Devices that convert heat into electricity, and methods for a fabrication of the same are provided. The asymmetric thermo-electrochemical capacitor uses a GO-based positive electrode and a battery-type negative electrode to open up the operating voltage window and enhance the electrical discharge capacity for converting low-grade heat into electricity with excellent efficiency, fast thermo-charging time, and stable cycles. The thermo-electrochemical device includes a carbon-based positive electrode, a conductive polymer or a metal-organic framework as negative electrode, a current collector, and a porous separator.

The present invention provides a solvent-free process for producing foil with a functional coating containing an active material and a meltable polymer, the foil with a functional coating and its use as an electrode foil, electrolyte in solid-state batteries or separator for electrochemical storage. The process comprises scattering a dry powder mixture onto a foil, melting the dry powder mixture, and calendering the foil covered with the molten powder.

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

Provided is a composite layer of graphene sheets and anode particles being dispersed in a conducting polymer network for a lithium battery anode (negative electrode), the layer comprising a mixture of a conducting polymer network, multiple graphene sheets, and multiple particles of an anode active material, wherein the anode particles have a diameter or thickness from 0.5 nm to 20 μm and occupy from 30% to 98% by weight, the graphene sheets occupy from 0.01% to 25% by weight, and the conducting polymer network occupies from 1% to 30% by weight based on the total mixture weight and wherein the graphene sheets and the conducting polymer network together form dual conducting pathways for both electrons and lithium ions having an electron conductivity from 10.sup.−8 S/cm to 10.sup.3 S/cm and lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.−8 to 5.0×10.sup.−3 S/cm when measured at room temperature.

A electrochemical device negative electrode includes: a negative electrode core material; and a negative electrode material layer supported on the negative electrode core material. The negative electrode material layer contains a carbon material. And a surface layer portion of the negative electrode material layer has a lithium carbonate-containing region.

A coating composition is described. The coating composition has a plurality of particles of a solid, ionically conductive polymer material. The solid, ionically conductive polymer material has an ionic conductive greater than 1×10-4 S/cm at room temperature, and the solid, ionically conductive polymer material is in a glassy state at room temperature. The coating composition also has a plurality of particles of an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material has an electrical conductivity at room temperature greater that 1×102 S/cm. The coating composition additionally has a plurality of particles of a binder. The binder holds the particles of the composition to form a cohesive coating. Battery and battery components using the coating composition are also described.

Provided is a method of improving the cycle-life of a lithium metal secondary battery, the method comprising implementing an anode-protecting layer between an anode active material layer (or an anode current collector layer substantially without any lithium when the battery is made) and a porous separator/electrolyte assembly, wherein the anode-protecting layer is in a close physical contact with the anode active material layer (or the anode current collector), has a thickness from 10 nm to 500 μm and comprises an elastic polymer foam having a fully recoverable compressive elastic strain from 2% to 500% and interconnected pores and wherein the anode active material layer contains a layer of lithium or lithium alloy, in a form of a foil, coating, or multiple particles aggregated together, as an anode active material.

One variation of the method includes: receiving a section of a substrate tape including a substrate within a coating zone; depositing a constellation of separator material droplets over the first substrate, each droplet in the constellation of separator material droplets including a first solvent, a first polymer, and a second polymer; heating the substrate and the proportion of the separator material to a first temperature; dissolving the second polymer out of the constellation of separator material droplets to render an open-celled network of pores by washing the constellation of separator material droplets and the substrate with a second solvent; and irradiating the constellation of separator material droplets to crosslink the first polymer and form a discrete separator layer with the open-celled network of pores sized to transport ions through the discrete separator layer.

A lithium secondary battery includes a cell stack having one or more unit cells. Each of the one or more unit cells includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The lithium secondary battery includes a lithium nitrate holder in a solid state, an electrolyte solution, and a battery case. The cell stack, the lithium nitrate holder in the solid state, and the electrolyte solution are in the battery case.

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.