To provide a secondary battery in which a side reaction does not easily occur at an interface between a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte, an interface between the positive electrode active material and a positive electrode current collector, or the like even when charge and discharge are repeated. In one embodiment of the present invention, a buffer layer or a protective layer is provided on a current collector surface or between a current collector layer and an active material layer to prevent deterioration such as oxidation of the current collector. As the buffer layer or the protective layer, it is possible to use a titanium compound such as titanium oxide, titanium oxide in which nitrogen is substituted for part of oxygen, titanium nitride, titanium nitride in which oxygen is substituted for part of nitrogen, or titanium oxynitride (TiO.sub.xN.sub.y, where 0<x<2 and 0<y<1). Titanium nitride is particularly preferable because it has high conductivity and has a high capability of inhibiting oxidation.

Apparatus, systems, and methods described herein relate to safety devices for electrochemical cells comprising an electrode tab electrically coupled to an electrode, the electrode including an electrode material disposed on a current collector. In some embodiments, a fuse can be operably coupled to or formed in the electrode tab. In some embodiments, the fuse can be formed by removing a portion of the electrode tab. In some embodiments, the fuse can include a thin strip of electrically resistive material configured to electrically couple multiple electrodes. In some embodiments, the current collector can include a metal-coated deformable mesh material such that the current collector is self-fusing. In some embodiments, the fuse can be configured to deform, break, melt, or otherwise discontinue electrical communication between the electrode and other components of the electrochemical cell in response to a high current condition, a high voltage condition, or a high temperature condition.

Embodiments of the present invention are in the field of materials, apparatus, process, methods, and designs for manufacture of a thin film energy storage devices with a capacity greater then 1 mA-hr-cm.sup.−2 including thin film Lithium metal and Li+ ion batteries and capacitors having high energy density and high cycle life due to the incorporation of at least one vacuum thin film with respect to protection and electrical conductivity of the electrodes, and at least one vacuum thin film electrolyte for electrical insulation of the electrodes and ion conduction after assembly for low self discharge and high cycle life battery cells.

The present invention provides an aqueous electrolyte for use in rechargeable zinc-halide storage batteries that possesses improved stability and durability and improves zinc-halide battery performance. One aspect of the present invention provides an electrolyte for use in a secondary zinc bromine electrochemical cell comprising from about 30 wt % to about 40 wt % of ZnBr.sub.2 by weight of the electrolyte; from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of KBr; from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of KCl; and one or more quaternary ammonium agents, wherein the electrolyte comprises from about 0.5 wt % to about 10 wt % of the one or more quaternary ammonium agents.

A method for preparing an electrode for use in lithium batteries and the resulting electrodes are described The method comprises coating a slurry of silicon, sulfur doped graphene and polyacrylonitrile on a current collector followed by sluggish heat treatment.

A method for the preparation of an electrode comprising a substrate made of an aluminium based material, vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and an electrically conductive polymer matrix, the method comprising the following successive steps: (a) synthesising, on a substrate made of an aluminium based material, a carpet of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes according to the technique of CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) at a temperature less than or equal to 650° C.; (b) electrochemically depositing the polymer matrix on the carbon nanotubes from an electrolyte solution including at least one precursor monomer of the matrix, at least one ionic liquid and at least one protic or aprotic solvent. Further disclosed is the prepared electrode and a device for storing and returning electricity such as a supercapacitor comprising the electrode.

Provided is an electrode laminate for all-solid-state batteries, which is configured to suppress the occurrence of short circuits in all-solid-state batteries and/or to suppress a decrease in the durability of all-solid-state batteries, and which is configured to suppress an increase in the resistance value of all-solid-state batteries. Disclosed is an electrode laminate for all-solid-state batteries, comprising: a current collector complex comprising adhesive portions and a current collector portion that comprises at least a current collector, and an active material layer disposed on the current collector complex, wherein an active material layer-side main surface of the current collector portion and active material layer-side main surfaces of the adhesive portions are formed to be one flat surface, and the current collector portion and the active material layer are attached by the adhesive portions.

Electrodes and methods of forming electrodes are described herein. The electrode can be an electrode of an electrochemical cell or battery. The electrode includes a current collector and a film in electrical communication with the current collector. The film may include a carbon phase that holds the film together. The electrode further includes an electrode attachment substance that adheres the film to the current collector.

Implementations described herein generally relate to metal electrodes, more specifically lithium-containing anodes, high performance electrochemical devices, such as secondary batteries, including the aforementioned lithium-containing electrodes, and methods for fabricating the same. In one implementation, an anode electrode structure is provided. The anode electrode structure comprises a current collector comprising copper. The anode electrode structure further comprises a lithium metal film formed on the current collector. The anode electrode structure further comprises a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film stack formed on the lithium metal film. The SEI film stack comprises a chalcogenide film formed on the lithium metal film. In one implementation, the SEI film stack further comprises a lithium oxide film formed on the chalcogenide film. In one implementation, the SEI film stack further comprises a lithium carbonate film formed on the lithium oxide film.

An electrochemical apparatus includes a positive electrode. The positive electrode includes a current collector, a first material layer, and a second material layer. The second material layer is disposed on at least one surface of the current collector, and the first material layer is disposed between the current collector and the second material layer. The first material layer includes a leveling agent. A difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of thickness of the first material layer is less than or equal to 3 μm. The obtained positive electrode has high uniformity in thickness, and there is strong adhesion between the current collector and the first material layer, and between the second material layer and the first material layer.