A thermal battery can include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. A thermal battery can also include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having an oxide selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5 or LiVO.sub.3; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. In one aspect, a metal of the metal fluoride cathode includes Ni, Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, or mixture thereof. In one aspect, the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF.sub.2, FeF.sub.3, VF.sub.3, CrF.sub.3, MnF.sub.3, CoF.sub.3, or a mixture thereof. A method of providing electricity can include: providing an electronic device having a thermal battery with a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni and/or having an oxide selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5 or LiVO.sub.3; and discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.

The present invention has for its object to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte for lithium air batteries capable of simultaneously holding back positive electrode overvoltage, reactions of the negative electrode with the electrolyte and dendrite growth during charging thereby making an improvement in the output performance, and a lithium air battery using the same. The invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte for lithium air batteries, containing an organic solvent and a lithium salt. The lithium salt contains at least LiX (where X stands for Br and/or I) and lithium nitrate. The molar concentration (mol/L) of LiX in the non-aqueous electrolyte satisfies a range of no less than 0.005 to no greater than 2.0, and the molar concentration (mol/L) of the lithium nitrate in the non-aqueous electrolyte satisfies a range of greater than 0.1 to no greater than 2.0.

A hybrid solid-state electrolyte is disclosed. The hybrid solid-state electrolyte includes an inorganic ion-conducting membrane. The hybrid solid-state electrolyte further includes a first layer of an organic liquid solution surrounding a surface of the inorganic ion-conducting membrane. The hybrid solid-state electrolyte further includes a second layer of an ion-conducting polymer surrounding the first layer of the organic liquid solution.

A hybrid solid-state electrolyte is disclosed. The hybrid solid-state electrolyte includes an inorganic ion-conducting membrane. The hybrid solid-state electrolyte further includes a first layer of an organic liquid solution surrounding a surface of the inorganic ion-conducting membrane. The hybrid solid-state electrolyte further includes a second layer of an ion-conducting polymer surrounding the first layer of the organic liquid solution.

An electrolyte composition can be capable of becoming molten when heated sufficiently. The electrolyte can include at least one lithium halide salt; and at least one lithium non-halide salt combined with the at least one lithium halide salt so as to form an electrolyte composition capable of becoming molten when above a melting point about 350° C. A lithium halide salt includes a halide selected from F and Cl. A first lithium non-halide salt can be selected from the group consisting of LiVO.sub.3, Li.sub.2SO.sub.4, LiNO.sub.3, and Li.sub.2MoO.sub.4. A thermal battery can include the electrolyte composition, such as in the cathode, anode, and/or separator region therebetween. The battery can discharge electricity by having the electrolyte composition at a temperature so as to be a molten electrolyte.

High capacity alkali metal/oxygen batteries, e.g. Li/O.sub.2 batteries, employing molten salt electrolytes comprising alkali metal cations and nitrate anions are disclosed. Batteries of the present invention operate at an intermediate temperature ranging from 80 C. to 250 C. Molten alkali metal nitrate electrolytes employed in O.sub.2 electrodes within this temperature range provide alkali metal/oxygen batteries having significantly improved efficiency and rechargeability compared to prior art systems.

The present invention has for its object to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte for lithium air batteries capable of simultaneously holding back positive electrode overvoltage, reactions of the negative electrode with the electrolyte and dendrite growth during charging thereby making an improvement in the output performance, and a lithium air battery using the same. The invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte for lithium air batteries, containing an organic solvent and a lithium salt. The lithium salt contains at least LiX (where X stands for Br and/or I) and lithium nitrate. The molar concentration (mol/L) of LiX in the non-aqueous electrolyte satisfies a range of no less than 0.005 to no greater than 2.0, and the molar concentration (mol/L) of the lithium nitrate in the non-aqueous electrolyte satisfies a range of greater than 0.1 to no greater than 2.0.

A thermal battery can include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. The electrolyte composition can be a tertiary electrolyte composition of LiFLiClLi.sub.2SO.sub.4. A thermal battery can also include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having an oxide selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5 or LiVO.sub.3; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. In one aspect, a metal of the metal fluoride cathode includes Ni, Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, or mixture thereof. In one aspect, the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF.sub.2, FeF.sub.3, VF.sub.3, CrF.sub.3, MnF.sub.3, CoF.sub.3, or a mixture thereof. A method of providing electricity can include: providing an electronic device having a thermal battery with a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni and/or having an oxide selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5 or LiVO.sub.3; and discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.

A thermal battery can include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. A thermal battery can also include: an anode of lithium alloy; a metal-fluoride cathode having an oxide selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5 or LiVO.sub.3; and an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and cathode. In one aspect, a metal of the metal fluoride cathode includes Ni, Fe, V, Cr, Mn, Co, or mixture thereof. In one aspect, the metal-fluoride cathode includes NiF.sub.2, FeF.sub.3, VF.sub.3, CrF.sub.3, MnF.sub.3, CoF.sub.3, or a mixture thereof. A method of providing electricity can include: providing an electronic device having a thermal battery with a metal-fluoride cathode having Ni and/or having an oxide selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5 or LiVO.sub.3; and discharging the thermal battery to provide electricity.

A lithium and zinc ion bi-polar battery includes, in one example, a plurality of carbon or titanium bi-polar current collectors arranged with cells to form a stack of bi-polar configuration such that each of the bi-polar current collectors is between and in direct contact with a zinc electrode and lithium-ion intercalation electrode of an adjacent pair of the cells.