Described herein are electrodes, electrochemical cells, methods of making electrodes and methods of making electro-chemical cells. The electrodes described herein have an interface layer or material that can stabilize reversible alkali metal deposition. The interface material may correspond to or be a solid-electrolyte interphase that can allow alkali metal ions to transmit through and be deposited below the interface material. The interface material can prevent dendrite formation and/or decomposition of the electrolyte, enabling use of lithium metal safely in a secondary (i.e., rechargeable) electrochemical cell. The interface material may comprise a combination of one or more metals, one or more chalcogens, and one or more other elements or organic functional groups.

The present invention provides compositions including polyelectrolyte complexes. The composition includes: 1) an inorganic salt comprising a metal ion having a charge of at least +1 and an anion having a charge of at least −1; and 2) a complex comprising a first species and a second species, wherein the first species is a positively charged polymerizable monomer or a first charged polymer comprising one or more positively charged monomer repeat units; the second species is a negatively charged polymerizable monomer or a second charged polymer comprising one or more negatively charged monomer repeat units; and the complex has a net charge of near zero. These compositions are useful for ion selective applications in electrochemical devices.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a separator, and a separator obtained thereby. The method for manufacturing a separator includes applying a solvent for pore impregnation onto a first surface of a porous polymer substrate, before applying slurry for forming a first porous coating layer and a second porous coating layer. In this manner, it is possible to provide a separator which has a small deviation in physical properties between the porous coating layers on the first surface and the second surface of the porous polymer substrate.

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a separator, and a separator obtained thereby. The method for manufacturing a separator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes applying a solvent for pore impregnation onto a porous polymer substrate, before applying slurry for forming a porous coating layer thereto. In this manner, it is possible to provide a separator which shows a small deviation in physical properties between the porous coating layers formed on the top surface and the back surface of the porous polymer substrate.

A unit cell including a thermochromic polymer and a defect detection method using the same are disclosed. Preferably, the unit cell includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein the separator includes a thermochromic polymer configured such that the color of the thermochromic polymer changes depending on temperature, whereby the unit cell is easily checked to indicate a short circuit, as well as damage to or defects of the separator.

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one battery cell including a vent portion configured to force gas out; and a pack case in which the at least one battery cell is accommodated such that the vent portion faces a lower side of the battery pack. The vent portion is exposed from the battery pack.

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one battery cell including a vent portion configured to force gas out; and a pack case in which the at least one battery cell is accommodated such that the vent portion faces a lower side of the battery pack. The vent portion is exposed from the battery pack.

A battery pack includes at least one battery cell; a protection circuit module electrically connected to the at least one battery cell; and a thermocompression bonding layer, the thermocompression bonding layer providing a disconnectable electrical connection between an electrode tab of the at least one battery cell and a connection tab of the protection circuit module, wherein the thermocompression bonding layer includes conductive particles and an insulating composite resin layer, the insulating composite resin layer surrounds the conductive particles, and the insulating composite resin layer includes at least one first resin layer and at least one second resin layer, the at least one first resin layer being different from the at least one second resin layer.

A battery pack includes at least one battery cell; a protection circuit module electrically connected to the at least one battery cell; and a thermocompression bonding layer, the thermocompression bonding layer providing a disconnectable electrical connection between an electrode tab of the at least one battery cell and a connection tab of the protection circuit module, wherein the thermocompression bonding layer includes conductive particles and an insulating composite resin layer, the insulating composite resin layer surrounds the conductive particles, and the insulating composite resin layer includes at least one first resin layer and at least one second resin layer, the at least one first resin layer being different from the at least one second resin layer.

A separator for power storage devices includes a synthetic resin film having minute pore portions, the separator having an air resistance of 30 sec/100 mL/16 μm or more and 100 sec/100 mL/16 μm or less, and a first scattering peak in a stretching direction measured by small-angle X-ray scattering measurement (SAXS) present in a range where a scattering vector is 0.0030 nm.sup.−1 or more and 0.0080 nm.sup.−1 or less.

In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to one exemplary embodiment, a separator includes a substrate, a first filler layer containing phosphate particles and formed on at least one surface of the substrate, and a second filler layer containing inorganic particles and formed on a surface of the first filler layer on the side of the at least one surface of the substrate. The phosphate particles have a BET specific surface area of 5 m.sup.2/g or more and 100 m.sup.2/g or less.