A preparation method of a composite anode material of micrometer-sized carbon-coated silicon and carbon includes: subjecting micrometer-sized silicon particles to a chemical vapor deposition reaction under a gas atmosphere containing carbon to obtain carbon-coated first micrometer-sized silicon particles; dispersing the carbon-coated first micrometer-sized silicon particles in a first mixed solvent to obtain a dispersed solution; adding alkali into the dispersed solution and heating the dispersed solution to obtain carbon-coated second micrometer-sized silicon particles; dispersing the carbon-coated second micrometer-sized silicon particles and graphene oxide in a second mixed solvent that are subjected to a hydrothermal reaction to obtain a composite hydrogel of reduced graphene oxide, silicon, and carbon; and heating the hydrogel to obtain the composite anode material.

The invention provides process for producing a stable Si or Ge electrode structure comprising cycling a Si or Ge nanowire electrode until a structure of the Si nanowires form a continuous porous network of Si or Ge ligaments.

Various methods and apparatus relating to three-dimensional battery structures and methods of manufacturing them are disclosed and claimed. In certain embodiments, a three-dimensional battery comprises a battery enclosure, and a first structural layer within the battery enclosure, where the first structural layer has a first surface, and a first plurality of conductive protrusions extend from the first surface. A first plurality of electrodes is located within the battery enclosure, where the first plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes, and wherein the first plurality of electrodes includes a second plurality of electrodes selected from the first plurality of electrodes, each of the second plurality of electrodes being in contact with the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions. Some embodiments relate to processes of manufacturing energy storage devices with or without the use of a backbone structure or layer.

An apparatus for manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary cell negative-electrode carbon material by heat-treating carbon particles while causing the carbon particles to flow within a heat-treatment furnace, the apparatus having a heat-treatment furnace provided with a carbon-particle supply opening for supplying the carbon particles into the interior, and a negative-electrode carbon material recovery opening for taking out the negative-electrode carbon material from the interior and a cooling tank connected in an airtight manner to the negative-electrode carbon material recovery opening of the heat-treatment furnace, and provided with a cooling means.

A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a lithium (Li)-based film on a surface of a substrate includes a reaction chamber, in which the substrate is disposed; a first source supply configured to supply a Li source material into the reaction chamber; a second source supply configured to supply phosphor (P) and oxygen (O) source materials and a nitrogen (N) source material into the reaction chamber; a power supply configured to supply power into the reaction chamber to generate plasma in the reaction chamber; and a controller configured to control the power supply to turn on or off generation of the plasma.

A method for the preparation of an electrode comprising a substrate made of an aluminium based material, vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and an electrically conductive polymer matrix, the method comprising the following successive steps: (a) synthesising, on a substrate made of an aluminium based material, a carpet of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes according to the technique of CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) at a temperature less than or equal to 650° C.; (b) electrochemically depositing the polymer matrix on the carbon nanotubes from an electrolyte solution including at least one precursor monomer of the matrix, at least one ionic liquid and at least one protic or aprotic solvent. Further disclosed is the prepared electrode and a device for storing and returning electricity such as a supercapacitor comprising the electrode.

A method for processing a negative electrode plate, a sodium-metal negative electrode plate and related devices. In a vacuum environment, the metal vapor reacts with oxygen, and the metal oxide formed by the reaction is plated on the surface of the sodium-metal negative electrode plate to form a metal oxide protective layer with high mechanical strength and stable chemical properties. The metal oxide protective layer can greatly reduce the phenomenon of low yield and performance deterioration caused by the reaction of sodium metal with air and water during the processing of the sodium-metal negative electrode plate. Since the metal oxide has a nanoscale thickness, it can form a corresponding sodium salt with sodium metal under electrochemical conditions, thereby improving the sodium ion transport rate on the surface of the sodium-metal negative electrode plate and improving the battery’s kinetic performance.

A method of preparing a positive electrode active material for a secondary battery includes preparing a lithium composite transition metal oxide which includes nickel, cobalt, and manganese and contains 60 mol % or more of the nickel among all metals except lithium, adding a moisture absorbent and the lithium composite transition metal oxide into an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor, and adding a coating metal precursor into the atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor and forming a metal oxide coating layer on surfaces of particles of the lithium composite transition metal oxide by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

A rechargeable battery includes at least an electrolyte layer, a cathode layer and an anode layer. The electrolyte layer includes a lithium salt compound arranged between a cathode surface of the cathode layer and an anode surface of the anode layer. The anode layer is a nanostructured silicon containing thin film layer including a plurality of columns, wherein the columns are directed in a first direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the anode surface of the silicon thin film layer. The columns are arranged adjacent to each other while separated by grain-like column boundaries running along the first direction. The columns include silicon and have an amorphous structure in which nano-crystalline regions exist.

A positive-electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is provided. The material includes a lithium oxide compound or a complex oxide as reactive substance. The material also includes at least one type of carbon material, and optionally a binder. A first type of carbon material is provided as a coating on the reactive substance particles surface. A second type of carbon material is carbon black. And a third type of carbon material is a fibrous carbon material provided as a mixture of at least two types of fibrous carbon material different in fiber diameter and/or fiber length. Also, a method for preparing the material as well as lithium secondary batteries including the material is provided.