Thin magnesium plate 101, which contains metal magnesium, is enclosed by separator 102, which is made of fluid-permeable material and is used as magnesium fuel assembly 100 in magnesium battery 120 in this invention. Magnesium fuel assembly 100 is enclosed from both sides by cathode 103 and provided with electrolyte retention unit 106, which stores electrolyte 107, at its bottom. When magnesium fuel assembly 100 is pushed down from above, separator 102 is impregnated with electrolyte 107, thereby initiating the battery reaction.

Thin magnesium plate 101, which contains metal magnesium, is enclosed by separator 102, which is made of fluid-permeable material and is used as magnesium fuel assembly 100 in magnesium battery 120 in this invention. Magnesium fuel assembly 100 is enclosed from both sides by cathode 103 and provided with electrolyte retention unit 106, which stores electrolyte 107, at its bottom. When magnesium fuel assembly 100 is pushed down from above, separator 102 is impregnated with electrolyte 107, thereby initiating the battery reaction.

A positive electrode plate that has a positive electrode active material layer formed on a positive electrode core, wherein the positive electrode core has, on an edge side, a thick portion which has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of a portion of the positive electrode core that has the positive electrode active material layer formed on both sides, and the positive electrode plate has a first region that extends into the thick portion from the portion of the positive electrode core that has the positive electrode active material layer formed on both sides and a second region that is positioned outside the first region in the thick portion. The average maximum diameter of the metal crystal grains that compose the first region is smaller than those of the second region.

A rechargeable, self-heating aluminum-chalcogen battery is provided, with an aluminum or aluminum alloy negative electrode, a positive electrode of elemental chalcogen, and a mixture of chloride salts providing a molten salt electrolyte. The predominant chloride salt in the electrolyte is AlCl.sub.3. Additional chloride salts are chosen from alkali metal chlorides. The cell operates at a modestly elevated temperatures, ranging from 90° C. to 250° C.

Here is described an electrode material comprising an electrochemically active metallic film and an organic compound, e.g. an indigoid compound (indigo blue or a derivative or precursor thereof). Processes for the preparation of the electrode material and electrodes containing the material, as well as to the electrochemical cells and their use are also contemplated.

This application provides a lithium metal battery, and relates to the battery field. The lithium metal battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution infiltrating the separator. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a lithium-aluminum alloy layer disposed on at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector; and the electrolytic solution includes an electrolyte and a solvent, where the solvent contains a film-forming agent, and the film-forming agent is FEC and/or DFEC.

An anode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, including: an aluminum phase; and a non-aluminum metal phase dispersed in the aluminum phase, in which the non-aluminum metal phase is formed of a non-aluminum metal compound containing one or more selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Ag, Sb, Bi, In, and Mg, and an amount of the non-aluminum metal phase with respect to a total amount of the aluminum phase and the non-aluminum metal phase is 0.01 mass % or more and 8 mass % or less.

Provided herein are methods for making a metal and metal-alloy anode battery having electrolytes which include Al—Cl.sub.4.sup.1− and are free of any Al.sub.2Cl.sub.7.sup.−1 anions. These batteries are observed to have improved electrochemical performance. Also set forth herein are electrolytes include AlCl.sub.4.sup.1− and are free of any Al.sub.2Cl.sub.7.sup.1− anions. Also set forth herein are electrochemical cells which include electrolytes which include AlCl.sub.4.sup.1− and are free of any Al.sub.2Cl.sub.7.sup.1− anions.

A battery electrode composition is provided that comprises composite particles. Each of the composite particles in the composition (which may represent all or a portion of a larger composition) may comprise a porous electrode particle and a filler material. The porous electrode particle may comprise active material provided to store and release ions during battery operation. The filler material may occupy at least a portion of the pores of the electrode particle. The filler material may comprise a solid and is not substantially conductive with respect to electron transport.

The present disclosure relates to an improved process for the synthesis of nanomaterials and composites from Zintl phases. The nanomaterials and composites are useful, for example, as ion storage materials.