The present invention relates to the application of a force to enhance the performance of an electrochemical cell. The force may comprise, in some instances, an anisotropic force with a component normal to an active surface of the anode of the electrochemical cell. In the embodiments described herein, electrochemical cells (e.g., rechargeable batteries) may undergo a charge/discharge cycle involving deposition of metal (e.g., lithium metal) on a surface of the anode upon charging and reaction of the metal on the anode surface, wherein the metal diffuses from the anode surface, upon discharging. The uniformity with which the metal is deposited on the anode may affect cell performance. For example, when lithium metal is redeposited on an anode, it may, in some cases, deposit unevenly forming a rough surface. The roughened surface may increase the amount of lithium metal available for undesired chemical reactions which may result in decreased cycling lifetime and/or poor cell performance. The application of force to the electrochemical cell has been found, in accordance with the invention, to reduce such behavior and to improve the cycling lifetime and/or performance of the cell.

A curved secondary battery may include a can having an opening, an electrode assembly accommodated in the can, and a cap plate coupled to the can. The cap plate may include a concave first side surface and a parallel convex second side surface, and a first surface and a second surface that connect the first and second side surfaces. The first surface may include a first groove extending along a lengthwise direction of the cap plate and positioned closer to the first side surface than to the second side surface.

Provided is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a bottomed cylindrical positive electrode casing, and a negative electrode casing which is fixed to an opening of the positive electrode casing through a gasket. The opening of the positive electrode casing is caulked to the negative electrode casing side to seal an accommodation space. A caulking tip end in the opening of the positive electrode casing is disposed in an inward direction of the negative electrode casing than a tip end of the negative electrode casing. A diameter d of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is in a range of 4 mm to 12 mm, a height h1 of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is in a range of 1 mm to 3 mm, a side surface portion of the positive electrode casing is formed in a curved surface shape, a radius of curvature R is set in a range of 0.8 mm to 1.1 mm, and a height h2 of the positive electrode casing is in a range of 65% to 90% with respect to the height h1 of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery.

The present disclosure relates to thermal management in battery cells and battery modules. A thermal assembly for a battery cell includes a battery cell having a battery cell packaging and a thermal pouch formed from a continuous carbon-based thermal film. The thermal pouch is configured to contact both the battery cell packaging and one or more thermal management features of a battery module with a first side of the carbon-based thermal film. Accordingly, the first side of the carbon-based thermal film is configured to provide uninterrupted thermal pathways along the first side of the carbon-based thermal film between the battery cell packaging and the one or more thermal management features of the battery module.

Systems and methods are provided for generating electric power using low grade thermal energy from a vehicle. The methods may include surrounding at least a portion of a coolant conduit system with a flexible thermo-electrochemical cell including a nanoporous cathode electrode, a nanoporous anode electrode, and an electrolyte. A coolant fluid may be circulated through the coolant conduit system, which is in thermal communication with a power generating unit, such as an internal combustion engine or fuel cell stack. The method includes maintaining a temperature gradient in the electrolyte solution by contacting the anode electrode with the coolant conduit system, and exposing the cathode electrode to a temperature lower than a temperature of the coolant conduit system. Generated electrical charges can be collected for subsequent use.

A battery housing including at least one interior space for accommodating at least one battery, and including at least one contact element which, in a connection position, establishes a connection to a counter-contact element, the connection passing through the battery housing out of the interior space and/or into the interior space, the connection being cut off in an out-of-contact position with the counter-contact element, the counter-contact element being situated on an insulation component movable relative to the battery housing, which is movable from a first position, in which the counter-contact element and the contact element are in the connection position, into a second position, in which the counter-contact element and the contact element are in the out-of-contact position, the contact element being thermally insulated in the out-of-contact position by the insulation component.

The present invention relates to a clamping device (300) for battery cells (100), characterized by: a container that comprises a space (310) with a variable volume for receiving a fluid, the container being designed such that a battery cell (100) or a plurality of battery cells (100) can be clamped. The invention also relates to a battery module, a battery, a battery system, a vehicle and a method for producing a battery module (20; 30; 40; 50; 60).

Battery packaging material wherein a sheet-like laminated body is formed by sequentially stacking at least a base layer, metal layer, and sealant layer, the battery packaging material being equipped with substantially rectangular space that is formed to protrude from the sealant layer side toward the base layer side, and accommodates a battery element on the sealant layer side. In planar view from the base layer side view, a first and second curved sections are provided from the center portion toward the battery packaging material end parts, in a cross section in the thickness direction on a line connecting opposing corner parts protruding in a substantially rectangular shape. The thickness (a) of the metal layer at the first curved section, (c) of the metal layer at the second curved section, and (b) of the metal layer at the section located between the first and second curved sections, satisfy the following relationship a≧b>c or a≧c>b.

A method for manufacturing a lithium ion secondary battery, the lithium ion secondary battery including a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed with a separator sandwiched therebetween and contained together with an electrolytic solution in an outer case including a flexible film, wherein the quantity of dissolved nitrogen in the electrolytic solution in injecting the electrolytic solution into the outer case is 100 μg/mL or less.

A pouched energy storage device can include a cell housing portion and a sealed portion. The device can also include a stack of electrodes housed within an inner region of the cell housing portion. Each electrode can have dimensions of width, length, and thickness. One or more electrodes can have at least one of the dimensions smaller than a corresponding dimension of other electrodes in the stack of electrodes. The device can also include an indentation on the cell housing portion adjacent the sealed portion. The indentation can form a stepped region in the inner region that is complimentary to the one or more electrodes having at least one of the dimensions smaller than a corresponding dimension of other electrodes in the stack of electrodes. The sealed portion can be folded onto the cell housing portion so that at least a part of the sealed portion resides in the indentation.