Prelithiation methods and fast charging lithium ion cell are provided, which combine high energy density and high power density. Several structural and chemical modifications are disclosed to enable combination of features that achieve both goals simultaneously in fast charging cells having long cycling lifetime. The cells have anodes with high content of Si, Ge and/or Sn as principal anode material, and cathodes providing a relatively low C/A ratio, with the anodes being prelithiated to have a high lithium content, provided by a prelithiation algorithm. Disclosed algorithms determine lithium content achieved through prelithiation by optimizing the electrolyte to increase cycling lifetime, adjusting energy density with respect to other cell parameters, and possibly reducing the C/A ratio to maintain the required cycling lifetime.

To produce a silicon oxide-based negative electrode material containing Li and having uniform distribution of a Li concentration both inside particles and between particles although a C-coating film is formed on a surface, and yet in which generation of SiC is suppressed. A SiO gas and a Li gas are simultaneously generated by heating a Si-lithium silicate-containing raw material under reduced pressure. The Si-lithium silicate-containing raw material includes Si, Li, and O, in which a part of the Si is present as a Si simple substance and the Li is present as lithium silicate. By cooling the generated gases, Li-containing silicon oxide having an average composition of SiLi.sub.xO.sub.y (0.05<x<y and 0.5<y<1.5 are satisfied) is prepared. After adjusting the particle size, a C-coating film having an average film thickness of 0.5 to 10 nm is formed on a surface of particles at a treatment temperature of 900° C. or less.

Provided is a method for manufacturing an electrode by doping an active material included a layer of an electrode precursor with alkali metal. The electrode precursor and a counter electrode member are brought into contact with a solution containing an alkali metal ion in a dope bath. The counter electrode member includes a conductive base material, an alkali metal-containing plate, and a member having an opening. The member having the opening is located between the conductive base material and the alkali metal-containing plate. The member having the opening is, for example, a resin film having an opening.

The present invention relates to methods of regenerating ion exchange resins in systems using anhydrous organic solvents, such as systems for alkaliating or lithiating materials, such as anodes, in gamma-butyrolactone.

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes at least a negative electrode including a negative electrode mixture, a positive electrode, and an electrolytic solution including an electrolyte and a solvent. The negative electrode mixture includes a negative electrode active material powder, the negative electrode active material powder includes a carbon-based material and a silicon-based material, a mixing ratio of the carbon-based material to the silicon-based material (carbon-based material (mass %)/silicon-based material (mass %)) is 90 mass %/10 mass % to 0 mass %/100 mass %.

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 a method of making an active electrode material, the method comprising: providing a mixed niobium oxide; combining the mixed niobium oxide with a carbon precursor to form an intermediate material, wherein the carbon precursor comprises polyaromatic sp.sup.2 carbon and is selected from pitch carbons, graphene oxide, and mixtures thereof; and heating the intermediate material under reducing conditions to pyrolyse the carbon precursor forming a carbon coating on the mixed niobium oxide and introducing oxygen vacancies into the mixed niobium oxide, thereby forming the active electrode material.

Provided are compositions, systems, and methods of making and using pre-lithiated cathodes for use in lithium ion secondary cells as the means of supplying extra lithium to the cell. The chemically or electrochemically pre-lithiated cathodes include cathode active material that is pre-lithiated prior to assembly into an electrochemical cell. The process of producing pre-lithiated cathodes includes contacting a cathode active material to an electrolyte, the electrolyte further contacting a counter electrode lithium source and applying an electric potential or current to the cathode active material and the lithium source thereby pre-lithiating the cathode active material with lithium. An electrochemical cell is also provided including the pre-lithiated cathode, an anode, a separator and an electrolyte.

A secondary battery contains a lithium-predoped, silicon-based negative active material. The secondary battery realizes safety and further enhances energy density, cycle characteristics, and rate characteristics. The secondary battery can remarkably improve initial discharge capacity and capacity retention. A method for manufacturing the secondary battery is also disclosed. The method incudes preparing a negative electrode, interposing a separator between the negative electrode and a lithium metal plate to prepare a cell, electrochemically activating the cell to predope the negative electrode with lithium.

A method for pre-sodiation of a negative electrode, including the steps of: interposing a separator between a sodium ion-supplying metal sheet and a negative electrode to prepare a simple cell; dipping the simple cell in an electrolyte for pre-sodiation; and electrochemically charging the simple cell dipped in the electrolyte for pre-sodiation to carry out pre-sodiation of the negative electrode wherein the electrochemical charging is carried out while the simple cell is pressurized under a pressure of from 100 kPa to 1,000 kPa. A pre-sodiated negative electrode is also disclosed, including: a current collector; a negative electrode active material layer on at least one surface of the current collector. The negative electrode active material layer includes a negative electrode active material; and a coating layer on the surface of the negative electrode active material layer. The coating layer includes Na-carbonate and Na.

A doped electrode is manufactured by an electrode manufacturing method. The doped electrode includes an active material doped with an alkali metal. In the electrode manufacturing method, a dope solution is brought into contact with an electrode. The electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer. The active material layer is formed on a surface of the current collector and includes the active material. The dope solution includes an alkali metal ion and flows. In the electrode manufacturing method, for example, the alkali metal is electrically doped to the active material using a counter electrode member arranged to face the electrode.