An apparatus for pre-lithiating a negative electrode includes a pre-lithiation reactor having a pre-lithiation solution accommodated therein, a high-pressure chamber surrounding the pre-lithiation reactor, wherein an internal air pressure of the high-pressure chamber is configured to exceed atmospheric pressure, at least one lithium metal counter electrode disposed in the pre-lithiation solution, the lithium metal counter electrode being disposed to face a negative electrode receivable in the pre-lithiation solution in a state that the lithium metal counter electrode is spaced apart from the negative electrode by a predetermined interval, and a charge and discharge unit being connectable to the negative electrode and the lithium metal counter electrode to provide a circuit.

The disclosure relates to the use of fluorinated ethers such as 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-methoxypropane (HFMOP) as a reaction solvent to prepare fluorinated dialkyl carbonate and sulfite compounds useful in batteries, and to electrolytes containing fluorinated compounds for use in batteries containing high Ni cathodes and silicon containing anodes.

Provided herein are aqueous rechargeable batteries comprising: an anode including tin; a cathode; and an aqueous electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. Other embodiments include methods of making a Sn anode material comprising forming tin oxide nanoparticlcs and coating the tin oxide nanoparticles with a conductive support.

Cathode composition including a core cathode body composed of nickel oxide crystallite particles and a surface cathode coating layer contacting and at least partially surrounding an outer surface of the core cathode body. The surface cathode coating layer includes one or more of a transition metal or post-transition metal oxide or fluoride and one or more of lanthanide row atoms having a concentration in a range from about 0.1 to 10 mol %, has a thickness in a range from about 0.5 to 30 nm, and has an amorphous, polycrystalline or composite amorphous/polycrystalline atomic structure. Method of manufacture including preparing a cathode composition includes forming a core cathode body composed of nickel oxide crystallite particles, and, forming by atomic layer deposition, a surface cathode coating layer contacting and at least partially surrounding an outer surface of the core cathode body.

The present invention relates to a negative electrode which includes a negative electrode current collector, and a negative electrode active material layer formed on the negative electrode current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material layer includes a silicon-based active material and a carbon-based active material, wherein a ratio of an average particle diameter (D.sub.50) of the carbon-based active material to an average particle diameter (D.sub.50) of the silicon-based active material is in a range of 2 to 8, and a porosity of the negative electrode is in a range of 48% to 62%.

A positive electrode active material having a core/shell structure, which includes a sulfur-carbon composite containing thermally expanded-reduced graphene oxide, a carbon material as a core, and carbon nanotubes as a shell. A method for preparing a positive electrode active material having a core/shell structure for a lithium secondary battery, including the steps of thermally expanding graphene oxide by heat treatment at a temperature in a range of 300° C. to 500° C. to prepare a thermally-expanded graphene oxide. Then, reducing the thermally-expanded graphene oxide by heat treatment at a temperature in a range of 700° C. to 1200° C. to prepare a thermally expanded-reduced graphene oxide. Next, mixing the thermally expanded-reduced graphene oxide and sulfur to prepare a sulfur-carbon composite. Last, mixing the sulfur-carbon composite and carbon nanotubes to form carbon nanotubes on a surface of the sulfur-carbon composite.

A binder for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, the binder containing a carboxymethyl cellulose and/or a salt thereof, wherein the carboxymethyl cellulose and/or a salt thereof satisfies the conditions (A) and (B) described below. Condition (A): The degree of carboxymethyl substitution per glucose unit is from 0.5 to 1.5. Condition (B): The viscosity ratio of the viscosity Vb (30 rpm, 23° C.) of an aqueous dispersion thereof having a solid content of 3% (w/v) to the viscosity Va (30 rpm, 23° C.) of an aqueous dispersion thereof having a solid content of 2% (w/v), namely Vr.sub.1=Vb/Va satisfies Vr.sub.1>3.

The present invention relates to a negative electrode including a negative electrode collector, a first negative electrode active material layer disposed on the negative electrode collector, and a second negative electrode active material layer disposed on the first negative electrode active material layer, wherein the second negative electrode active material layer includes a second negative electrode active material and a second conductive agent, wherein the second negative electrode active material includes a silicon-based active material, the silicon-based active material includes SiO.sub.x (0≤x<2), the second conductive agent includes a carbon nanotube structure in which 2 to 5,000 single-walled carbon nanotube units are bonded side by side, and the carbon nanotube structure is included in an amount of 0.01 wt % to 1.0 wt % in the second negative electrode active material layer, and a secondary battery including the same.

A lithium ion secondary battery includes: a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator located between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material which contains silicon oxide and a compound containing a first element. The electrolytic solution contains an imide salt which contains the first element and an imide anion. The first element is any one or more elements selected from the group consisting of K, Na, Mg, Ca, Cs, Al, and Zn.

A silicon-based negative electrode material, a preparation method therefor and a use thereof in a lithium-ion battery. The silicon-based negative electrode material comprises a silicon-based active material and a composite layer that coats the surface of the silicon-based active material and composes a flexible polymer, flake graphite and a conductive material. The method comprises: 1) dissolving the flexible polymer in a solvent; 2) adding the flake graphite and the conductive material into the flexible polymer solution obtained in step 1) while stirring; 3) adding an anti-solvent to the mixed coating solution obtained in step 2) and stirring; 4) adding the silicon-based active material to the supersaturated mixed coating solution obtained in step 3) while stirring, and then stirring and separating; and 5) carrying out thermal treatment to obtain the silicon-based negative electrode material.