Embodiments of the invention include batteries and other charge-storage devices incorporating sheets and/or powders of silica fibers and methods for producing such devices. The silica fibers may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.

Systems and methods are proposed for controlling the electroplating of lithium metal onto negative electrodes to allow for more rapid recharging of lithium metal batteries while minimizing dendrite formation. Based on the power spectrum of the electrochemical noise, characteristic signals of dendrite formation are monitored, and when these signals are observed, alternating and direct current voltages are modulated in order to vitiate dendrite formation.

Provided are an electrodeposited copper foil, a current collector, an electrode, and a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising the same. The electrodeposited copper foil has a deposited side and a drum side opposite the deposited side. In a first aspect, ΔRS between the deposited side and the drum side is at most about 95 MPa, and the deposited side exhibits a Vv in a range from about 0.15 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2 to about 1.35 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2. In a second aspect, the deposited side has a Sku of about 1.5 to about 6.5 and the deposited side exhibits a Vv in a range from about 0.15 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2 to about 1.35 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2. The characteristics are beneficial to improve the quality of the electrodeposited copper foil, thereby extending the charge-discharge cycle life of a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising the same.

A process for delineating a population of electrode structures in a web is disclosed. The web has a down-web direction, a cross-web direction, an electrochemically active layer, and an electrically conductive layer. The process includes laser machining the web in at least the cross-web direction to delineate members of the electrode structure population in the web without releasing the delineated members from the web and forming an alignment feature in the web that is adapted for locating each delineated member of the electrode structure population in the web.

Surface-treated copper foils exhibiting a void volume (Vv) in a range of 0.4 to 2.2 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2 and an arithmetic mean waviness (Wa) lower than or equal to 0.4 μm are reported. Where the surface-treated copper foil is treated on the drum side and includes a treatment layer comprising a nodule layer. Such surface-treated copper foils can be used as a conductive material having low transmission loss, for example in circuit boards.

Provided are an electrodeposited copper foil, an electrode comprising the same, and a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising the same. The electrodeposited copper foil has a drum side and a deposited side opposing the drum side, wherein at least one of the drum side and the deposited side exhibits a void volume value (Vv) in the range of 0.17 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2 to 1.17 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2; and an absolute value of a difference between a maximum height (Sz) of the drum side and a Sz of the deposited side is in the range of less than 0.60 μm.

Provided are an electrodeposited copper foil, a current collector, an electrode, and a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising the same. The electrodeposited copper foil has a deposited side and a drum side opposite the deposited side. In a first aspect, ΔRS between the deposited side and the drum side is at most about 95 MPa, and the deposited side exhibits a Vv in a range from about 0.15 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2 to about 1.35 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2. In a second aspect, the deposited side has a Sku of about 1.5 to about 6.5 and the deposited side exhibits a Vv in a range from about 0.15 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2 to about 1.35 μm.sup.3/μm.sup.2. The characteristics are beneficial to improve the quality of the electrodeposited copper foil, thereby extending the charge-discharge cycle life of a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising the same.

Lithium ion batteries, electrodes, nanofibers, and methods for producing same are disclosed herein. Provided herein are batteries having (a) increased energy density; (b) decreased pulverization (structural disruption due to volume expansion during lithiation/de-lithiation processes); and/or (c) increased lifetime. In some embodiments described herein, using high throughput, water-based electrospinning process produces nanofibers of high energy capacity materials (e.g., ceramic) with nanostructures such as discrete crystal domains, mesopores, hollow cores, and the like; and such nanofibers providing reduced pulverization and increased charging rates when they are used in anodic or cathodic materials.

Surface-treated copper foils including a copper foil having a first side and an opposite-facing second side and two treatment layers disposed on the first side and the second side respectively are described. Each treatment layer provides a treated surface which exhibit a ten-point average roughness Rz in a range of 1.2 m to 4.6 m and a peak density (Spd) in a range of 490,000 to 1,080,000 mm.sup.2. Additionally, the Cr content in each of the treatment layers is a range of 25 to 70 g/dm.sup.2. The surface-treated copper foils have excellent electrode active material coating properties, such as good adhesion and uniformity.

A negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery, a negative electrode in which the negative electrode is pre-lithiated, a method of manufacturing the negative electrode, and a lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode The pre-lithiated negative electrode may increase the capacity and improve the electrochemical performance of a lithium secondary battery by securing the initial reversibility of a negative electrode.