A material for a negative electrode active material layer, an all-solid-state rechargeable battery, and a charging method thereof, the material including amorphous carbon, a first element that forms an alloy or compound with lithium by an electrochemical reaction, and a second element that does not form an alloy or compound with lithium by an electrochemical reaction, wherein the second element is an element belonging to the fourth period and Groups 3 to 11 of the periodic table.

A top cap for a secondary battery includes a circumferential area which defines an outer circumferential surface of the top cap, a central area which defines a central portion of the top cap, a connection area which connects the circumferential area to the central area, and a protrusion area which protrudes downward from the circumferential area, the central area, or the connection area. The top cap is assembled with a battery case, an electrode assembly positioned therein, and a through-hole formation member to form a secondary battery, in which at least a portion of the protrusion area of the top cap is positioned within a through-hole of the through-hole formation member.

An all-solid secondary battery including: a cathode; an anode; and a solid electrolyte layer interposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the cathode includes a cathode active material, wherein the anode includes an anode current collector and an anode active material layer on the anode current collector, wherein the anode active material layer includes a binder and an anode active material that does not include an alkali metal, wherein the binder includes a polymer main chain and a polyvinyl alcohol-containing copolymer, and wherein the polymer main chain includes polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl alcohol derivative, or a combination thereof, and the polyvinyl alcohol-containing copolymer has at least one repeating unit linked to the polymer main chain.

A lithium ion secondary battery includes: a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material layer on a surface of a positive electrode collector; a negative electrode a having a negative electrode active material layer on a surface of a negative electrode collector; and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the nonaqueous electrolyte are accommodated in a battery case. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains γ-butyrolactone as a main component of a nonaqueous solvent. A monoalkyl sulfate ion-derived coat is formed on the surface of the positive electrode active material layer. A VC-derived coat is formed on the surface of the negative electrode active material layer.

An electrochemical cell is provided herein as well as methods for preparing electrochemical cells. The electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode and a positive electrode. The negative electrode includes a prelithiated electroactive material including a lithium silicide. Lithium is present in the prelithiated electroactive material in an amount corresponding to greater than or equal to about 10% of a state of charge of the negative electrode. The electrochemical cell has a negative electrode capacity to positive electrode capacity for lithium (N/P) ratio of greater than or equal to about 1, and the electrochemical cell is capable of operating at an operating voltage of less than or equal to about 5 volts.

An electrode assembly and a lithium-ion battery are described. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode plate, a separator, and a negative electrode plate, where the negative electrode plate includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active substance layer, the negative electrode plate further includes a lithium metal layer, the lithium metal layer is formed by a plurality of regular or irregular strip-shaped lithium-rich regions, and the plurality of lithium-rich regions present a discontinuous pattern of spaced distribution in a length direction of the negative electrode plate. The electrode assembly further satisfies that: negative electrode capacity per unit area/positive electrode capacity per unit area=1.2 to 2.1 and negative electrode capacity per unit area/(positive electrode capacity per unit area+capacity of the lithium metal layer on the surface of the negative electrode active substance layer per unit area×80%)≥1.10.

A method for manufacturing a secondary battery includes a formation step for charging an assembled secondary battery to a state of charge (SOC) of 45% to 65%; an aging step for aging the secondary battery for which the formation has been completed; and a low voltage testing step for measuring the change in voltage value, wherein, in the low voltage testing step, a voltage value is measured in an SOC interval of 30% or lower. Since an SEI coating is stably formed in the method for manufacturing a secondary battery, charging time is shortened and thus the secondary battery can be mass-produced. In addition, since a low voltage test is performed in an interval in which the voltage change rate per capacity of a negative electrode is high, a low voltage defect due to non-uniformity of the formation process can be detected in the method for manufacturing the secondary battery.

A method of applying uniform pressure to an all-solid-state battery during activation of the battery and preventing an interface contact surface from being separated as the result of gas generated in the all-solid-state battery is provided. This method increases the lifespan of the battery and an all-solid-state battery manufactured using the same method.

Various arrangements for creating a cylindrical anti-dendrite anode-free solid-state battery are presented. An anti-dendrite layer may be layered between an anode current collector layer and the cathode layer. A layered stack may be created that comprises a dry separator layer, a cathode layer layered with a cathode current collector layer, and the anti-dendrite layer layered with the anode current collector layer. The layered stack may be rolled into a cylindrical jelly roll. The rolled layered stack may be inserted into a pouch. A liquid electrolyte mixture may be added into the pouch. The liquid electrolyte mixture can permeate the dry separator layer. Heat can be applied to the pouch that causes the liquid electrolyte mixture to become a gel. The rolled layered stack can then be removed from the pouch and inserted into a cylindrical battery cell canister.

A rechargeable lithium cell comprising: (a) a cathode having a cathode active material and a first electrolyte in ionic contact with the cathode active material; (b) an anode having an anode current collector but no anode active material and having no lithium metal when the cell is made; (c) an optional porous separator electronically separating the anode and the cathode; and (d) a second electrolyte, comprising a polymer electrolyte in ionic contact with the first electrolyte, wherein the polymer electrolyte is disposed substantially between the anode and the cathode, between the separator and the cathode, and/or between the separator and the anode. The polymer electrolyte substantially does not permeate into the anode or the cathode. Also provided is a method of preparing or operating such an anode-less lithium cell.