Porous solid materials are provided. The porous solid materials include a plurality of interconnected wires forming an ordered network. The porous solid materials may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 2 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 90 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 3% and 90% and an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm. The porous solid materials may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 3 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 72 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 80% and 95% and an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm. The porous solid materials (100) may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 3 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 85 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 65% and 90% and an electrical conductivity higher than 2000 S/cm. Methods for the fabrication of such porous solid materials and devices including such porous solid material are also disclosed.

At least one embodiment relates to a method for transforming at least part of a valve metal layer into a template that includes a plurality of spaced channels aligned longitudinally along a first direction. The method includes a first anodization step that includes anodizing the valve metal layer in a thickness direction to form a porous layer that includes a plurality of channels. Each channel has channel walls and a channel bottom. The channel bottom is coated with a first insulating metal oxide barrier layer as a result of the first anodization step. The method also includes a protective treatment. Further, the method includes a second anodization step after the protective treatment. The second anodization step substantially removes the first insulating metal oxide barrier layer, induces anodization, and creates a second insulating metal oxide barrier layer. In addition, the method includes an etching step.

The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery comprising: a current collector comprising a structure in a fabric form in which fiber bundles are cross-woven, wherein each of the fiber bundles is formed of sets of fiber yarns and each of the fiber yarns includes a polymer fiber and a metal layer surrounding the polymer fiber; and an electrode including an active material layer disposed on at least one surface of the current collector.

An electrolyte composition and a metal-ion battery employing the same are provided. The electrolyte composition includes a metal chloride, an imidazolium salt of Formula (I), an alkali halide, and an oxalate-containing borate ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are independently C.sub.1-8 alkyl, C.sub.2-8 alkenyl, C.sub.2-8 alkynyl, C.sub.1-8 alkoxy, C.sub.2-8 alkoxyalkyl, or C.sub.1-8 fluoroalkyl; and X.sup.− is F.sup.−, Cl.sup.−, Br.sup.−, or I.sup.−. The metal chloride is aluminum chloride, iron chloride, zinc chloride, copper chloride, manganese chloride, chromium chloride, or a combination thereof.

A negative electrode sheet and a manufacturing method thereof and a battery are provided in the disclosure. The negative electrode sheet includes a conductive fiber cloth, a support layer, and an active material layer. The conductive fiber cloth serves as a current collector of the negative electrode sheet. The support layer is formed on a surface of the conductive fiber cloth and includes multiple protruding units, where each of the multiple protruding units includes multiple needle-shaped protrusions, and the multiple needle-shaped protrusions of each protruding unit are arranged radially. The active material layer includes multiple active portions, where each of the multiple active portions is formed on a surface of one of the multiple needle-shaped protrusions, and different active portions are formed on surfaces of different needle-shaped protrusions.

A current collector in the form of a conductive substrate subjected to a special chemical etch to provide the current collector having a multi-thickness structure, is described. The multiple-thickness current collector structure provides an electrochemical cell with increased charge capacity per volume while enabling a robust weld connection thereto. The current collector has a frame and comprises within an inner perimeter of the frame, first strand structures that intersect second strand structures to provide a plurality of openings or interstices bordered by the strands. At least one tab portion having a thicker distal portion spaced from a thinner proximal tab portion that extends from an outer perimeter of the frame.

A current collector in the form of a conductive substrate subjected to a special chemical etch to provide the current collector having a multi-thickness structure, is described. The multiple-thickness current collector structure provides an electrochemical cell with increased charge capacity per volume while enabling a robust weld connection thereto. The current collector has a frame and comprises within an inner perimeter of the frame, first strand structures that intersect second strand structures to provide a plurality of openings or interstices bordered by the strands. At least one tab portion having a thicker distal portion spaced from a thinner proximal tab portion that extends from an outer perimeter of the frame.

A system for setting a specific value of a variable operating parameter of a machine usable with a plurality of different tools each requiring a different specific value of the operating parameter. The system may include a tag associated with a specific tool and containing stored data of a predetermined desired value of an operating parameter of the machine for the specific tool, a reader of the tool stored data of the desired value and a controller of the machine which uses at least some of the stored data to set the predetermined desired value of the variable operating parameter of the machine for its use of the specific tool or of a variable operating parameter of another machine which is dependent on the specific value of at least some of the stored data of the tag of the specific tool used in the machine. The machine may be one of a battery grid casting machine, a battery grid pasting machine, a battery paste making machine, a battery paste drying oven, a battery grid or plate cutting or trimming machine, a battery plate stacking machine, a robotic palletizing machine, or the like.

A system for setting a specific value of a variable operating parameter of a machine usable with a plurality of different tools each requiring a different specific value of the operating parameter. The system may include a tag associated with a specific tool and containing stored data of a predetermined desired value of an operating parameter of the machine for the specific tool, a reader of the tool stored data of the desired value and a controller of the machine which uses at least some of the stored data to set the predetermined desired value of the variable operating parameter of the machine for its use of the specific tool or of a variable operating parameter of another machine which is dependent on the specific value of at least some of the stored data of the tag of the specific tool used in the machine. The machine may be one of a battery grid casting machine, a battery grid pasting machine, a battery paste making machine, a battery paste drying oven, a battery grid or plate cutting or trimming machine, a battery plate stacking machine, a robotic palletizing machine, or the like.

Methods for manufacturing intermittently coated dry electrodes for energy storage devices and energy storage devices including the intermittently coated dry electrodes are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a metal layer and providing an electrochemically active free-standing film formed of a dry active material. The method also includes combining the electrochemically active free-standing film and the metal layer to form a combined layer. The method further includes removing a portion of the electrochemically active free-standing film from the combined layer so that the electrochemically active free-standing film is intermittently formed on the metal layer in a longitudinal direction of the metal layer.