Northvolt AB

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a secondary electrochemical cell comprising a lithium hybrid anode. In particular, the present invention relates to a method including a pre-intercalation step to form a lithium hybrid anode suitable for a high-performance hybrid lithium metal battery.

Battery grade metal sulfate solutions can be prepared directly from electrolytically produced metal objects, such as cathode plates, when these are subjected to an aqueous leaching solution comprising at least one acid leaching agent and a liquid oxidizing agent in a continuous process at elevated temperature and with vigorous mixing. A leaching arrangement comprising a leaching column or reaction vessel is also disclosed.

There is disclosed herein a cylindrical secondary cell ( 1 ), comprising a cylindrical enclosure ( 2 ) comprising a first enclosure end ( 2 a ), a second enclosure end ( 2 b ) and an enclosure sidewall ( 2 c ) extending between the enclosure ends ( 2 a , 2 b ), wherein at least one enclosure end ( 2 b ) is open. The cell further comprises an electrode roll ( 20 ), a lid ( 10 ), and a current collector disc arranged between the lid and the electrode roll ( 20 ) and in direct electrical contact with the electrode roll ( 2 ). The cylindrical enclosure ( 2 ) comprises a flat flange section ( 2 f ) extending from the enclosure sidewall ( 2 c ) at the open enclosure end ( 2 b ), and the radially outermost portion of the lid ( 10 ) is configured to abut and match the flat flange section of the cylindrical enclosure, and is welded to said flat flange section ( 2 f ).

There is disclosed herein a current collector ( 300 ) for a battery cell, comprising a first section ( 302 ) comprising a first end ( 301 ) configured to connect to an electrode assembly of the cell, and a second section ( 304 ) angled relative to the first section ( 302 ) comprising a second end ( 303 ) configured to connect to a terminal of the cell. A current path is formed from the first end ( 301 ) to the second end ( 303 ), and a cross-sectional area of the current collector ( 300 ) decreases along the current path from the first end ( 301 ) to the second end ( 303 ) or from the second end ( 303 ) to the first end ( 301 ).

There is disclosed herein a battery cell ( 100 ), comprising an electrode assembly ( 106 ), a vent ( 105 ) in a casing ( 102 ) of the battery cell ( 100 ), and a spacing element ( 300 ) extending along a first side of the electrode assembly ( 300 ). The spacing element ( 300 ) is arranged in a fluid path between the electrode assembly ( 106 ) and the vent ( 105 ), and configured to guide gas flow along the fluid path from the electrode assembly ( 106 ) to the vent ( 105 ).

This disclosure presents a cylindrical secondary cell lid ( 1 ) for a cylindrical secondary cell ( 10 ), the cylindrical secondary cell lid ( 1 ) comprising a number of recessed contact portions ( 2 ) to be arranged in direct electrical contact with an electrode roll ( 20 ) arranged inside the cylindrical secondary cell ( 10 ), the area of the recessed contact portions ( 2 ) being 50 to 80 percent of the total area of the cylindrical secondary cell lid ( 1 ).

The present disclosure generally pertains to testing of secondary batteries. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a movable walk-in chamber for testing secondary cells. According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a movable walk-in chamber for testing secondary cells comprising an enclosure, racking, and a plurality of cycler interfaces. The enclosure forms at least one thermally isolated temperature chamber. Furthermore, the enclosure comprises a walking aisle. The racking is arranged at inner walls of the enclosure along the walking aisle. Secondary cells can be inserted in the racking for testing and removed after testing. The plurality of cycler interfaces are arranged at outer walls of the enclosure. Each cycler interface comprises a power interface and one or more cell interfaces.

A method for manufacturing an electrode for a secondary cell, comprising the steps of: providing an electrode substrate comprising an electrically conducting material; forming an active layer on the electrode substrate, wherein the active layer comprises a plurality of carbonaccous particles; exposing the active layer to a magnetic field configured to orient a majority of the particles along a normal of the substrate; and exposing the active layer to laser pulses or mechanical rollers to form a plurality of passages in the active layer, thereby facilitating ionic transport towards the substrate.

An electrode for a secondary cell, comprising: an electrode substrate comprising an electrically conducting layer; and a stacked structure comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is arranged between the electrode substrate and the second layer, wherein: the first layer comprises a plurality of carbonaceous particles; a majority of the plurality of particles are oriented along a normal of the substrate to facilitate ionic transport towards the substrate; and the stacked structure forms an electrochemically active layer on the electrode substrate. A method for manufacturing an electrode.

A cylindrical secondary cell comprising a cylindrical housing comprising a first end side (2 a ) and an opposite second end side, and a first terminal (4 a ) comprised in a first portion of the first end side, and a second terminal (4 b ) comprised in a second portion of the first end side, wherein the first end side comprises a first breakable portion (10) configured to provide a first opening in the first end side if the pressure inside the cylindrical housing reaches a first threshold value.