The present invention provides an oxide-based solid-state secondary battery which may be enlarged at a low cost and for which production costs are reduced. A binder for a solid-state secondary battery using an oxide-based solid-state electrolyte, wherein the binder contains a vinylidene fluoride unit and a fluorinated monomer unit excluding the vinylidene fluoride unit.

Articles and methods including layers for protection of electrodes in electrochemical cells are provided. As described herein, a layer, such as a protective layer for an electrode, may comprise a plurality of particles (e.g., crystalline inorganic particles, amorphous inorganic particles). In some aspects, at least a portion of the plurality of particles (e.g., inorganic particles) are fused to one another. For instance, in some aspects, the layer may be formed by aerosol deposition or another suitable process that involves subjecting the particles to a relatively high velocity such that fusion of particles occurs during deposition. In some cases, the protective layer may be porous.

Articles and methods including layers for protection of electrodes in electrochemical cells are provided. As described herein, a layer, such as a protective layer for an electrode, may comprise a plurality of particles (e.g., crystalline inorganic particles, amorphous inorganic particles). In some aspects, at least a portion of the plurality of particles (e.g., inorganic particles) are fused to one another. For instance, in some aspects, the layer may be formed by aerosol deposition or another suitable process that involves subjecting the particles to a relatively high velocity such that fusion of particles occurs during deposition. In some cases, the protective layer may be porous.

A separator structure for a secondary battery includes: a porous substrate; an intermediate layer on the porous substrate and including lithium fluoride (LiF) and a defluorinated polymer; and a lithium metal layer on the intermediate layer. An anode-separator assembly for a secondary battery includes an anode comprising an anode current collector and an anode active material layer on a surface of the anode current collector, and the separator structure. A secondary battery includes the anode-separator assembly, and a cathode on the porous substrate of the anode-separator assembly.

A separator structure for a secondary battery includes: a porous substrate; an intermediate layer on the porous substrate and including lithium fluoride (LiF) and a defluorinated polymer; and a lithium metal layer on the intermediate layer. An anode-separator assembly for a secondary battery includes an anode comprising an anode current collector and an anode active material layer on a surface of the anode current collector, and the separator structure. A secondary battery includes the anode-separator assembly, and a cathode on the porous substrate of the anode-separator assembly.

A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing, a top lid circumferentially welded to the casing, a negative contact surface positioned opposite the top lid, a positive terminal disposed within the casing, welded to the top lid, and configured as a mandrel, a glass insulator circumferentially wound around the mandrel, and a jelly roll including at least an anode and a cathode wound around the mandrel. The jelly roll may also include a top surface not in contact with the top lid, a bottom surface partially in contact with the negative contact surface, and partially in contact with a plurality of non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles disposed between the bottom surface of the jelly roll and the negative contact surface. At least some of the non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles may provide one or more electrically-conductive pathways between the bottom surface and the negative contact surface.

A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing, a top lid circumferentially welded to the casing, a negative contact surface positioned opposite the top lid, a positive terminal disposed within the casing, welded to the top lid, and configured as a mandrel, a glass insulator circumferentially wound around the mandrel, and a jelly roll including at least an anode and a cathode wound around the mandrel. The jelly roll may also include a top surface not in contact with the top lid, a bottom surface partially in contact with the negative contact surface, and partially in contact with a plurality of non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles disposed between the bottom surface of the jelly roll and the negative contact surface. At least some of the non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles may provide one or more electrically-conductive pathways between the bottom surface and the negative contact surface.

The present invention relates to a solid polymer electrolyte including a porous substrate formed of an inorganic fiber containing an ethylenically unsaturated group, a polymer compound coupled to the inorganic fiber and including a polymer network in which an oligomer containing a (meth)acrylate group is coupled in a three-dimensional structure, and a lithium salt, and to a lithium secondary battery including the same.

The present invention relates to a solid polymer electrolyte including a porous substrate formed of an inorganic fiber containing an ethylenically unsaturated group, a polymer compound coupled to the inorganic fiber and including a polymer network in which an oligomer containing a (meth)acrylate group is coupled in a three-dimensional structure, and a lithium salt, and to a lithium secondary battery including the same.

Novel or improved microporous single or multilayer battery separator membranes, separators, batteries including such membranes or separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are provided. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, a multilayer dry process polyethylene/polypropylene/polyethylene microporous separator which is manufactured using the inventive process which includes machine direction stretching followed by transverse direction stretching and a subsequent calendaring step as a means to reduce the thickness of the multilayer microporous membrane, to reduce the percent porosity of the multilayer microporous membrane in a controlled manner and/or to improve transverse direction tensile strength. In a very particular embodiment, the inventive process produces a thin multilayer microporous membrane that is easily coated with polymeric-ceramic coatings, has excellent mechanical strength properties due to its polypropylene layer or layers and a thermal shutdown function due to its polyethylene layer or layers. The ratio of the thickness of the polypropylene and polyethylene layers in the inventive multilayer microporous membrane can be tailored to balance mechanical strength and thermal shutdown properties.