A nanofluid contact potential difference cell includes a cathode with a lower work function and an anode with a higher work function separated by a nanometer-scale spaced inter-electrode gap containing a nanofluid with intermediate work function nanoparticle clusters. The cathode comprises a refractory layer and a thin film of electrosprayed dipole nanoparticle clusters partially covering a surface of the refractory layer. A thermal power source, placed in thermal contact with the cathode, to drive an electrical current through an electrical circuit connecting the cathode and anode with an external electrical load in between. A switch is configured to intermittently connect the anode and the cathode to maintain non-equilibrium between a first current from the cathode to the anode and a second current from the anode to the cathode.

A secondary battery includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; a first solid electrolyte covering the first electrode, the first solid electrolyte containing an alkaline earth metal; and a liquid electrolyte filling the space between the first electrode and the second electrode, the liquid electrolyte containing a non-aqueous solvent and a salt of the alkaline earth metal dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent.

An embodiment anode for an all-solid-state battery includes an anode current collector, and a coating layer on the anode current collector, wherein the coating layer includes a carbon material, and a magnesium-based particle including magnesium, a magnesium compound or a combination thereof. An embodiment all-solid-state battery includes a cathode, an anode including an anode current collector and a coating layer on the anode current collector, the coating layer including a carbon material, and a magnesium-based particle including magnesium, a magnesium compound or a combination thereof, and a solid electrolyte layer between the cathode and the anode, wherein the solid electrolyte layer contacts the coating layer of the anode.

Provided is a lithium or sodium metal battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) an anode current collector, initially having no lithium, lithium alloy, sodium or sodium alloy as an anode active material supported by the anode current collector when the battery is made and prior to a charge or discharge operation; and (b) a graphene foam, comprising multiple pores and pore walls, wherein the graphene foam either substantially constitutes the anode current collector or is disposed between the anode current collector and the electrolyte and wherein the graphene foam, when tested under compression, has a recoverable elastic deformation or compressibility from 5% to 150%.

A solid electrolyte for all-solid sodium battery expressed by Na.sub.3-xSbS.sub.4-xA.sub.x, wherein A is selected from F, Cl, Br, I, NO.sub.3, BH.sub.4, BF.sub.4, PF.sub.6, ClO.sub.4, BH.sub.4, CF.sub.3SO.sub.3, (CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.2N, (C.sub.2F.sub.5SO.sub.2).sub.2N, (FSO.sub.2).sub.2N, and [B(C.sub.2O.sub.4).sub.2]; and x is 0<x<3.

A disclosed battery may include an anode, a polymeric network disposed over one or more exposed surfaces of the anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, an electrolyte at least partially dispersed throughout the cathode, and a separator. The anode may include an alkali metal that can release alkali ions during operational discharge-charge cycling of the battery. The polymeric network may include carbonaceous materials grafted with fluorinated polymer chains cross-linked with each other. The fluorinated polymer chains may produce an alkali-metal containing fluoride in response to operational cycling of the battery. Formation of the alkali-metal containing fluoride may suppress alkali metal dendrite formation from the anode such that lithium is consumed to form lithium fluoride rather than forming lithium-containing dendritic structures. The separator may be positioned between the anode and the cathode.

A battery having a polyvalent metal as the electrochemically active material in the anode which also includes a solid ionically conductive polymer material.

Provided is an anode-free metal halide battery. The metal halide battery comprises a current collector, an electrolyte, and a cathode. The current collector comprises a passivation layer of an electrically insulating material. The passivation layer allows metal ion transport. The electrolyte comprises an ion-conducting material and is in contact with the current collector and the cathode. The cathode comprises a metal halide salt incorporated into an electrically conductive metal.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an anode current collector that is capable of inhibiting the reaction with liquid electrolyte. The present invention achieves the object by providing an anode current collector to be used for a fluoride ion battery; and the anode current collector being a simple substance of Fe, Mg, or Ti, or an alloy containing one or more of these metal elements.

Alkali metal secondary batteries that include anodes constructed from alkali metal foil applied to only one side of a porous current collector metal foil. Openings in the porous current collectors permit alkali metal accessibility on both sides of the anode structure. Such anode constructions enable the utilization of lower-cost and more commonly available alkali metal foil thickness, while still achieving high cell cycle life at a significantly reduced cost. Aspects of the present disclosure also include batteries with porous current collectors having increased volumetric and gravimetric energy densities, and methods of manufacturing anodes with porous current collectors.