A method for providing a miniature electrochemical cell having a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing is formed by joining two ceramic casing halves together. One or both casing halves are machined from ceramic to provide a recess that is sized and shaped to contain the electrode assembly. The opposite polarity terminals are electrically conductive feedthroughs or pathways, such as of gold, and are formed by brazing gold into tapered via holes machined into one or both ceramic casing halves. The two ceramic casing halves are separated from each other by a metal interlayer, such as of gold, bonded to a thin film metallization layer, such as of titanium, that contacts an edge periphery of each ceramic casing half. A solid electrolyte of LiPON (Li.sub.xPO.sub.yN.sub.z) is used to activate the electrode assembly.

The process of making a lithium ion battery cathode comprises the step of forming a slurry of an active material, a nano-size conductive agent, a binder polymer, a solvent and a dispersant. The solvent consists essentially of one or more of a compound of Formula 1 and optionally, one or more of N, N-dimethylacetoacetamide, N, N-diethylacetoacetamide, γ-valerolactone, and triethyl phosphate, and the dispersant comprises polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

A lightweight structure for a vehicle or aircraft includes a longitudinal member with a base bridge, having a first collective conductor and a transversal member with a central bridge and transversal bridge with a first connection conductor extending on a first surface of the transversal bridge and on a second surface of the transversal bridge oriented opposite the first surface, and a second connection conductor extending separately from the first connection conductor. The transversal member is connected to the base bridge at the first end section so the first connection conductor contacts the first collective conductor of the base bridge. The lightweight structure includes a carbon fiber structural battery connected with the central bridge of the transversal member, a first collector of the carbon fiber structural battery electrically connected to the first or second connection conductor and a second collector of the carbon fiber structural battery electrically connected to the other connection conductor.

Regeneration of degraded cathode particles in lithium-ion batteries is achieved using a combination of hydrothermal treatment of cycled electrode particles followed by short thermal annealing. The methods provide for direct regeneration of Li-ion cathode materials including LiCoO.sub.2, LiMn.sub.2O.sub.4, LiFePO.sub.4, and Li.sub.xNi.sub.y Mn.sub.z Co.sub.1−y−zO.sub.2, in an economical and environmentally-friendly process.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material layer, a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material layer, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. At least one of the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer contains carbon dioxide and releases the carbon dioxide in the range of 0.1 ml to 10 ml per 1 g when heated at 350° C. for 1 minute.

The invention relates to the simultaneous use of a first salt comprising a nitrate anion (NO.sub.3.sup.−) and a second salt comprising an anion other than nitrate, at least one of the first and second salts being a lithium salt, as ionic conductivity promoters in a rechargeable lithium-metal-gel battery. The invention also relates to a lithium-gel battery comprising a mixture of said first salt and said second salt, to a non-aqueous gel electrolyte comprising such mixture and to a lithium battery positive electrode comprising said mixture.

Disclosed is a calcium salt, Ca(HMDS).sub.2, where HMDS is the hexamethyldisilazide anion (also known as bis(trimethylsilyl)amide), enables high current densities and high coulombic efficiency for calcium metal deposition and dissolution. These properties facilitate the use of this salt in batteries based on calcium metal. In addition, the salt is significant for batteries based on metal anodes, which have higher specific energies than batteries based on intercalation anodes, such as LiC.sub.6. In particular, a calcium based rechargeable battery includes Ca(HMDS).sub.2 salt and at least one solvent, the solvent suitable for calcium battery cycling. The at least one solvent can be diethyl ether, diisopropylether, methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE), 1,3-dioxane, 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran (THF), tetrahydropyran, glyme, diglyme, triglyme or tetraglyme, or any mixture thereof.

A lead-acid battery is disclosed. The lead-acid storage battery has a container with a cover, the container including one or more compartments. One or more cell elements are provided in the one or more compartments. The one or more cell elements include a positive plate, the positive plate having a positive grid and a positive electrochemically active material on the positive grid; a negative plate, the negative plate having a negative grid and a negative electrochemically active material on the negative grid, wherein the negative electrochemically active material comprises barium sulfate and an organic expander; and a separator between the positive plate and the negative plate. Electrolyte is provided within the container. One or more terminal posts extend, from the cover and are electrically coupled to the one or more cell elements.

An article includes a polymer. The polymer includes a product of a crosslinking reaction including at least one cross-linker selected from the group consisting of: a) di-acrylates, tri-acrylates, and tetra-acrylates; b) modified tri-acrylates and tetra-acrylates; c) silanes and siloxanes; and d) triazinane-triones.

Provided are a negative electrode, which includes a current collector and a negative electrode active material layer disposed on the current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material layer includes a conductive material, a negative electrode active material, and a binder, the negative electrode active material includes a silicon-based active material having a convexity of 0.8 or more as measured using a particle shape analyzer, and the convexity is defined by the following Formula 1, and a secondary battery including the negative electrode.

Convexity (C.sub.x)=Convex hull perimeter (P.sub.c)/Actual perimeter (P)   [Formula 1]