The invention includes a method of making a catalytic electrode for a metal-air cell in which a carbon-catalyst composite is produced by heating a manganese compound in the presence of a particulate carbon material to form manganese oxide catalyst on the surfaces of the particulate carbon, and then adding virgin particulate carbon material to the carbon-catalyst composite to produce a catalytic mixture that is formed into a catalytic layer. A current collector and an air diffusion layer are added to the catalytic layer to produce the catalytic electrode. The catalytic electrode can be combined with a separator and a negative electrode in a cell housing including an air entry port through which air from outside the container can reach the catalytic electrode.

Disclosed are a composite material for cathode materials in a secondary battery, a method of manufacturing the same, and a lithium secondary battery including the same. A composite material for cathode materials in a secondary battery includes: a charge carrier ion compound-carbon composite including a carbon particle and a charge carrier ion compound particle represented by general formula of A.sub.xD.sub.y and dispersed on a surface of the carbon particle; and a transition metal compound represented by a general formula of M.sub.zR.sub.w. In the general formulae of A.sub.xD.sub.y and M.sub.zR.sub.w, A, D, M, R, x, y, z, and w are as defined in the detailed description.

Improved battery systems have been developed for lithium-ion based batteries. The improved battery systems consist of two-additive mixtures in an electrolyte solvent that is a carbonate solvent, an organic solvent, a non-aqueous solvent, and/or methyl acetate. The positive electrode of the improved battery systems may be formed from lithium nickel manganese cobalt compounds, and the negative electrode of the improved battery system may be formed from natural or artificial graphite.

Glycidyl-containing polymers and polymer compositions comprising them are described, as well as their use in electrode materials and/or as coatings for battery components. Also described are electrode materials, electrodes, electrochemical cells and batteries comprising the polymers and their uses.

Systems and/or techniques associated with a sandwich-parallel micro-battery are provided. In one example, a device comprises a first battery and a second battery. The first battery comprises a first surface and a second surface. The second surface is smaller than the first surface. The second battery comprises a third surface and a fourth surface. The fourth surface is smaller than the third surface. Furthermore, the fourth surface is mechanically coupled to the second surface of the first battery. The third surface of the second battery and the first surface of the first battery comprise a conductive contact that electrically couples the first battery and the second battery.

Described herein is an aqueous aluminum ion battery featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy/composite anode, an aqueous electrolyte, and a manganese oxide, aluminosilicate or polymer-based cathode. The battery operates via an electrochemical reaction that entails an actual transport of aluminum ions between the anode and cathode. The compositions and structures described herein allow the aqueous aluminum ion battery described herein to achieve: (1) improved charge storage capacity; (2) improved gravimetric and/or volumetric energy density; (3) increased rate capability and power density (ability to charge and discharge in shorter times); (4) increased cycle life; (5) increased mechanical strength of the electrode; (6) improved electrochemical stability of the electrodes; (7) increased electrical conductivity of the electrodes, and (8) improved ion diffusion kinetics in the electrodes as well as the electrolyte.

A thermally conductive board comprises a metal substrate, a foil containing copper, a thermally conductive and insulating layer and a barrier layer. The thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer is disposed on the metal substrate. The barrier layer is laminated between the foil containing copper and the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer. The barrier is in direct contact with the foil containing copper, and the interface between the barrier layer and the foil containing copper comprises a microrough surface. The barrier layer has a Redox potential between 0 and −1V. The microrough surface has a roughness Rz of 2-18 μm.

An alternative grid energy storage system is described herein. In one embodiment, an electrochemical cell comprises a high specific surface area cathode (e.g., a cathode comprising a carbon nanofoam paper, a carbon nanotube mesh, a particulate carbon material, electrolytic manganese dioxide, or a manganese dioxide film), a zinc or lead anode (e.g., Zn or Pb foil), a selective ion-conductive separator that does not conduct zinc ions (e.g., a NAFION sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer separator) between the anode and the cathode, and an aqueous electrolyte comprising a manganese salt (e.g., aqueous manganese sulfate) contacting the electrodes and the separator. A battery comprising two or more of the electrochemical cells electrically connected together in series, parallel, or both, also is described.

The invention is directed towards an electrochemically active cathode material for a battery. The electrochemically active cathode material includes a non-stoichiometric beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide. The non-stoichiometric beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide has a chemical formula. The chemical formula is L.sub.ixA.sub.yNi.sub.1+a−zM.sub.zO.sub.2.nH.sub.2O where x is from about 0.02 to about 0.20; y is from about 0.03 to about 0.20; a is from about 0.02 to about 0.2; z is from about 0 to about 0.2; and n is from about 0 to about 1. Within the chemical formula, A is an alkali metal. The alkali metal includes potassium, rubidium, cesium, and any combination thereof. Within the chemical formula, M comprises an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, a non-transition metal, and any combination thereof.

The invention features an electrochemical cell having an anode and a cathode; wherein at least one of the anode and cathode includes a solid ionically conducting polymer material that can ionically conduct hydroxyl ions.