An electrode for use in an electrical energy storage apparatus includes: a carrier structure including a plurality of vacancies thereon; and an active material arranged to undergo chemical reaction during charging and/or discharging of the electrical energy storage apparatus; wherein the active material occupies the plurality of vacancies on the carrier structure.

An electrochemical cell for a lithium accumulator comprising: a negative electrode comprising metallic lithium as active material; a positive electrode associated with an aluminium current collector; and an electrolyte placed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, wherein the negative electrode is provided with a layer comprising a compound containing aluminium at its face in contact with the electrolyte, and in that the electrolyte comprises at least one lithium salt chosen from among lithium imide, lithium triflate, lithium perchlorate salts and mixtures thereof.

An anode for a lithium-based energy storage device such as a lithium-ion battery is disclosed. The anode includes an electrically conductive current collector comprising an electrically conductive layer and a transition metal oxide layer overlaying the electrically conductive layer. The anode may include a continuous porous lithium storage layer provided over the transition metal oxide layer. The continuous porous lithium storage layer may include at least 40 atomic % silicon. A method of making the anode may include providing an electrically conductive current collector having an electrically conductive layer and a transition metal oxide layer provided over the electrically conductive layer. The transition metal oxide layer may have an average thickness of at least 0.05 μm. A continuous porous lithium storage layer is deposited over the transition metal oxide layer by PECVD.

Porous solid materials are provided. The porous solid materials include a plurality of interconnected wires forming an ordered network. The porous solid materials may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 2 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 90 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 3% and 90% and an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm. The porous solid materials may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 3 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 72 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 80% and 95% and an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm. The porous solid materials (100) may have a predetermined volumetric surface area ranging between 3 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and 85 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3, a predetermined porosity ranging between 65% and 90% and an electrical conductivity higher than 2000 S/cm. Methods for the fabrication of such porous solid materials and devices including such porous solid material are also disclosed.

At least one embodiment relates to a method for transforming at least part of a valve metal layer into a template that includes a plurality of spaced channels aligned longitudinally along a first direction. The method includes a first anodization step that includes anodizing the valve metal layer in a thickness direction to form a porous layer that includes a plurality of channels. Each channel has channel walls and a channel bottom. The channel bottom is coated with a first insulating metal oxide barrier layer as a result of the first anodization step. The method also includes a protective treatment. Further, the method includes a second anodization step after the protective treatment. The second anodization step substantially removes the first insulating metal oxide barrier layer, induces anodization, and creates a second insulating metal oxide barrier layer. In addition, the method includes an etching step.

An anode for a lithium-based energy storage device such as a lithium-ion battery is disclosed. The anode includes an electrically conductive current collector comprising an electrically conductive layer and a transition metal oxide layer overlaying the electrically conductive layer. The anode may include a continuous porous lithium storage layer provided over the transition metal oxide layer. The continuous porous lithium storage layer may include at least 80 atomic % amorphous silicon and a silicide-forming metallic element in a range of 0.1 to 10 atomic %. A method of making the anode may include providing an electrically conductive current collector having an electrically conductive layer and a transition metal oxide layer provided over the electrically conductive layer. The transition metal oxide layer may have an average thickness of at least 0.05 μm. A continuous porous lithium storage layer is deposited over the transition metal oxide layer by PECVD.

Disclosed is a cathode current collector for an electrical energy storage device and a method for manufacturing the same, which improves adhesion between a current collector and an electrode material and provide a high reaction surface area, thereby improving the performance of the electrical energy storage. In particular, a first alumina film is formed on the surface of an aluminum foil using an anodic oxidation process. Next, the first alumina film formed on a surface of the aluminum foil is removed through etching and a second alumina film is formed on the surface of the aluminum foil, from which the first alumina film is removed, using the anodic oxidation process again. Subsequently, a carbon layer is coated on a surface of the aluminum foil on which the second alumina film is formed.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are a pitch-based negative electrode material for a sodium-ion battery and related methods and applications. The method comprises: placing a pitch recursor into a muffle furnace to allow the pitch precursor to experience pre-oxidation for 2 to 6 hours at a temperature ranging from 200° C. to 350° C., to obtain pre-oxidized pitch; placing the pre-oxidized pitch into a high-temperature carbonization furnace, and increasing the temperature to 1300° C. to 1600° C. at a temperature increase speed of 0.5° C./min to 5° C./min, and carrying out thermal treatment on the pre-oxidized pitch in an inert atmosphere for 1 to 10 hours, to allow the pre-oxidized pitch to experience carbonization reactions, oxygen in the pre-oxidized pitch being used for breaking an ordered structure of the pitch during the carbonization of the pre-oxidized pitch, so as to form a wedge-shaped voids disordered structure.

A method of fabricating a negative electrode for an electrochemical cell may comprise: providing an electrically conductive substrate; depositing a metal layer on the substrate; anodizing the metal layer to form a porous layer on the substrate; depositing a layer of ion conducting material on the porous layer, the layer extending at least partially into pores of the porous layer; densifying the layer of ion conducting material; depositing a layer of alkali metal on the densified layer of ion conducting material; attaching a temporary electrode to the layer of alkali metal and passing a current between the temporary electrode and the substrate to drive alkali metal through the densified layer of ion conducting material to the surface of the substrate, forming an alkali metal reservoir at the surface of the substrate. Furthermore, an electrically conductive mesh may be used in place of the porous layer on the substrate.

An anode for a lithium-based energy storage device such as a lithium-ion battery is disclosed. The anode includes an electrically conductive current collector comprising an electrically conductive layer and a transition metal oxide layer overlaying the electrically conductive layer. The anode may include a continuous porous lithium storage layer provided over the transition metal oxide layer. The continuous porous lithium storage layer may include at least 40 atomic % silicon. A method of making the anode may include providing an electrically conductive current collector having an electrically conductive layer and a transition metal oxide layer provided over the electrically conductive layer. The transition metal oxide layer may have an average thickness of at least 0.05 μm. A continuous porous lithium storage layer is deposited over the transition metal oxide layer by PECVD.