The present disclosure relates to a composite material of formula (I): (LPS).sub.a(OIPC).sub.b wherein each of a and b is a mass % value from 1% to 99% such that a+b is 100%; (LPS) is a material selected from the group consisting of Li.sub.3PS.sub.4, Li.sub.7P.sub.3S.sub.11, Li.sub.10GeP.sub.2S.sub.11, and a material of formula (II): xLi.sub.2SyP.sub.2S.sub.5(100xy)LiX; wherein X is I, Cl or Br, each of x and y is a mass % value of from 33.3% to 50% such that x+y is from 75% to 100% and the total mass % of Li.sub.2S, P.sub.2S.sub.5 and LiX is 100%; and (OIPC) is a salt of a cation and a closo-borane cluster anion.

A secondary battery includes a negative electrode containing a lithium silicate phase and silicon particles dispersed in the lithium silicate phase and an electrolytic solution containing a fluorine-containing linear carboxylic acid ester represented by R.sup.1(CO)OCH.sub.2R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group and R.sup.2 is an alkyl group in which at least one hydrogen atom is substituted with fluorine).

The present disclosure relates to sulfur-containing electrodes and methods for forming the same. For example, the method may include disposing an electroactive material on or near a current collector to form an electroactive material layer having a first porosity and applying pressure and heat to the electroactive material layer so that the electroactive material layer has a second porosity. The first porosity is greater than the second porosity. The electroactive material may include a plurality of electroactive material particles and one or more salt additives. The method may further include contacting the electroactive material layer and an electrolyte such that the electrolyte dissolves the plurality of one or more salt particles so that the electroactive material layer has a third porosity. The third porosity may be greater than the second porosity and less than the first porosity.

A process for binding sulfur to carbon to form carbon polysulfide is described that better secures sulfur to the cathode in a lithium-sulfur battery during lithium oxidation and reduction. The process includes selecting a suitable carbon precursor, blending it with sulfur and an organic solvent and mill the combination to make a fine particle size mix and then driving off the solvent along with species that have been dissolved in the solvent. The remaining carbon precursor and sulfur are heated in an inert environment at a temperature between about 300 C. and about 550 C. to chemically bind the sulfur and the carbon to form carbon polysulfide suitable for use as a cathode powder in a lithium-sulfur battery.

An electrochemical device positive electrode with a lead member includes a positive electrode and a lead member attached to the positive electrode. The positive electrode includes a positive current collector, a carbon layer, and an active layer. The carbon layer is disposed on a surface of the positive current collector, and contains a conductive carbon material. The active layer is supported by the positive current collector via the carbon layer disposed between the active layer and the positive current collector, and contains a conductive polymer. The lead member is in contact with the carbon layer.

A free-standing electrically conductive porous structure suitable to be used as a cathode of a battery, including an electrically conductive porous substrate with sulfur diffused into the electrically conductive porous substrate to create a substantially uniform layer of sulfur on a surface of the electrically conductive porous substrate. The free-standing electrically conductive porous structure has a high performance when used in a rechargeable battery. A method of manufacturing the electrically conductive porous structure is also provided.

A free-standing electrically conductive porous structure suitable to be used as a cathode of a battery, including an electrically conductive porous substrate with sulfur diffused into the electrically conductive porous substrate to create a substantially uniform layer of sulfur on a surface of the electrically conductive porous substrate. The free-standing electrically conductive porous structure has a high performance when used in a rechargeable battery. A method of manufacturing the electrically conductive porous structure is also provided.

A method for activating two-dimensional host materials for a multivalent/polyatomic ion battery may include adding a pillaring salt in electrolyte. This process may be followed by in-situ electrochemically intercalating the pillaring ions, solvent molecules and multivalent ions into the van der Waals gap of host materials. After the activation process, the host material is transformed into an interlayer-expanded 2D material with significantly enhanced specific capacity and rate performance for multivalent ion intercalation.

A method for activating two-dimensional host materials for a multivalent/polyatomic ion battery may include adding a pillaring salt in electrolyte. This process may be followed by in-situ electrochemically intercalating the pillaring ions, solvent molecules and multivalent ions into the van der Waals gap of host materials. After the activation process, the host material is transformed into an interlayer-expanded 2D material with significantly enhanced specific capacity and rate performance for multivalent ion intercalation.

Provided are methods of introducing additional lithium ions into lithium-ion electrochemical cells as well as positive electrodes, comprising these additional lithium ions. A method may involve introducing a temporary lithium additive into a positive electrode, such as mixing the additive into slurry used for coating the electrode. The positive electrode also comprises a positive active material, different from the temporary lithium additive and used as a source of primary lithium ions. The positive active material is operable to release and also later to receive lithium ions during cycling. The temporary lithium additive is operable to release additional lithium ions during its decomposition, but not to receive any lithium ions thereafter. The amount of these additional lithium ions may be selected based on expected lithium ion losses in the cell. The temporary lithium additive may decompose when applying a voltage between the electrodes, e.g., during initial cycling.