Methods for manufacturing sulfur electrodes include providing an electrode, wherein the electrode includes a current collector having a first surface, and a sulfur-based host material applied to the first surface of the current collector, wherein the sulfur-based host material comprises one or more sulfur compounds, one or more electrically conductive carbon materials, and one or more binders. The methods further include forming a plurality of channels within the sulfur-based host material using a laser or electron beam, wherein the plurality of channels define a plurality of host material columns, each column having one or more exterior surfaces contiguous which one or more of the channels which extend outward from the first surface of the current collector. Each of the one or more exterior surfaces can define a heat affected zone comprising a higher concentration of sulfur than the host material column prior to forming the plurality of channels.

Methods for manufacturing sulfur electrodes include providing an electrode, wherein the electrode includes a current collector having a first surface, and a sulfur-based host material applied to the first surface of the current collector, wherein the sulfur-based host material comprises one or more sulfur compounds, one or more electrically conductive carbon materials, and one or more binders. The methods further include forming a plurality of channels within the sulfur-based host material using a laser or electron beam, wherein the plurality of channels define a plurality of host material columns, each column having one or more exterior surfaces contiguous which one or more of the channels which extend outward from the first surface of the current collector. Each of the one or more exterior surfaces can define a heat affected zone comprising a higher concentration of sulfur than the host material column prior to forming the plurality of channels.

A method of preparing an electrochemical electrode which is partially or totally covered with a film that is obtained by spreading an aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble binder over the electrode and subsequently drying same. The production cost of the electrodes thus obtained is reduced and the surface porosity thereof is associated with desirable resistance values.

A method of preparing an electrochemical electrode which is partially or totally covered with a film that is obtained by spreading an aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble binder over the electrode and subsequently drying same. The production cost of the electrodes thus obtained is reduced and the surface porosity thereof is associated with desirable resistance values.

A rechargeable electrochemical battery cell with a housing, a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte which contains SO.sub.2 and a conducting salt of the active metal of the cell, whereby at least one of the electrodes contains a binder chosen from the group: Binder A, which consists of a polymer, which is made of monomeric structural units of a conjugated carboxylic acid or of the alkali salt, earth alkali salt or ammonium salt of this conjugated carboxylic acid or a combination thereof or binder B which consists of a polymer based on monomeric styrene structural units or butadiene structural units or a mixture of binder A and B.

A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.

A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.

An alkali- and/or alkaline earth-ion sulfur battery having at least one cathode containing a cathode current collector foil, optionally a conductive adhesive interlayer, a primary cathode mass layer containing a conductive dimensionally stable porous host structure, sulfur as an active material, preferably at least 20% of the sulfur present is monoclinic sulfur allotrope, and optionally conductive additives, binders and pore-forming additives; a secondary cathode mass layer containing sulfur and alkali-ion- and/or alkaline earth-ion-intercalating material, optionally a layer containing graphene oxide and/or reduced graphene oxide, heteroatom Group VIIa and/or Group Va elements co-doped graphene, and a Group VIIa and/or Group Va heteroatom-containing polymer; at least one anode and at least one separator. The resulting cells offer a wide range of economic and ecological advantages over the currently available cells, as well as allowing versatility of materials and production processes.

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes secondary particles of a lithium transition metal complex oxide as a main component. The main component is represented by a formula: Li.sub.t(Ni.sub.1-xCo.sub.x).sub.1-yMn.sub.yB.sub.αP.sub.βS.sub.γO.sub.2, where t, x, y, α, β, and γ satisfy inequalities of 0≤x≤1, 0.00≤y≤0.50, (1−x).Math.(1−y)≥y, 0.000≤α≤0.020, 0.000≤β=0.030, 0.000≤γ≤0.030, and 1+3α+3β+2γ≤t≤1.30, and satisfy at least one of inequalities of 0.002≤α, 0.006≤β, and 0.004≤γ. The secondary particles exhibit a pore distribution, where a pore volume Vp(1) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 0.15 μm satisfies an inequality of 0.035 cm.sup.3/g≤Vp(1) and where a pore volume Vp(2) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 10 μm satisfies an inequality of Vp(2)≤0.450 cm.sup.3/g.

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes secondary particles of a lithium transition metal complex oxide as a main component. The main component is represented by a formula: Li.sub.t(Ni.sub.1-xCo.sub.x).sub.1-yMn.sub.yB.sub.αP.sub.βS.sub.γO.sub.2, where t, x, y, α, β, and γ satisfy inequalities of 0≤x≤1, 0.00≤y≤0.50, (1−x).Math.(1−y)≥y, 0.000≤α≤0.020, 0.000≤β=0.030, 0.000≤γ≤0.030, and 1+3α+3β+2γ≤t≤1.30, and satisfy at least one of inequalities of 0.002≤α, 0.006≤β, and 0.004≤γ. The secondary particles exhibit a pore distribution, where a pore volume Vp(1) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 0.15 μm satisfies an inequality of 0.035 cm.sup.3/g≤Vp(1) and where a pore volume Vp(2) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 10 μm satisfies an inequality of Vp(2)≤0.450 cm.sup.3/g.