of the plurality of separators disposed therebetween. The pre-lithiating includes applying a first current by electrically connecting one of the plurality of positive electrodes and one of the plurality of negative electrodes, and applying a second current by electrically connecting the metal substrate and one of the plurality of positive electrodes, after applying the first current.

The invention relates to active electrode materials and to methods for the manufacture of active electrode materials. Such materials are of interest as active electrode materials in lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries. The invention provides an active electrode material expressed by the general formula [M1].sub.x[M2].sub.(1−x)[Nb]y[O].sub.z, wherein: M1 and M2 are different; M1 represents one or more of Ti, Mg, V, Cr, W, Zr, Mo, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, Ca, K, Ni, Co, Al, Sn, Mn, Ce, Te, Se, Si, Sb, Y, La, Hf, Ta, Re, Zn, In, or Cd; M2 represents one or more of Mg, V, Cr, W, Zr, Mo, Cu, Ga, Ge, Ca, K, Ni, Co, Al, Sn, Mn, Ce, Sb, Y, La, Hf, Ta, Zn, In, or Cd; and wherein x satisfies 0<x<0.5; y satisfies 0.5≤y≤49 z satisfies 4≤z≤124.

A system and method for forming a metallic ion intercalated layered structure can include a housing, an electrolyte disposed in the housing, a counter-electrode disposed in the housing, and a working electrode disposed in the housing. The working electrode comprises a metallic support; and an electrode paste. The electrode paste can include an active material and a binder. The system can be used to form a layered structure having metallic ions from the metallic support intercalated into the layered structure based on cycling the working electrode.

The disclosure provides a method of prelithiating an anode for a lithium-ion cell, the method comprising: (a) providing a pre-fabricated anode comprising an anode active material; (b) prelithiating the pre-fabricated anode by exposing the anode to a lithium source and an electrolyte solution, comprising a lithium salt dissolved in a liquid solvent, to enable lithium ions to intercalate into the anode active material until a level of lithium interaction from 5% to 100% of the maximum lithium storage capacity is achieved to form a prelithiated anode; and (c) introducing a protective polymer onto the prelithiated anode to prevent exposure of the prelithiated anode active material to the open air or into the anode to bond the prelithiated anode active material or to improve a structural integrity of the prelithiated anode, wherein the protective polymer has a lithium-ion conductivity from 10.sup.−8 S/cm to 5×10.sup.−2 S/cm at room temperature.

A method for pre-lithiating a silicon oxide negative electrode for a secondary battery, specifically a method for pre-lithiation by immersing the silicon oxide negative electrode in an electrolytic solution for wetting, and by applying pressure while a lithium metal is in direct contact with the wetted silicon oxide negative electrode. The silicon oxide negative electrode for a secondary battery manufactured through pre-lithiation provided in the present disclosure has improved initial irreversibility, and a secondary battery manufactured using such a silicon oxide negative electrode for a secondary battery has excellent charge/discharge efficiency.

The invention relates to composite multilayer lithium ion battery anodes that include a porous metal alloy foam, and a lithium ion conductor coating applied to the metal alloy foam. The metal alloy foam can include structurally isomorphous alloys of lithium and, optionally, lithium and magnesium. The lithium ion conductor coating can include ternary lithium silicate, such as, lithium orthosilicate. Lithium ions from the ternary lithium silicate may be deposited within the pores of the metal alloy foam. Optionally, the lithium ion conductor coating may include a dopant. The dopant can include one or more of magnesium, calcium, vanadium, niobium and fluorine, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a negative electrode, wherein a negative electrode structure is electrochemically charged while being pressed with a plurality of pre-lithiation rolls in performing pre-lithiation of the negative electrode structure by a roll-to-roll method, and here, the pressing pressures of the plurality of pre-lithiation rolls are increased in a movement direction of the negative electrode structure. Since the pressing pressures are increased in the movement direction of the negative electrode structure, volume expansion, structural deformation, and damage to an active material due to the pre-lithiation may be prevented, and at the same time, the pre-lithiation may be performed uniformly, and thus it is preferable for improving lifespan characteristics of a negative electrode.