A sulfur cathode generated at least in part by in situ electrochemical pulverization of a metallic sulfide compound is provided. The in situ generated sulfur cathode suppresses the unfavorable process of polysulfide shuttling to provide enhanced sulfur cathode performance and is envisioned for use in Li—S, Na—S, K—S, Ca—S, Mg—S or Al—S batteries used to support rechargeable electronic devices and electric vehicles.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a pouch-shaped battery cell, the method including (a) forming an electrode assembly receiving portion in a laminate sheet to manufacture a preliminary battery case, (b) receiving an electrode assembly in the electrode assembly receiving portion and sealing other outer peripheries of the preliminary battery case excluding a first side outer periphery of the preliminary battery case, through which gas is discharged, (c) disposing a fixing jig at each of opposite end corner portions of a first side outer periphery of the electrode assembly receiving portion, (d) performing an activation process and a degassing process, (e) resealing the first side outer periphery of the electrode assembly receiving portion, and removing an end of the preliminary battery case, wherein step (d) to step (f) are performed in the state in which the corner portion is in tight contact with the inner surface of the fixing jig, which is technology capable of preventing the preliminary battery case from being deformed by force continuously applied to the preliminary battery case in a process of manufacturing the pouch-shaped battery cell.

A method of preparing a secondary battery which includes pre-lithiating an electrode assembly which includes an electrode structure including a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of separators, and a metal substrate. The plurality of electrodes and the plurality of separators are alternatingly, stacked. The metal substrate is present on an outermost surface of the electrode structure in a direction in which the electrode and the separator are stacked. Each positive electrode and negative electrode are spaced apart from each other with one separator of the plurality of separators disposed therebetween. The pre-lithiating includes applying a first current by electrically connecting one of the plurality of positive electrodes and one of the plurality of negative electrodes, and applying a second current by electrically connecting the metal substrate and one of the plurality of positive electrodes, after applying the first current.

Disclosed is a method of preparing a negative electrode which includes the steps of: forming a cell by sequentially stacking a preliminary negative electrode, a separator, and a lithium metal, immersing the cell in an electrolyte solution comprising a lithium salt and a solvent; applying a current after the cell is immersed in the electrolyte solution containing the lithium salt and the solvent, separating the preliminary negative electrode from the cell after removing the cell immersed in the electrolyte solution from the electrolyte solution, washing the separated preliminary negative electrode, performing a first drying on the washed preliminary negative electrode at room temperature, and performing a second drying on the first dried preliminary negative electrode at a temperature ranging from 30° C. to 70° C. in a vacuum state.

A method of manufacturing a negative electrode, which includes: applying a negative electrode slurry on a negative electrode current collector and subjecting the applied negative electrode slurry to a first roll-pressing to form a negative electrode active material layer; pre-lithiating the negative electrode active material layer to form a pre-lithiated negative electrode active material layer; and subjecting the pre-lithiated negative electrode active material layer to a second roll-pressing, wherein the negative electrode active material layer includes a silicon-based active material, and a ratio (p.sub.1/p.sub.2) of porosity (p.sub.1) of negative electrode active material layer after the first roll-pressing to porosity (p.sub.2) of negative electrode active material layer after the second roll-pressing is in a range of 1.05 to 1.65.

A method for producing a silicon anode for secondary batteries. Mesoporous silicon is used for the anode to provide space for volume expansion in the course of intercalation, especially of lithium ions. However, instead of coating a metal film with silicon, here metal is deposited onto a monocrystalline etched silicon wafer. It is essential that the silicon is monocrystalline and that the two flat sides of the wafer are (100)-oriented, i.e., perpendicular to the (100)-direction of the volumetric crystal.

An electrode for a lithium-ion battery. The electrode has at least one porous silicon layer and a copper layer. There is also described a battery with such an electrode, a method for producing an electrode of this kind, and the use of an electrode of this kind in a battery.

A method for producing a lithium-sulfur battery with an improved lifetime. This method includes an activation step of forming a positive electrode active material-derived compound from a compound including elemental sulfur by charging and discharging the lithium-sulfur battery, where the battery includes the compound including elemental sulfur and an electrolyte liquid. Additionally, the positive electrode active material-derived compound has a solubility of 1% by weight or greater in the electrolyte liquid. The lithium-sulfur battery may be charged and discharged in a range of greater than 2.0 V and less than 2.4 V in the activation step. Further, the lithium-sulfur battery may be charged and discharged 3 times to 10 times in the activation step. This method avoids a complicated application process of and active material in preparing a lithium-sulfur battery.

Disclosed is a method for activating a surface of metals, such as self-passivated metals, and of metal-oxide dissolution, effected using a fluoroanion-containing composition. Also disclosed is an electrochemical cell utilizing an aluminum-containing anode material and a fluoroanion-containing electrolyte, characterized by high efficiency, low corrosion, and optionally mechanical or electrochemical rechargeability. Also disclosed is a process for fusing (welding, soldering etc.) a self-passivated metal at relatively low temperature and ambient atmosphere, and a method for electrodepositing a metal on a self-passivated metal using metal-oxide source.

Disclosed is a current collector for an anode, the current collector including: a substrate with a first face; and at least one interfacing layer with a thickness less than 10 micrometers, preferentially less than 6 micrometers, in contact with the first face of the substrate, the interfacing layer having a roughness the depth of which is included between 0.5 micrometers and 10 micrometers.