Provided are a lithium ion secondary battery electrode that occurrence of short-circuit and contamination can be reduced and the method for manufacturing such a lithium ion secondary battery electrode. An electrode used for a lithium ion secondary battery includes a current collector formed of a metal porous body. The current collector has a mixture layer impregnated with an electrode material mixture containing an electrode active material and a non-mixture-impregnated portion not impregnated with the electrode material mixture and including a tab portion and a tab converging portion. The surface roughness Ra of the non-mixture-impregnated portion is equal to or less than the surface roughness of the mixture layer.

An electrolyte element (10) comprises a perforated sheet (11) of non-reactive metal such as an aluminium-bearing ferritic steel, and a non-permeable ceramic layer (16b) of sodium-ion-conducting ceramic bonded to one face of the perforated sheet (11) by a porous ceramic sub-layer (16a). The perforated sheet (11) may be of thickness in the range 50 μm up to 500 μm, and the thickness of the non-permeable ceramic layer (16b) may be no more than 50 μm, for example 20 μm or 10 μm. Thus the electrolyte properties are provided by the non-permeable thin layer (16b) of ceramic, while mechanical strength is provided by the perforated sheet (11). The electrolyte element (10) may be used in a rechargeable molten sodium-metal halide cell, in particular a sodium/nickel chloride cell (20). It makes cells with increased power density possible.

The present invention provides a three-dimensional current collector used in a metal secondary battery and the preparation method of said current collector. Said current collector is a three-dimensional porous hollow carbon fiber current collector which has both porous structure and hollow structure and is used to load metal anode, so that lithium dendrites growth can be suppressed and the Coulombic efficiency can be improved. Said current collector is intertwined by micrometer-sized hollow carbon fibers with the diameter of 1 to 50 μm, the wall thick of 0.5 to 6 μm, and the pore volume of 0.005 to 0.05 cm.sup.3 cm.sup.−2.

The present invention relates to a uni-electrogrid lead acid battery and process of making the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to uni-electro grid plate comprising a) tubular unielectro grid plate comprising of positive tubular grid plate and negative flat grid plate; or flat unielectrogrid plate comprising of positive flat grid plate and negative flat grid plate; b) non-conductive substrate comprising positive tubular grid with positive active material on its first side and negative flat grid with negative active material on its second side; or positive flat grid with positive active material on its first side and negative flat grid with negative active material on its second side; c) at least single in one side of the grid or multiple interconnectors placed between the positive and negative grid; and d) sealant. Also, it provides tubular unielectro grid plate or flat unielectrogrid plate and process for preparing the same.

A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell includes transferring an anode semi-solid suspension to an anode compartment defined at least in part by an anode current collector and an separator spaced apart from the anode collector. The method also includes transferring a cathode semi-solid suspension to a cathode compartment defined at least in part by a cathode current collector and the separator spaced apart from the cathode collector. The transferring of the anode semi-solid suspension to the anode compartment and the cathode semi-solid to the cathode compartment is such that a difference between a minimum distance and a maximum distance between the anode current collector and the separator is maintained within a predetermined tolerance. The method includes sealing the anode compartment and the cathode compartment.

A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell includes transferring an anode semi-solid suspension to an anode compartment defined at least in part by an anode current collector and an separator spaced apart from the anode collector. The method also includes transferring a cathode semi-solid suspension to a cathode compartment defined at least in part by a cathode current collector and the separator spaced apart from the cathode collector. The transferring of the anode semi-solid suspension to the anode compartment and the cathode semi-solid to the cathode compartment is such that a difference between a minimum distance and a maximum distance between the anode current collector and the separator is maintained within a predetermined tolerance. The method includes sealing the anode compartment and the cathode compartment.

A method of forming a sulfur-based cathode material includes: 1) providing a sulfur-based nanostructure; 2) coating the nanostructure with an encapsulating material to form a shell surrounding the nanostructure; and 3) removing a portion of the nanostructure through the shell to form a void within the shell, with a remaining portion of the nanostructure disposed within the shell.

A method of forming a sulfur-based cathode material includes: 1) providing a sulfur-based nanostructure; 2) coating the nanostructure with an encapsulating material to form a shell surrounding the nanostructure; and 3) removing a portion of the nanostructure through the shell to form a void within the shell, with a remaining portion of the nanostructure disposed within the shell.

An electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode current collector spaced apart from the positive electrode, and an ionically conductive electrolyte disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode current collector is of unitary one-piece construction and has a three-dimensional porous structure that defines an interconnected network of open pores. During charging of the electrochemical cell, lithium metal is deposited within the open pores of the negative electrode current collector.

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes an electrode current collector, an intermediate layer, and an electrode active material layer. The intermediate layer is interposed between the electrode current collector and the electrode active material layer. The intermediate layer contains a metal-covered microcapsule. The metal-covered microcapsule includes a microcapsule and a metal film. The microcapsule includes a core and a shell. The shell surrounds the core. The core includes a volatile material. The shell includes a thermoplastic resin material. The metal film covers at least part of an outer surface of the microcapsule.