The present invention relates to a hierarchical composite structure comprising an open cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam, wherein the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is coated with a conductive nanoporous spongy structure and wherein at least 10% v/v of the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is filled with the conductive nanoporous spongy structure. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a hierarchical composite structure wherein a conductive nanoporous spongy structure is electrodeposited so as to coat the open-cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam and to partially fill the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam.

A composite cathode active material, a cathode including the composite cathode active material, and a lithium battery including the cathode are provided. The composite cathode active material includes a core including a lithium metal oxide and a coating layer on the core, wherein the lithium metal oxide includes two or more transition metals including nickel (Ni), an amount of Ni within one mole of the two or more transition metals included in the lithium metal oxide is about 0.65 mol or greater, the coating layer includes LiF, and a resistance of the composite cathode active material is lower than that of the core.

According to one embodiment, an electrode is provided. The electrode includes a current collector, a first layer formed on the current collector, and a second layer formed on at least part of the first layer. The first layer contains a monoclinic niobium titanium composite oxide. The second layer contains lithium titanate having a spinel structure. A porosity P2 of the second layer is within a range from 30% to 80%.

Lead/acid batteries are provided that can include: a plurality of electrodes having a planar copper conductive core member bounded by a polymeric frame maintaining the conductive core member in the planar state.

An anode of the lithium ion battery is provided. The anode of the lithium ion battery comprises a nanoporous copper substrate and a copper oxide nanosheet array. The copper oxide nanosheet array is disposed on one surface of the nanoporous copper substrate, and the nanoporous copper substrate is chemically bonded to the copper oxide nanosheet array.

The present invention relates to: a current collector comprising a metal plate having a plurality of through holes formed in the thickness direction, and a porous reinforcing material filling the through holes of the metal plate; and a secondary battery comprising the current collector, and provides the effects of increasing ion conductivity of the current collector in the thickness direction and preventing stress from being concentrated at a specific part.

A lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer over the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode active material layer includes a plurality of lithium-containing composite oxides each of which is expressed by LiMPO.sub.4 (M is one or more of Fe (II), Mn (II), Co (II), and Ni (II)) that is a general formula. The lithium-containing composite oxide is a flat single crystal particle in which the length in the b-axis direction is shorter than each of the lengths in the a-axis direction and the c-axis direction. The lithium-containing composite oxide is provided over the positive electrode current collector so that the b-axis of the single crystal particle intersects with the surface of the positive electrode current collector.

A battery module includes a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, and a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly disposed in the housing. The PCB assembly includes a PCB and a shunt disposed across a first surface of the PCB. A second surface of the shunt directly contacts the first surface of the PCB, and the shunt is electrically coupled between the battery cells and a terminal of the battery module.

Features for rechargeable lithium ion batteries, the batteries optionally employing vertically aligned carbon nanotube scaffolding, are described. Methods of manufacture and a solid polymer electrolyte are described for 3-dimensional battery architectures using the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. Poly(ethylene)oxide bis(azide) and graphene poly(lactic acid) composite coatings are also described for use in such batteries or others.

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.