According to one embodiment, a separator is provided. The separator includes a composite membrane. The composite membrane includes a substrate layer, a first composite layer, and a second composite layer. The first composite layer is located on one surface of the substrate layer. The second composite layer is located on the other surface of the substrate layer. The composite membrane has a coefficient of air permeability of 1×10.sup.−14 m.sup.2 or less. The first composite layer has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is in contact with the substrate layer. The second surface is located on an opposite side to the first surface. Denseness of a portion including the first surface is lower than denseness of a portion including the second surface in the first composite layer.

A nanocomposite includes one or more graphene-based materials (GMs), a nitrogen-containing polymer (an N-polymer), and elemental sulfur (S). The nanocomposite is suitable for use as a stable, high capacity electrode for rechargeable batteries such as lithium-sulfur (Li—S) batteries. Example methods of fabricating a nanocomposite include the addition of an N-polymer to a dispersion (e.g., an aqueous dispersion) or slurry of GMs mixed with a sulfur sol. The N-polymer can interact strongly with the GMs to form a cross-linked network. In one embodiment, hydrothermal treatment of the aqueous dispersion or slurry is used to melt the sulfur such that it becomes distributed within the network formed by the GMs and the N-polymer. The resulting nanocomposite material can then be processed through the addition of one or more other binders and/or solvents, and formed into a final electrode.

The present application provides a positive electrode plate and a lithium-ion battery. A first aspect of the present application provides a positive electrode plate, and the positive electrode plate includes a positive-electrode current collector, a functional layer, and a first safety coating; where both an upper surface and a lower surface of the positive-electrode current collector include a first coating area and a second coating area, and the first coating area is provided with the first safety coating; the second coating area is provided with the functional layer, and the functional layer sequentially includes a second safety coating and a positive-electrode active layer in a direction away from the positive-electrode current collector.

A battery includes a first current collector, a first electrode layer, and a first counter electrode layer. The first counter electrode layer is a counter electrode of the first electrode layer, and the first current collector includes a first electroconductive portion, a second electroconductive portion, and a first insulating portion. The first electrode layer is disposed in contact with the first electroconductive portion, and the first counter electrode layer is disposed in contact with the second electroconductive portion. The first insulating portion links the first electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the first current collector is folded at the first insulating portion, whereby the first electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other.

A process for producing a composite material comprising at least one particulate material and at least one polymeric binder, wherein the at least one particulate material and the at least one polymeric binder are mixed with one another and mechanically processed in the presence of at least one process auxiliary which reduces the mechanical and/or chemical interaction between the surfaces of the at least one particulate material and of the at least one polymeric binder, essentially dispensing with the use of solvents, characterized in that the weight ratio of process auxiliary to polymeric binder is within a range from 3:10 to 0.1:20.

A battery module includes a lower housing and a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of battery cells are electrically coupled together to produce a voltage. The module also includes an assembly disposed over the battery cells and coupled to the lower housing. The assembly may include a lid and a plurality of bus bar interconnects mounted on the lid. The module also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly disposed on and coupled to the assembly. The PCB assembly may include a PCB. The module also includes a cover disposed over and coupled to the lower housing to hermetically seal the battery module. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the battery module.

A negative electrode current collector includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and a prelithiation layer disposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. At least one of the first metal layer or the second metal layer has a porous structure.

The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery comprising: a current collector comprising a structure in a fabric form in which fiber bundles are cross-woven, wherein each of the fiber bundles is formed of sets of fiber yarns and each of the fiber yarns includes a polymer fiber and a metal layer surrounding the polymer fiber; and an electrode including an active material layer disposed on at least one surface of the current collector.

The present invention is a lithium-phosphorus-based composite oxide/carbon composite used for a positive electrode active material of an electrochemical device, including lithium-phosphorus-based composite oxide with the surface being coated with carbon, wherein the lithium-phosphorus-based composite oxide/carbon composite has elutable fluoride ions, which are eluted to an elute from the composite dispersed to ultrapure water, in a mass ratio of 500 ppm or more and 15000 ppm or less in comparison with the lithium-phosphorus-based composite oxide/carbon composite, and the lithium-phosphorus-based composite oxide has a composition of the following general formula (1):

Li.sub.1-xFe.sub.1-zM.sub.zPO.sub.4-aF.sub.a(−0.1≦x<1,0≦z≦1,0≦a≦4)  (1)

(wherein, M represents one or more kinds of metal element selected from the group of Mn, Ni, Co, V, Cr, Al, Nb, Ti, Cu, and Zn). This provides a lithium-phosphorus-based composite oxide/carbon composite that gives higher charge/discharge capacity when it is used as a positive electrode active material of an electrochemical device even though a trivalent-containing raw material is used.

The present subject matter relates to a battery module for use in a vehicle. The battery module may include a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing, and solid state pre-charge control circuitry that pre-charges a direct current (DC) bus that may be coupled between the battery module and an electronic component of the vehicle. Furthermore, the solid state pre-charge control circuitry may include solid state electronic components as well as passive electronic components.