The present invention relates to the application of a force to enhance the performance of an electrochemical cell. The force may comprise, in some instances, an anisotropic force with a component normal to an active surface of the anode of the electrochemical cell. In the embodiments described herein, electrochemical cells (e.g., rechargeable batteries) may undergo a charge/discharge cycle involving deposition of metal (e.g., lithium metal) on a surface of the anode upon charging and reaction of the metal on the anode surface, wherein the metal diffuses from the anode surface, upon discharging. The uniformity with which the metal is deposited on the anode may affect cell performance. For example, when lithium metal is redeposited on an anode, it may, in some cases, deposit unevenly forming a rough surface. The roughened surface may increase the amount of lithium metal available for undesired chemical reactions which may result in decreased cycling lifetime and/or poor cell performance. The application of force to the electrochemical cell has been found, in accordance with the invention, to reduce such behavior and to improve the cycling lifetime and/or performance of the cell.

A printable lithium composition is provided. The printable lithium composition includes lithium metal powder; a polymer binder, wherein the polymer binder is compatible with the lithium powder; and a rheology modifier, wherein the rheology modifier is compatible with the lithium powder and the polymer binder. The printable lithium composition may further include a solvent compatible with the lithium powder and with the polymer binder.

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.

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.

A three-dimensional composite metallic lithium negative electrode, a metallic lithium battery and an apparatus are disclosed. The composite metallic lithium negative electrode includes metallic lithium particles and a three-dimensional polymer framework, where the metallic lithium particles are filled in the three-dimensional polymer framework, and the three-dimensional polymer framework includes lithium-philic a fragments, active sites and polymer-containing moieties. The present application improves a volume effect of the metallic lithium negative electrode in charge and discharge process, which can inhibit side reactions of metallic lithium and electrolyte; increase a specific surface area of the metallic lithium negative electrode, and introduce lithium-philic nano-sites, thereby can guide a uniform deposition of the metallic lithium and effectively inhibit generation of lithium dendrites. In addition, the three-dimensional framework coated with active lithium can effectively reduce risks of brittle SEI film faced by traditional solutions.

A solid ion conductor compound represented by Formula 1:

Li.sub.xM1.sub.aM2.sub.bCl.sub.yBr.sub.z  Formula 1

wherein M1 is an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, or a combination thereof, M2 is a lanthanide element, or a combination thereof, 0<x<3.5, 0≤a<1.5, 0<b<1.5, 0<y<6, 0<z<6, and 0.166<y/z≤5.

Disclosed is an all-solid-state lithium ion secondary battery including an anode that contains, as an anode active material, at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal that is able to form an alloy with Li, an oxide of the metal, and an alloy of the metal and Li, and being excellent in cycle characteristics. The all-solid-state lithium ion secondary battery may be an all-solid-state lithium ion secondary battery, wherein an anode comprises an anode active material, an electroconductive material and a solid electrolyte; wherein the anode active material comprises at least one active material selected from the group consisting of a metal that is able to form an alloy with Li, an oxide of the metal, and an alloy of the metal and Li; and wherein the solid electrolyte is particles with a BET specific surface area of from 1.8 m.sup.2/g to 19.7 m.sup.2/g.

Disclosed is an all-solid-state lithium ion secondary battery including an anode that contains, as an anode active material, at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal that is able to form an alloy with Li, an oxide of the metal, and an alloy of the metal and Li, and being excellent in cycle characteristics. The all-solid-state lithium ion secondary battery may be an all-solid-state lithium ion secondary battery, wherein an anode comprises an anode active material, an electroconductive material and a solid electrolyte; wherein the anode active material comprises at least one active material selected from the group consisting of a metal that is able to form an alloy with Li, an oxide of the metal, and an alloy of the metal and Li; and wherein the solid electrolyte is particles with a BET specific surface area of from 1.8 m.sup.2/g to 19.7 m.sup.2/g.

Provided are methods of preparing a separator/anode assembly for use in an electric current producing cell, wherein the assembly comprises an anode current collector layer interposed between a first anode layer and a second anode layer and a porous separator layer on the side of the first anode layer opposite to the anode current collector layer, wherein the first anode layer is coated directly on the separator layer.

Disclosed is a metal anode, including a metal anode body (10) and a protective layer (11) formed on one or two side surfaces of the metal anode body (10). The protective layer (11) includes a coordination polymer having an unsaturated metal site or a complexation product formed by complexation between the coordination polymer having the unsaturated metal site and anions of battery electrolyte salt. The coordination polymer uses zirconium, aluminum, or iron as a center and uses R—X.sub.n as an organic ligand, R is n-valent hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, or hydrocarboxy, n is an integer in a range of 1 to 4, X is an oxygen-containing functional group capable of forming metal-oxygen chemical bond with the metal anode body (10), and the metal-oxygen chemical bond is formed between metal atoms on a surface of the metal anode body (10) and oxygen atoms in the X group.anodeanode.