A lithium primary battery including a current collecting wire that electrically connects an electrode body and a sealing body or a battery can, in which the electrode body includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator, the negative electrode includes at least one selected from the group consisting of metal lithium and a lithium alloy, the current collecting wire includes a first lead connected to one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a second lead connected to the sealing body or the battery can, and an overdischarge suppressing element interposed between the first lead and the second lead, the overdischarge suppressing element includes a first metal layer connected to the first lead, with the first metal layer being thinner than the first lead, a second metal layer connected to the second lead, with the second metal layer being thinner than the second lead, and a conductive layer interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer disposed to face each other, the conductive layer includes a resin and a conductive material dispersed in the resin, and the conductive material inserts lithium ions at a potential that is lower than that of the positive electrode.

A lithium-oxygen primary battery features using a catalyst-free electrolyte. Further, a lithium metal on the negative electrode thereof is decreased to reduce the N/P ratio. Therefore, the lithium-oxygen primary battery of the present invention has a lower cost. The lithium-oxygen primary battery of the present invention has a gravimetric energy density much higher than that of the lithium-oxygen secondary battery.

The present invention belongs to the technical fields of macromolecular materials and batteries, and particularly relates to a non-porous separator and the use thereof, more particularly to a non-porous separator having a gelation function and the use thereof. This non-porous separator is composed of two or more macromolecular materials, wherein at least one of the macromolecular materials can be gelled by an organic solvent. This non-porous separator can be used in batteries having an organic solvent-based electrolyte and a high energy density, such that not only can a micro-short circuit, generated due to the introduction of foreign matters such as metals, be prevented, leading to an improved qualification rate for the product, but also the safety performance and the cycle life of such a battery can be improved significantly.

An electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy to electrical energy includes a cathode with an active material of fluorinated carbon on a perforated metal cathode current collector, a lithium anode on a perforated metal anode current collector, a stepped header, a stable electrolyte, and a separator. In various embodiments, an anode current collector design, a cathode current collector design, a stepped header design, a cathode formulation, an electrolyte formulation, a separator, and a battery incorporating the electrochemical cell are provided.

An electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy to electrical energy includes a cathode with an active material of fluorinated carbon on a perforated metal cathode current collector, a lithium anode on a perforated metal anode current collector, a stepped header, a stable electrolyte, and a separator. In various embodiments, an anode current collector design, a cathode current collector design, a stepped header design, a cathode formulation, an electrolyte formulation, a separator, and a battery incorporating the electrochemical cell are provided.

A method of forming a package is provided and includes providing two laminate edge portions of the package, each of which includes a foil layer between first and second resin layers; and welding together the respective first resin layers at a first position spaced apart from the edges while not welding the respective first resin layers at the edges, wherein the edge portions include edges from which electrode terminals extend such that portions of the electrode terminals are exposed beyond the edges, and wherein the edge portions are between a sealing portion and exposed portions of positive and negative electrode terminals.

A primary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution. The positive electrode includes manganese dioxide. The negative electrode includes a lithium-based material. The electrolytic solution includes an alkali metal compound represented by Formula (1) and a dicarboxylic anhydride compound represented by Formula (2).

MeN(C.sub.xF.sub.2x+1SO.sub.2)(C.sub.yF.sub.2y+1SO.sub.2)  (1) where: Me is an alkali metal element; and x and y are each an integer of 0 or greater.

W(—C(═O)—O—C(═O)—).sub.z  (2) where: W is a benzene-based aromatic ring from which 2z-number of hydrogen atoms are eliminated; and z is an integer of 2 or greater.

A positive electrode active material having high capacity and excellent cycle performance is provided. The positive electrode active material has a small difference in a crystal structure between the charged state and the discharged state. For example, the crystal structure and volume of the positive electrode active material, which has a layered rock-salt crystal structure in the discharged state and a pseudo-spinel crystal structure in the charged state at a high voltage of approximately 4.6 V, are less likely to be changed by charge and discharge as compared with those of a known positive electrode active material.

A positive electrode active material having high capacity and excellent cycle performance is provided. The positive electrode active material has a small difference in a crystal structure between the charged state and the discharged state. For example, the crystal structure and volume of the positive electrode active material, which has a layered rock-salt crystal structure in the discharged state and a pseudo-spinel crystal structure in the charged state at a high voltage of approximately 4.6 V, are less likely to be changed by charge and discharge as compared with those of a known positive electrode active material.

An electrolyte composition comprising: a) a solvent comprising: a mixture of at least two saturated cyclic carbonates, at least one of these saturated cyclic carbonates being fluorinated, at least one ether, said at least one saturated cyclic carbonate representing at most 1.5% by weight of the solvent, said at least one ether representing at least 40% by weight of the solvent; b) at least one lithium salt other than lithium difluorophosphate; c) lithium difluorophosphate in an amount representing from 0.1 to 1% by weight relative to the sum of weight of the solvent and weight of said at least one lithium salt.

The use of this composition in an electrochemical cell comprising a lithium anode allows increased performance of the cell when it is discharged under a strong current at low temperature, and limited self-discharging when in operation at ambient temperature.