The invention relates to a noncrosslinked gelled carbonaceous composition and a pyrolyzed composition respectively forming an aqueous polymer gel and the pyrolysate thereof in the form of porous carbon. The invention also relates to the production method thereof, to a porous carbon electrode formed by the pyrolyzed composition, and to a supercapacitor containing said electrodes. The gelled, noncrosslinked composition (G2) is based on a resin created at least partly from polyhydroxybenzene(s) R and formaldehyde(s) F and comprises at least one hydrosoluble cationic polyelectrolyte P. According to the invention, the composition forms a rheofluidifying physical gel. A pyrolyzed carbonaceous composition according to the invention, consisting of a carbon monolith, is the product of coating, crosslinking, drying and pyrolysis of the non-crosslinked gelled composition, the carbon monolith being predominantly microporous and able to form a supercapacitor electrode having a thickness of less than 1 mm.

The disclosure relates to a process for preparing particulate materials having high electrochemical capacities that are suitable for use as anode active materials in rechargeable metal-ion batteries. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a process for preparing a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles. The process includes providing particulate porous carbon frameworks comprising micro pores and/or mesopores, wherein the porous carbon frameworks have a D.sub.50 particle diameter of at least 20 m; depositing an electroactive material selected from silicon and alloys thereof into the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon frameworks using a chemical vapour infiltration process in a fluidised bed reactor, to provide intermediate particles; and comminuting the intermediate particles to provide said composite particles.

Provided are separators for use in an electrochemical cell comprising (a) an inorganic oxide and (b) an organic polymer, wherein the inorganic oxide comprises organic substituents. Also provided are electrochemical cells comprising such separators.

Provided is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate for use in a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery. The lithium complex oxide sintered plate has a structure where a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure are bonded, and has a porosity of 3 to 40%, a mean pore diameter of 15 m or less, an open pore rate of 70% or more, and a thickness of 40 to 200 m, a primary grain diameter of 20 m or less, the primary grain diameter being a mean diameter of the primary grains, and a mean pore aspect ratio of 1.2 or more.

Disclosed is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate including a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure, the primary grains being bonded. The lithium complex oxide has a composition represented by the formula: Li.sub.x(Co.sub.1-yM.sub.y)O.sub.2 (wherein, 1.0x1.1, 0<y=0.1, 0<1, and M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ni, Al, and Mn), and the primary grains have a mean tilt angle of more than 0 to 30 or less, the mean tilt angle being a mean value of the angles defined by the (003) planes of the primary grains and the plate face of the lithium complex oxide sintered plate.

Provided is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate for use in a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery. The lithium complex oxide sintered plate has a structure in which a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure are bonded, and has a porosity of 3 to 40%, a mean pore diameter of 15 m or less, an open porosity of 70% or more, and a thickness of 15 to 200 m. The plurality of primary grains has a primary grain diameter, i.e., a mean diameter of the primary grains, of 20 m or less and a mean tilt angle of more than 0 to 30 or less. The mean tilt angle is a mean value of the angles defined by the (003) planes of the primary grains and the plate face of the lithium complex oxide sintered plate.

An illustrated example method of making a porous carbon composite includes mixing a carbon-based material, a binder and pore former particles to establish a mixture. The mixture is placed into a mold where it is subjected to pressure at an ambient temperature to form a compacted body. Subsequently, the compacted body is heated to a temperature that causes at least partial removal of the pore former particles to establish pores in place of at least some of the pore former particles.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to a method of forming a composite including a carbon composite structure. The method includes disposing a precursor composition on a substrate. The composition includes a porogen component, a carbon component, and a catalyst component. The method further includes irradiating the precursor composition to form the carbon composite structure.

Composites of silicon and various porous scaffold materials, such as carbon material comprising micro-, meso- and/or macropores, and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. The compositions find utility in various applications, including electrical energy storage electrodes and devices comprising the same.

A process for the production of highly carbonaceous material, including combining a structured precursor including fibres and an unstructured precursor, in the form of a fluid, wherein the fluid has a viscosity of less than 45,000 mPa.Math.s.sup.1 at the temperature at which the combination step occurs, and including at least a cyclic organic or aromatic compound in the molten state, or in solution at a concentration by weight of less than or equal to 65%, in order to obtain a combined precursor corresponding to the structured precursor covered by the unstructured precursor, wherein the process further includes step of thermal and dimensional stabilization of the combined precursor in order to obtain fibres covered with a cyclic organic or aromatic compound deposit, and a step of carbonization of the fibres covered with a cyclic organic or aromatic compound deposit in order to obtain a highly carbonaceous material.