Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a thickness of the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 m thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a metal used for the current collector, and/or a lamination process that adheres the active material to the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 m thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

Nickel electrodes having high mechanical stability and advantageous electrochemical properties, in particular, enhanced gas evolution in water electrolysis, are described. These electrodes comprising electrically conductive nickel wire mesh or a lattice-like nickel expanded metal webs, and a layer of mutually adherent nanoporous nickel particles applied only to either the nickel mesh wires or the nickel expanded metal webs, obtainable by partially reducing the spherical nickel hydroxide particles in a reducing atmosphere between 270 to 330 C. to obtain partially reduced, spherical Ni/NiO particles, producing a paste from the Ni/NiO particles, an organic and/or inorganic binder, a surfactant and, optionally, additional adjuvants, applying the paste as a coating to the electrically conductive nickel mesh or nickel expanded metal, and annealing the coated nickel mesh or nickel expanded metal in a reducing atmosphere at 500 to 800 C. A method for manufacturing the nickel electrode is also described.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a current collector that has high strength and is easily impregnated with an electrolyte. This current collector is provided with an opening formation portion provided with a plurality of openings, the current collector being characterized in that a protruding portion is formed at the tip of each opening, and only partial locations of the opening formation portion reach an end surface of the current collector and the other locations thereof do not reach the end surface.

This disclosure relates to an SO.sub.2-based electrolyte for a rechargeable battery cell containing at least one conducting salt of the Formula (I)

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wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, metals of group 12 of the periodic table of the elements and aluminum; x is an integer from 1 to 3; the substituents R, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.1 alkenyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.1 alkynyl, C.sub.3-C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.14 aryl, and C.sub.5-C.sub.14 heteroaryl; and Z is aluminum or boron.

Synthesis process for new particles of Li.sub.4Ti.sub.5O.sub.12, Li.sub.(4-)Z.sub.Ti.sub.5O.sub.12 or Li.sub.4Z.sub.Ti.sub.(5-)O.sub.12, preferably having a spinel structure, wherein is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.5 (preferably having a spinel structure), representing a number greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.33, Z representing a source of at least one metal, preferably chosen from the group made up of Mg, Nb, Al, Zr, Ni, Co. These particles coated with a layer of carbon notably exhibit electrochemical properties that are particularly interesting as components of anodes and/or cathodes in electrochemical generators.

Provided is a battery comprising an iron electrode and an electrolyte comprised of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide and a soluble metal sulfide. In one embodiment, the concentration of sodium hydroxide in the electrolyte ranges from 6.0 M to 7.5 M, the amount of lithium hydroxide present in the electrolyte ranges from 0.5 M to 2.0 M, and the amount of metal sulfide present in the electrolyte ranges from 1 to 2% by weight.

A lithium-ion electrochemical cell comprising: at least one negative electrode comprising an active material having an operating potential greater than or equal to 1 V with respect to the potential of the electrochemical couple Li.sup.+/Li; at least one positive electrode; the negative electrode and/or the positive electrode comprising a binder selected from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyamideimide, polyimide, styrene-butadiene rubber and polyvinyl alcohol or a mixture thereof; a liquid electrolyte comprising a solvent which is an ionic liquid; a separator having a shrinkage of less than or equal to 3% in the direction of its length and in the direction of its width, after exposure to a temperature of 200 C. for a period of at least one hour.

This electrochemical cell can be used in charge or discharge at a temperature ranging from room temperature to 150 C. or higher.

Synthesis process for new particles of Li.sub.4Ti.sub.5O.sub.12, Li.sub.(4-)Z.sub.Ti.sub.5O.sub.12 or Li.sub.4Z.sub.Ti.sub.(5-)O.sub.12, preferably having a spinel structure, wherein is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.5 (preferably having a spinel structure), representing a number greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.33, Z representing a source of at least one metal, preferably chosen from the group made up of Mg, Nb, Al, Zr, Ni, Co. These particles coated with a layer of carbon notably exhibit electrochemical properties that are particularly interesting as components of anodes and/or cathodes in electrochemical generators.

A Water Activated Battery characterized by a) At least one anode selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, zinc and alloys thereof; b) A cathode comprising at least one basic copper salt comprising Cu(OH).sub.2 combined with a copper salt CuX (with n1 the molar ratio between the CuX and the Cu(OH).sub.2 in the basic copper salt), such that a discharge reaction in saline versus a Mg anode could be written nMg+Cu(OH).sub.2.(n-1)CuX=Mg(OH).sub.2+(n1)MgX+nCu) on a skeletal frame, the cathode further comprising a soluble, ionically conductive material; c) at least one cavity separating said cathode and said at least one anode; and d) a housing surrounding said at least one anode, cathode and cavity; (e) a lower aperture at the base of the housing for ingress of water and for expelling of heavier than water products of post immersion reaction, and (f) an upper aperture located near top of the housing for venting hydrogen generated by the post immersion reaction, wherein the upper aperture is positioned below the top of housing to create a cavity to provide a void for trapping hydrogen, so that hydrogen is only expelled from the cavity via the upper aperture after a quantity has accumulated, and is expelled in bubbles having a diameter of at least one millimeter.