An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. A heating system is configured to heat negative electrode material within the at least one negative electrode material reservoir and the reaction chamber and to heat positive electrode material in reaction chamber. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

A method of forming an electrode in an electrochemical battery. The method forms the electrode by sacrificial casting, wherein a reticulated foam is used to form a model of the electrode.

An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

A process and system are disclosed for producing lithium oxide from lithium nitrate. In the process and system, the lithium nitrate is thermally decomposed in a manner such that a fraction of the lithium nitrate forms lithium oxide, and such that a remaining fraction of the lithium nitrate does not decompose to lithium oxide. The thermal decomposition may be terminated after a determined time period to ensure that there is a remaining fraction of lithium nitrate and to thereby produce a lithium oxide in lithium nitrate product. The lithium oxide in lithium nitrate product may have one or more transition-metal oxides, hydroxides, carbonates or nitrates added thereto to form a battery electrode. The lithium oxide in lithium nitrate product may alternatively be subjected to carbothermal reduction to produce lithium metal.

An electrolyte element (10) comprises a perforated sheet (11) of non-reactive metal such as an aluminium-bearing ferritic steel, and a non-permeable ceramic layer (16b) of sodium-ion-conducting ceramic bonded to one face of the perforated sheet (11) by a porous ceramic sub-layer (16a). The perforated sheet (11) may be of thickness in the range 50 μm up to 500 μm, and the thickness of the non-permeable ceramic layer (16b) may be no more than 50 μm, for example 20 μm or 10 μm. Thus the electrolyte properties are provided by the non-permeable thin layer (16b) of ceramic, while mechanical strength is provided by the perforated sheet (11). The electrolyte element (10) may be used in a rechargeable molten sodium-metal halide cell, in particular a sodium/nickel chloride cell (20). It makes cells with increased power density possible.

An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

A device for storing electrical energy is disclosed. The device includes an electrochemical cell having a cathode chamber for holding a liquid cathode material and an anode chamber for holding a liquid anode material. The cathode and anode chambers are separated by a solid electrolyte, wherein the solid electrolyte is surrounded by a planar construction having openings, through which the cathode material can flow. The planar construction is made of an electrically conductive material. The cathode chamber includes at least one segment, wherein each segment has a jacket composed of an electrically conductive material and the jacket is fastened to the planar construction having openings in a fluid-tight and electrically conductive manner and wherein each segment is filled with a porous felt or a porous material different from porous felt. A method for assembling and starting up the device and a method for operating the device is also disclosed.

A composite lithium metal anode includes: (1) a porous matrix; and (2) a flowable interphase and lithium metal disposed within the porous matrix.

An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and at least one negative electrode reservoir configured to contain a negative electrode material. A heating system is configured to heat negative electrode material within the at least one negative electrode material reservoir and the reaction chamber and to heat positive electrode material in reaction chamber. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the at least one negative electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.

An apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and positive electrode reservoir configured to contain a positive electrode material. An electrode material distribution system is configured to manage the transfer of fluid electrode material between the positive electrode reservoir and the reaction chamber.