This invention relates to the field of energy storage devices, and especially electrochemical energy storage devices where an electroactive moiety is chemically attached to a conductive polymer In particular, the invention relates to the design and fabrication of electrodes for the use in electrochemical storage devices having an electrochemically active conjugate. The electrochemically active conjugate preferably has an electroactive moiety selected from electroactive metal center, an electroactive organic species, or an electroactive non-metal species. Depending on the selected electroactive moiety, it can be attached either directly or through an appropriate linker to the conductive polymer.

A material comprising an ionically conducting polymer (ICP) positioned between and in direct contact with two electronically conducting polymers (ECP).

A method for depositing lithium on a substrate to form an electrode is provided. The method includes applying a printable lithium composition comprised of lithium metal powder, a polymer binder compatible with the lithium metal powder, a rheology modifier compatible with the lithium metal powder and a solvent compatible with the lithium metal powder and with the polymer binder, to a substrate.

A solid-state battery comprising a cathode, an anode and a solid electrolyte is provided. In one embodiment, the cathode, anode and/or solid electrolyte is formed from a printable lithium composition including lithium metal powder, a polymer binder compatible with the lithium metal powder, a rheology modifier compatible with the lithium metal powder, and a solvent compatible with the lithium metal powder and with the polymer binder. In another embodiment, lithium is deposited onto the solid electrolyte with a lithium printable lithium composition including lithium metal powder, a polymer binder compatible with the lithium metal powder, a rheology modifier compatible with the lithium metal powder, and a solvent compatible with the lithium metal powder and with the polymer binder.

The invention features a rechargeable cathode and a battery comprising the cathode. The cathode includes a solid, ionically conducting polymer material and electroactive sulfur. The battery contains a lithium anode; the cathode; and an electrolyte; wherein at least one of anode, the cathode and the electrolyte, include the solid, ionically conducting polymer material.

Copolymerization of elemental sulfur with functional comonomers afford sulfur copolymers having a high molecular weight and high sulfur content. Nucleophilic activators initiate sulfur polymerizations at relative lower temperatures and in solutions, which enable the use of a wider range of comonomers, such as vinylics, styrenics, and non-homopolymerizing comonomers. Nucleophilic activators promote ring-opening reactions to generate linear polysulfide intermediates that copolymerize with comonomers. Dynamic sulfur-sulfur bonds enable re-processing or melt processing of the sulfur polymer. Chalcogenide-based copolymers have a refractive index of about 1.7-2.6 at a wavelength in a range of about 5000 nm-8μ.Math.τ.Math.. The sulfur copolymer can be a thermoplastic or a thermoset for use in elastomers, resins, lubricants, coatings, antioxidants, cathode materials for electrochemical cells, dental adhesives/restorations, and polymeric articles such as polymeric films and free-standing substrates. Optical substrates are constructed from the chalcogenide copolymer and are substantially transparent in the visible and infrared spectrum.

A negative electrode active material, a negative electrode plate and a secondary battery. The negative electrode active material comprises a chelating resin and a metal ion. The chelating resin comprises a polymer skeleton and a chelating functional group. The chelating functional group is fixedly connected to the polymer skeleton via a chemical bond. The metal ion is connected with the chelating resin by an ionic bond and/or a coordinate bond via the chelating functional group. The chelating resin further comprises a free small molecular compound containing the chelating functional group. In the chelating resin, a mass percentage of the free small molecular compound containing the chelating functional is less than or equal to 1%. The metal ion is a divalent or multivalent metal ion. When the negative electrode active material is applied to the secondary battery, the secondary battery can achieve both high coulombic efficiency and high cycle stability.

The present invention provides a sulfur-based active material prepared using an inexpensive polymer material as a starting material and a method of preparing the sulfur-based active material. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery provided with an electrode comprising the sulfur-based active material has a large charging and discharging capacity and an excellent cyclability.

Provided is a positive electrode material that allows reducing the low-temperature resistance of a secondary battery. The positive electrode material of a secondary battery includes positive electrode active material particles each having a void in the interior, and a compound (A) that is present at least within the void. The average diameter of the void is not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 1 μm. The compound (A) is a nitrile group-containing polymer, and the proportion of nitrogen atoms, relative to metal atoms included in the positive electrode active material particles, other than lithium, is not less than 1 atom % and not more than 10 atom %; alternatively, the compound (A) is an alkoxysilane compound, and then the proportion of silicon atoms, relative to metal atoms included in the positive electrode active material particles, other than lithium, is not less than 1 atom % and not more than 10 atom %.

The present invention provides a sulfur-based active material prepared using an inexpensive polymer material as a starting material and a method of preparing the sulfur-based active material. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery provided with an electrode comprising the sulfur-based active material has a large charging and discharging capacity and an excellent cyclability.