The present disclosure relates to a positive electrode active material and a positive electrode comprising metal nano particles, and a lithium-sulfur battery comprising the same, and in particular, to a positive electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery comprising a positive electrode active material of a sulfur-metal catalyst-carbon composite, and a lithium-sulfur battery comprising the same. The lithium-sulfur battery using a positive electrode comprising metal nano particles according to the present disclosure increases reactivity of sulfur, a positive electrode active material, and increases electrical conductivity of an electrode by the dispersion of the metal nano particles in the electrode so as to increase reactivity and electric capacity of the positive electrode. In addition, battery reaction products such as lithium sulfide (Li.sub.2S) are readily decomposed by a catalyst reaction, and therefore, lifespan characteristics can be improved.

Provided is a lithium-selenium battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and a porous separator/electrolyte assembly, wherein the anode comprises an anode active layer containing lithium or lithium alloy as an anode active material, and the cathode comprises a cathode active layer comprising a selenium-containing material, wherein an anode-protecting layer is disposed between the anode active layer and the separator/electrolyte and/or a cathode-protecting layer is disposed between the cathode active layer and the separator/electrolyte; the protecting layer contains a composite comprising from 0.01% to 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material and has a thickness from 1 nm to 100 m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 510.sup.2 S/cm, and an electrical conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 100 S/cm.

Provided is a lithium-selenium battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and a porous separator/electrolyte assembly, wherein the anode comprises an anode active layer containing lithium or lithium alloy as an anode active material, and the cathode comprises a cathode active layer comprising a selenium-containing material, wherein an anode-protecting layer is disposed between the anode active layer and the separator/electrolyte and/or a cathode-protecting layer is disposed between the cathode active layer and the separator/electrolyte; the protecting layer comprising from 0.01% to 40% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material and from 0.01% to 40% by weight of an electrochemically stable inorganic filler dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material and having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 510.sup.2 S/cm, and an electrical conductivity from 10.sup.7 S/cm to 100 S/cm.

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.

Provided are solid-state electrolyte structures. The solid-state electrolyte structures are ion-conducting materials. The solid-state electrolyte structures may be formed by 3-D printing using 3-D printable compositions. 3-D printable compositions may include ion-conducting materials and at least one dispersant, a binder, a plasticizer, or a solvent or any combination of one or more dispersant, binder, plasticizer, or solvent. The solid-state electrolyte structures can be used in electrochemical devices.

An anode materials VSe2/Zn, including a functional Vanadium diselenide (VSe2) with graphene support composite coated on the Zn metal with super ion conductivity, is used in a zinc ions battery. The synthesis process includes polymerization and chemical vapor deposition process for selenization with selenium powder.

An electroactive material suitable for electrochemical cell electrode wherein the electroactive material includes a chalcogen oligomer that can reversibly deintercalate/reintercalate an anion of the chalcogen, such as La.sub.2O.sub.2S.sub.2, and the electrochemical electrodes and cells containing the electroactive material.

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 method for forming an adherent metal based nanoparticle material layer upon a substrate includes an electrophoretic deposition method for depositing a metal nanoparticle material layer upon the substrate. The metal nanoparticle material layer may then be treated to form the adherent metal based nanoparticle material layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide material, a metal nitride material, a metal oxynitride material and a metal chalcogenide material. The method is particularly useful for fabricating a battery electrode comprising a Co.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticle material layer, for use within a lithium ion battery. Other applications include fuel cells, capacitors and catalytic reactors.

One embodiment of the invention is an alkali metal-selenium battery comprising an anode, a selenium cathode, an electrolyte, an electronically insulating porous separator, and an electronically conducting graphene separator layer comprising a solid graphene foam, paper or fabric that is permeable to lithium ions or sodium ions but is substantially non-permeable to selenium or metal selenide, wherein the graphene separator layer is disposed between the selenium cathode layer and the electronically insulating porous separator layer and the graphene separator layer contains pristine graphene sheets or non-pristine graphene sheets having 0.01% to 20% by weight of non-carbon elements, wherein the non-pristine graphene is selected from graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, boron-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof.