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.

Known processes for preparing a porous carbon material with a hierarchical porosity comprise the steps of a) providing at least one carbon source and at least one amphiphilic species, b) combining the carbon source and the amphiphilic species to obtain a precursor material, and c) heating the precursor material to obtain the porous carbon material having a modal pore size and a pore volume. In order to avoid a lengthy hydrothermal treatment and to allow tunability of the pore size, pore size distribution and pore volume in carbon material, it is proposed that the heating step c) comprises a low temperature treatment in which the precursor material is heated to a first temperature in the range between 300° C. and 600° C. to obtain a self-assembled porous carbonaceous material, and wherein heating to the first temperature comprises a first average heating rate in the range of 0.5° C./min to 5° C./min.

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.

The present invention relates to a synthetic mineral composition. The present invention also relates to a method of forming a synthetic mineral composition. The present invention also relates to uses of a synthetic mineral composition.

The present invention relates to a glass-ceramic material. The present invention also relates to a method of forming a glass-ceramic material. The present invention also relates to uses of a glass-ceramic material.

A solid state electrolyte material including a decontaminated lithium conducting ceramic oxide material including a decontaminated surface thickness. The decontaminated surface thickness is less than or equal to 5 nm. The decontaminated surface thickness may be greater than or equal to 1 nm. The decontaminated lithium conducting ceramic oxide material may be selected from the group consisting of Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLZO), Li.sub.5La.sub.3Ta.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLTO), Li.sub.6La.sub.2CaTa.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLCTO), Li.sub.6La.sub.2ANb.sub.2O.sub.12 (A is Ca or Sr), Li.sub.1+xAl.sub.xGe.sub.2-x(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LAGP), Li.sub.14Al.sub.0.4(Ge.sub.2-xTi.sub.x).sub.1.6(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LAGTP), perovskite Li.sub.3xLa.sub.2/3-xTiO.sub.3 (LLTO), Li.sub.0.8La.sub.0.6Zr.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LLZP), Li.sub.1+xTi.sub.2-xAl.sub.x(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LTAP), Li.sub.1+x+yTi.sub.2-xAl.sub.xSi.sub.y(PO.sub.4).sub.3-y (LTASP), LiTi.sub.xZr.sub.2-x(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LTZP), Li.sub.2Nd.sub.3TeSbO.sub.12 and mixtures thereof.

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±δ (wherein, 1.0≤x≤1.1, 0<y≤0.1, 0≤δ<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 μm or less, an open porosity of 70% or more, and a thickness of 15 to 200 μm. The plurality of primary grains has a primary grain diameter, i.e., a mean diameter of the primary grains, of 20 μm 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.

New copper-coated titanium diboride electrodes are disclosed. The copper-coated titanium diboride electrodes may be used in an aluminum electrolysis cell. In one embodiment, a method includes installing the copper-coated titanium diboride electrode in the aluminum electrolysis cell and operating the aluminum electrolysis cell. During start-up, the aluminum electrolysis cell may be preheated and a bath may be formed from a molten electrolyte. Alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) may in the added to the bath and reduced to aluminum metal. At least some of the copper film of the copper-coated titanium diboride electrode may be replaced by an aluminum film, thereby forming an aluminum-wetted titanium diboride electrode.

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.