Disclosed is a highly dense aggregate of brittle material particles having an interface at which the particles are bonded to each other and pores between the brittle material particles structuring the highly dense aggregate, where a porosity which is a volume ratio of the pores with respect to the whole of the highly dense aggregate is equal to or less than 20%, and a volume ratio of the pores communicating with an apparent outer surface of the highly dense aggregate with respect to a volume of all of the pores of the highly dense aggregate is equal to or higher than 65%.

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.

Nanoporous carbon-based scaffolds or structures, and specifically carbon aerogels and their manufacture and use thereof are provided. Embodiments include a silicon-doped anode material for a lithium-ion battery, where the anode material includes beads of a polyimide-derived carbon aerogel. The carbon aerogel may further include silicon particles and accommodates expansion of the silicon particles during lithiation. The anode material provides optimal properties for use within the lithium-ion battery.

A lithium composite oxide sintered body plate includes a porous structure in which a plurality of primary particles of a lithium composite oxide having a layered rock-salt structure are bonded is included, in which a porosity is 15 to 50%, a ratio of the primary particles whose average inclination angle being an average value of angles between a (003) plane of the plurality of primary particles and a plate surface of the sintered body plate is more than 0° and 30° or less is 60% or more, one or more additive elements selected from Nb, Ti, W are contained, and an addition amount of the one or more additive elements to an entire of the sintered body plate is 0.01 wt % or more and 2.0 wt % or less.

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.

A carbon foam formed of carbon fibers, where, at 90% or more of any 20 locations, the carbon fibers have a fiber diameter that is within ±20% of an average fiber diameter.

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.

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.

Components and systems to manage thermal runaway issues in electric vehicle batteries are provided. Exemplary embodiments include a heat control member. The heat control member can include reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance for use as heat control members and thermal barriers for batteries, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework reinforced with a fiber and including one or more opacifying additives.

Process for preparing a porous monolith comprising between 10% and 100% by weight of a semiconductor relative to the total weight of the porous monolith, which process comprises the following steps: a) a first aqueous suspension containing polymer particles is prepared; b) a second aqueous suspension containing particles of least one inorganic semiconductor is prepared; c) the two aqueous suspensions prepared in steps a) and b) are mixed in order to obtain a paste; d) a heat treatment of the paste obtained in step c) is carried out in order to obtain the monolith with multimodal porosity.