This disclosure relates to an SO.sub.2-based electrolyte for a rechargeable battery cell containing at least one conducting salt of the Formula (I) ##STR00001##
wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, metals of group 12 of the periodic table of the elements and aluminum; x is an integer from 1 to 3; the substituents R, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.1 alkenyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.1 alkynyl, C.sub.3-C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.14 aryl, and C.sub.5-C.sub.14 heteroaryl; and Z is aluminum or boron.

The present invention relates to an anode active material, a nonaqueous lithium secondary battery comprising the same, and a preparation method therefor, and the purpose of the present invention is to improve high-rate charging characteristics without deterioration of charging and discharging efficiency and lifetime characteristics when applying an amorphous carbon coating layer as the anode active material of the nonaqueous lithium secondary battery, wherein the amorphous carbon coating layer comprising MoPx particles composed of MoP and MoP.sub.2 is formed on the surface of a carbon-based material, thereby reducing resistance when intercalating lithium ions into the surface of the carbon-based material, and improving reactivity and structural stability of the surface. The anode active material according to the present invention comprises a carbon-based material, and an amorphous carbon coating layer comprising MoPx particles composed of MoP and MoP.sub.2 formed on the surface of the carbon-based material.

An alkaline dry battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte, and the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material containing zinc, a compound A having a P—O bond, and terephthalic acid. The molar ratio of the compound A to the terephthalic acid is 0.025 or more and 2.5 or less.

The electrical resistance of active cathodic and anodic films may be significantly reduced by the addition of small fractions of conductive additives within a battery system. The decrease in resistance in the cathode and/or anode leads to easier electron transport through the battery, resulting in increases in power, capacity and rates while decreasing joules heating losses.

The present disclosure provides an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions. The electrochemical cell includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive electrode includes a positive electroactive material and a lithiation additive blended with the positive electroactive material. The lithiation additive includes a lithium-containing material and one or more metals. The lithium-containing material is represented by LiX, where X is hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), fluorine (F), phosphorous (P), or sulfur (S). The one or more metals are selected from the group consisting of: iron (Fe), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), and combinations thereof. The negative electrode may include a volume-expanding negative electroactive material.

Apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a starter battery for a starter motor of an internal combustion engine in a battery pack arrangement with one or more lithium based cells. The invention includes a solid state switching configuration for high powered battery systems for protecting against over-charging, over-discharging and short circuiting of batteries, especially starter batteries for internal combustion engines, and jumper cables having associated integral control devices, including within the cable housings.

A cobalt-containing phosphate material can comprise lithium (Li) (or, alternatively or additionally other alkali metal(s)), cobalt (Co), phosphate (PO.sub.4), and at least two additional metals other than Li and Co (e.g., as dopants and/or metal oxides), and can have a molar ratio of Co to a total amount of Co and the additional metals (e.g., as dopants and/or metal oxides) of at least 0.2, at least 0.3, at least 0.5, at least 0.7, or at least about 0.75. The cobalt-containing phosphate material can have a molar ratio of Co to a total amount of Co and the additional metals (e.g., as dopants and/or metal oxides) ranging from 0.2 to 0.98, from 0.3 to 0.98, from 0.3 to 0.94, from 0.5 to 0.98, from 0.5 to 0.94, or alternatively from 0.5 to 0.9, from 0.7 to 0.9, or from 0.75 to 0.85.

The present invention is a process of physical separation of spent lithium ion batteries to recover valuable components by using vacuum treatment to separate and recover volatile matter such as electrode binder, electrolyte solvent and salt followed by crushing and comminution to disintegrate and shred the electrolyte-depleted battery pack and reduce the size of shredded particles of enclosed components such as casing, current collectors, separator and other materials, which are subsequently separated using a series of physical separation techniques.

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for producing nanometer scale particles for electrochemical materials utilizing an electrosterically stabilized slurry in a media mill. The method includes adding to a media mill a feed substrate suspension including a liquid carrier medium and electrochemical feed substrate particles. The method further includes adding to the feed substrate suspension in the media mill an electrosteric dispersant that includes a polyelectrolyte. Still further, the method includes operating the media mill for a period of time to comminute the feed substrate particles, thereby forming nanometer scale particles having a (D.sub.90) particle size of less than about one micron, and recirculating for further grinding the nanometer scale particles from the media mill.

A method for preparing iron phosphide (FeP), a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery including iron phosphide (FeP), for instance, prepared using the method, and a lithium secondary battery including the same. In the lithium secondary battery including the positive electrode using iron phosphide (FeP), the iron phosphide (FeP) adsorbs lithium polysulfide (LiPS) produced during a charge and discharge process of the lithium secondary battery, which is effective in increasing charge and discharge efficiency and enhancing lifetime properties of the battery.