Electrode Assembly, Formation, Use, and Control

Abstract

A battery pack is provided having a collection of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state and a frame for holding the secondary battery cells within the battery pack, a member of the collection of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly including a substantially polyhedral shape and the frame holding a cell array including a subset of the collection of secondary batteries disposed adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and charging method are also described.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Nos. 63 / 222,015, 63 / 222,295, 63 / 221,998, 63 / 222,296, 63 / 222,010, and 63 / 222,299, filed July 15, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Nos. 63 / 350,641, 63 / 350,679, and 63 / 350,687, filed June 9, 2022, which applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to battery packs for energy storage devices such as secondary battery cells, as well as secondary battery cells, electrode assemblies, and other structures for use in battery packs and charging methods. [Background technology]

[0003] A rocking chair or insertion type secondary battery is a type of energy storage device in which carrier ions, such as lithium ions, sodium ions, potassium ions, calcium ions, or magnesium ions, migrate between a positive electrode and a negative electrode through an electrolyte. A secondary battery can include a single battery cell or two or more battery cells electrically coupled to form a battery, each battery cell including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a microporous separator, and an electrolyte.

[0004] In a rocking chair battery cell, both the positive and negative electrodes contain materials into which carrier ions can be inserted and extracted. As the cell is discharged, carrier ions are extracted from the negative electrode and inserted into the positive electrode. When the cell is charged, the reverse process occurs, with carrier ions being extracted from the positive electrode and inserted into the negative electrode.

[0005] One of the persistent challenges of secondary batteries lies in the fact that charging and discharging a secondary battery generates a significant amount of heat in the battery, which, if not properly controlled, can cause damage to the secondary battery and even lead to catastrophic failure.

[0006] Therefore, there remains a need to control the temperature of and provide heat transfer from secondary batteries to improve battery reliability and cycle life. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Briefly, therefore, aspects of the present disclosure relate to a battery pack comprising an assembly of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame for holding the secondary battery cells within the battery pack. The secondary battery cell assembly has a rated capacity and comprises a hermetically sealed housing and an electrode assembly within the hermetically sealed housing. The electrode assembly has a substantially polyhedral shape with mutually perpendicular transverse, longitudinal, and vertical axes corresponding to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. The electrode assembly is substantially planar and has opposing longitudinal faces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and side surfaces connecting the opposed longitudinal end surfaces, the side surfaces being substantially flat and having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and opposed lateral surfaces being substantially flat and separated from one another in a transverse direction on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis, the opposed longitudinal surfaces having a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral faces have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces have a total surface area V SA V SA and L SA and T SAis at least 5:1. The electrode assembly further comprises an electrode structure assembly, an electrically insulating separator assembly, and a counter-electrode structure assembly, wherein the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter-electrode structure assembly are arranged in alternating order longitudinally within the electrode assembly. The frame holds a cell array including a subset of the assemblies of secondary battery cells arranged adjacent to one another, the members being arranged within the cell array such that opposing longitudinal surfaces of adjacent members within the cell array face each other to form adjacent facing pairs of longitudinal surfaces, each adjacent facing pair of longitudinal surfaces within the cell array including adjacent facing regions thereof that (i) are separated from one another by less than 1 mm and (ii) are in thermal contact with one another via thermal conduction paths comprising a thermally conductive material having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W / mK.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a sealed secondary battery cell that can be charged between a charged state and a discharged state. The sealed secondary battery cell includes a hermetically sealed housing including a polymer housing material, an electrode assembly surrounded by the hermetically sealed housing, a set of electrode restraints, and a rated capacity of at least 100 milliampere-hours. The electrode assembly has mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes that correspond to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, opposing longitudinal end faces that are substantially flat and longitudinally separated from one another, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and side surfaces connecting the first and second longitudinal end surfaces, the side surfaces being substantially flat and having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and opposed lateral surfaces being substantially flat and separated from one another in a transverse direction on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis, the opposed longitudinal surfaces having a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral faces have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces have a total surface area V SA V SA and L SA and T SAis at least 5:1. The electrode assembly further comprises an electrode structure assembly, an electrically insulating separator assembly, and a counter-electrode structure assembly, wherein the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter-electrode structure assembly are arranged in an alternating order. The set of electrode limiting members comprises a longitudinal limiting system including a first longitudinal growth limiting member and a second longitudinal growth limiting member separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, the first longitudinal growth limiting member and the second longitudinal growth limiting member being connected to the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the members of the counter-electrode structure assembly, the longitudinal limiting system being capable of restricting growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, and the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the members of the counter-electrode structure assembly connected to the first longitudinal growth limiting member and the second longitudinal growth limiting member (i) having a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm, and (ii) having a yield strength of more than 100 MPa. The state of charge is at least 75% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell, and the state of discharge is less than 25% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell. The hermetically sealed housing includes opposing exterior longitudinal faces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction. The thickness of the sealed secondary battery cell measured longitudinally between the longitudinally opposing regions of the exterior longitudinal faces of the hermetically sealed housing is at least 1 mm, and the longitudinal thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell along a heat conduction path between the longitudinally opposing regions of the exterior longitudinal faces of the hermetically sealed housing is at least 2 W / m + It's K.

[0009] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a sealed secondary battery cell rechargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, the sealed secondary battery cell comprising a hermetically sealed case, an electrode assembly enclosed by the hermetically sealed case, and a rated capacity of at least 100 milliampere-hours. The electrode assembly has mutually perpendicular transverse, longitudinal, and vertical axes corresponding to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, opposing longitudinal end faces that are substantially flat and longitudinally separated from one another, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EAand side surfaces connecting the first and second longitudinal end surfaces, the side surfaces being substantially flat and having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and opposed lateral surfaces being substantially flat and separated from one another in a transverse direction on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis, the opposed longitudinal surfaces having a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral faces have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces have a total surface area V SA V SA and L SA and T SAThe electrode assembly further includes an electrode structure assembly, an electrically insulating separator assembly, and a counter electrode structure assembly, the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter electrode structure assembly being arranged in an alternating order, the hermetically sealed case having first and second longitudinally separated opposing case ends and a case sidewall connecting the first and second case ends, the opposing first and second case ends and the case sidewall forming a hermetic seal around the electrode assembly, the case sidewall including upper and lower sidewalls longitudinally separated from one another and first and second lateral sidewalls laterally separated from one another, The combined and / or counter electrode structure assembly members have upper and lower longitudinal end surfaces connected to the upper and lower side walls of the hermetically sealed case to inhibit vertical growth of the electrode assembly during cycling of the secondary battery cell between charge and discharge states, and the electrode structure assembly members and / or counter electrode structure assembly members connected to the upper and lower side walls have (i) a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm and (ii) a yield strength of greater than 100 MPa, wherein the state of charge is at least 75% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell and the discharge state is less than 25% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell. The thickness of the secondary battery cell measured in the longitudinal direction between the longitudinally facing regions of the outer longitudinal surfaces of the upper and lower side walls of the hermetically sealed case is at least 1 mm, and the longitudinal thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell along a heat conduction path between the longitudinally facing regions of the outer longitudinal surfaces of the upper and lower side walls of the hermetically sealed case is at least 7.5 W / m + It's K.

[0010] Other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present disclosure will be in part discussed, and in part apparent, in the following description and drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an electrode assembly having a set of electrode restraints. [Figure 1B]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a three-dimensional electrode assembly for a secondary battery. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is an inset cross-sectional view of the electrode assembly of FIG. 1B. [Figure 1D] 1C is a cross-sectional view of the electrode assembly of FIG. 1B taken along line D in FIG. 1B. [Figure 2] 1 shows an exploded view of one embodiment of an energy storage device or secondary battery including a set of electrode assemblies and electrode limiters. [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 shows a cross section in the ZY plane of an embodiment of an electrode assembly having an auxiliary electrode. [Figure 3B] 1 shows a top view in the XY plane of an embodiment of an electrode assembly with a restriction system having an opening therein. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an electrode assembly coupled to a restriction system. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of an electrode assembly showing the restriction system adhered to the electrode current collector. [Figure 6A] 1B illustrates a cross-section of one embodiment of an electrode assembly taken along line AA' shown in FIG. 1A, showing elements of an embodiment of a primary and secondary growth limiting system. [Figure 6B] 1B illustrates a cross-section of one embodiment of an electrode assembly taken along line BB' shown in FIG. 1A, showing elements of an embodiment of a primary and secondary growth limiting system. [Figure 6C] 1B illustrates a cross-section of one embodiment of an electrode assembly taken along line AA' shown in FIG. 1A, showing further elements of an embodiment of a primary and secondary growth limiting system. [Figure 7A] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a battery pack having sealed secondary battery cells and cooling tubes. [Figure 7B] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a battery pack having a sealed secondary battery cell and a pressure application structure. [Figure 8A] 10A-10C show cross-sectional views of further embodiments of battery packs having cell arrays with different numbers of sealed secondary battery cells. [Figure 8B] 10A-10C show cross-sectional views of further embodiments of battery packs having cell arrays with different numbers of sealed secondary battery cells. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a battery pack having sealed secondary battery cells and cross-flow cooling tubes. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of exemplary heat conduction paths within a jellyroll secondary battery cell. [Figure 11] 1 shows a schematic diagram of exemplary heat conduction paths within a cylindrical secondary battery cell. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of exemplary heat conduction paths in one embodiment of a secondary battery cell having a substantially polyhedral shape according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a hermetically sealed secondary battery cell. [Figure 14] 13 illustrates an exploded view of one embodiment of the sealed secondary battery cell of FIG. 12. [Figure 15] 1 illustrates a cross section in the ZY plane of an embodiment of a sealed secondary battery cell. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of one end of the cross section of FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of a secondary battery cell at the bottom of a hermetically sealed case. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a hermetically sealed case. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the hermetically sealed case of FIG. 18 from the opposite side. [Figure 20] 18-19 show exploded views of one embodiment of a secondary battery cell in a hermetically sealed case. [Figure 21] 1 illustrates a cross section in the ZY plane of an embodiment of a secondary battery cell in a hermetically sealed case. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of one end of the cross section of FIG. 21. [Figure 23A]Tables 1 and 2 show the current (A) and voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the cycles shown using the rates tested from 1C to 10C charge rates with a C / 25 CV cutoff. [Figure 23B] Tables 1 and 2 show the current (A) and voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the cycles shown using the rates tested from 1C to 10C charge rates with a C / 25 CV cutoff. [Figure 23C] Tables 1 and 2 show the current (A) and voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the cycles shown using the rates tested from 1C to 10C charge rates with a C / 25 CV cutoff. [Figure 23D] Tables 1 and 2 show the current (A) and voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the cycles shown using the rates tested from 1C to 10C charge rates with a C / 25 CV cutoff. [Figure 24A] Tables 3 and 4 show current (A) and cell voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the indicated cycles, using rates tested at a standard C / 3 charge rate and a C / 10 discharge rate of 4C, with all cycles using a C / 25 CV step. The C / 10 reference cycle has a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse every 10% SOC, according to the standard test protocol defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. [Figure 24B]Tables 3 and 4 show current (A) and cell voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the indicated cycles, using rates tested at a standard C / 3 charge rate and a C / 10 discharge rate of 4C, with all cycles using a C / 25 CV step. The C / 10 reference cycle has a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse every 10% SOC, according to the standard test protocol defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. [Figure 24C] Tables 3 and 4 show current (A) and cell voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the indicated cycles, using rates tested at a standard C / 3 charge rate and a C / 10 discharge rate of 4C, with all cycles using a C / 25 CV step. The C / 10 reference cycle has a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse every 10% SOC, according to the standard test protocol defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. [Figure 24D] Tables 3 and 4 show current (A) and cell voltage (V) versus time (min) for two different cells (TM39713 and TM40142) for the indicated cycles, using rates tested at a standard C / 3 charge rate and a C / 10 discharge rate of 4C, with all cycles using a C / 25 CV step. The C / 10 reference cycle has a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse every 10% SOC, according to the standard test protocol defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. [Figure 25] Tables 3 and 4 show cell voltage (V) and cell temperature (°C) versus capacity (Ah) for cells TM39713 (left) and TM40142 (right) for the indicated cycles, with rates tested at a standard C / 3 charge rate and discharge rates from C / 5 to 4C, with all cycles using a C / 25 CV step. [Figure 26]Cell discharge capacity (Ah), average discharge voltage (V), and DeltaAveCell_V (V) versus cycle number for TM39059 and TM40136 using 6C charge and 1C discharge over cycle 32, along with a multi-rate US Department of Energy-defined diagnostic cycle every 50 cycles. [Figure 27A] For EXP4049 type cell TM39059, cell voltage (V), current (Amps), and temperature (°C) versus capacity (Ah) are shown for charge (27A) and discharge (27B) cycles 40-180 shown. [Figure 27B] For EXP4049 type cell TM39059, cell voltage (V), current (Amps), and temperature (°C) versus capacity (Ah) are shown for charge (27A) and discharge (27B) cycles 40-180 shown. [Figure 28] The state of charge versus cycle time and charge time at various C-rates is shown. [Figure 29] 1 is a chart showing the charge rate and time to charge state. [Figure 30] Figure 1 shows a cell cycled using a 0.33C / 0.33C charge / discharge rate with C / 25 CV steps (CellInt=32266) compared to cells cycled at a 6C / 1C charge / discharge rate with C / 25 CV steps (CellInt=39059 and CellInt=40136), including discharge capacity, average discharge voltage, difference between average charge and discharge voltage (DeltaAveCell_V), and normalized capacity retention (using cycle 32 as the reference) plotted against cycle number. Every 50 cycles, a DOE-defined diagnostic cycle using a C / 10 discharge with a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse, and a standard 0.33C / 0.33C diagnostic cycle (not shown) were performed. [Figure 31] 1 shows state of charge versus time for various charge rates. [Figure 32] 1 shows state of charge versus time for various charge rates. [Figure 33] 1 is a chart showing the charge rate and time to charge state. [Figure 34]State of charge versus time for various charge rates is shown along with industry target rates. [Figure 35] Figure 1 shows the % capacity retention versus cycle number for 6C CCCV-1C and C / 3 CCCV-C / 3. [Figure 36] 1 illustrates an embodiment of an electrode structure including an electrode current collector having an electrode current collector body region and an electrode current collector end region, and an embodiment of a counter electrode structure including a counter electrode current collector having a counter electrode current collector body region and a counter electrode current collector end region, as shown along a cross section in the XZ plane. [Figure 37] The embodiment of the electrode structure and the embodiment of the counter electrode structure of FIG. 36 are shown in cross section in the YX plane. [Figure 38] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a hermetically sealed secondary battery cell that includes gas-containing compartments located on the lateral and longitudinal sides of an electrode assembly. [Figure 39] 1 illustrates an embodiment of an electrode and / or counter electrode structure having electrode current collectors and / or counter electrode current collectors connected to bus bars and / or counter electrode bus bars.

[0012] Other aspects, embodiments, and features of the inventive subject matter will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are schematic and not intended to be drawn to scale. For clarity, unless illustration is necessary to enable those skilled in the art to understand the inventive subject matter, not every element or component will be labeled in every figure, and not every element or component of every embodiment of the inventive subject matter will be shown.

[0013] definition As used herein, "A," "an," and "the" (i.e., singular) refer to plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, in one instance, reference to "an electrode" includes both a single electrode and multiple similar electrodes.

[0014] As used herein, "about" and "approximately" refer to plus or minus 10%, 5%, or 1% of the stated value. For example, in one example, about 250 μm includes 225 μm to 275 μm. As a further example, in one example, about 1,000 μm includes 900 μm to 1,100 μm. Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities (e.g., measurements, etc.) and the like used in the specification and claims should be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about." Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and appended claims are approximations. Each numerical parameter should be construed, at least in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0015] As used herein in the context of the state of a secondary battery, "state of charge" refers to a state in which the secondary battery is charged to at least 75% of its rated capacity. For example, the battery may be charged to at least 80% of its rated capacity, at least 90% of its rated capacity, or even at least 95% of its rated capacity, such as 100% of its rated capacity.

[0016] As used herein, "C-rate" refers to a measure of the rate at which a secondary battery is discharged and is defined as the discharge current divided by the theoretical current draw at which the battery would deliver its nominal rated capacity in 1 hour. For example, a C-rate of 1 C indicates a discharge current that will discharge the battery in 1 hour, a rate of 2 C indicates a discharge current that will discharge the battery in ½ hour, a rate of C / 2 indicates a discharge current that will discharge the battery in 2 hours, etc.

[0017] As used herein in the context of the state of a secondary battery, a "discharged state" refers to a state in which a secondary battery has been discharged to less than 25% of its rated capacity. For example, a battery may be discharged to less than 20% of its rated capacity, such as less than 10% of its rated capacity, or even less than 5% of its rated capacity, such as 0% of its rated capacity.

[0018] As used herein, "cycling" in the context of cycling a secondary battery between a charging state and a discharging state refers to charging and / or discharging the battery to move it in a cycle from a first state, either a charging state or a discharging state, to a second state that is the opposite of the first state (i.e., a charging state if the first state was discharged, or a discharging state if the first state was charged), and then returning the battery to the first state to complete the cycle. For example, a single cycle of a secondary battery between a charging state and a discharging state may include charging the battery from the discharging state to the charging state, as in a charging cycle, and then discharging it to the discharging state to complete the cycle. A single cycle may also include discharging the battery from the charging state to the discharging state, as in a discharging cycle, and then charging it to the charging state to complete the cycle.

[0019] The "Ferret diameter" referred to herein with respect to an electrode assembly is defined as the distance between two parallel planes that bound the electrode assembly, measured in a direction perpendicular to the two planes. For example, the longitudinal Feret diameter of an electrode assembly is the distance measured longitudinally between two parallel planes that bound the electrode assembly and are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. As another example, the transverse Feret diameter of an electrode assembly is the distance measured transversely between two parallel planes that bound the electrode assembly and are perpendicular to the transverse direction. As yet another example, the longitudinal Feret diameter of an electrode assembly is the distance measured longitudinally between two parallel planes that bound the electrode assembly and are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0020] As used herein, "longitudinal axis," "lateral axis," and "vertical axis" refer to axes that are perpendicular to one another (i.e., each is orthogonal to the other). For example, as used herein, "longitudinal axis," "lateral axis," and "vertical axis" are analogous to a Cartesian coordinate system used to define three-dimensional aspects or orientations. Thus, the description of elements of the inventive subject matter herein is not limited to the particular axis or axes used to describe the three-dimensional orientation of the elements. In other words, when referring to three-dimensional aspects of the inventive subject matter, the axes may be interchangeable.

[0021] As used herein, "longitudinal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" refer to directions that are perpendicular to one another (i.e., each is orthogonal to the other). For example, as used herein, "longitudinal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" may be generally parallel to the longitudinal, lateral, and longitudinal axes, respectively, of a Cartesian coordinate system used to define three-dimensional aspects or orientations.

[0022] As used herein, "repeated cycling" in reference to cycling between a charged state and a discharged state of a secondary battery refers to cycling from a discharged state to a charged state or from a charged state to a discharged state more than once. For example, the repeated cycling between the charged state and the discharged state may include at least two cycles from the discharged state to the charged state, such as charging from the discharged state to the charged state, discharging from the discharged state to the discharged state, charging back to the charged state, and finally discharging back to the discharged state. As yet another example, the at least two repeated cycling between the charged state and the discharged state may include discharging from the charged state to the discharged state, recharging back to the charged state, discharging back to the discharged state, and finally recharging back to the charged state. As a further example, the repeated cycling between the charged state and the discharged state may include at least five cycles from the discharged state to the charged state, or even at least 10 cycles. As a further example, the repeated cycling between the charged state and the discharged state may include at least 25, 50, 100, 300, 500, or even 1000 cycles from the discharged state to the charged state.

[0023] As used herein in the context of secondary batteries, "rated capacity" refers to the capacity of a secondary battery to deliver a specified current over a period of time, measured under standard temperature conditions (25°C). For example, rated capacity may be measured either by determining the current output in ampere-hours for a specified time, or by determining the time for which the current can be output and multiplying the current by the time for a specified current. For example, for a battery rated at 20 ampere-hours, if the current is specified as 2 amperes relative to the rating, the battery can be understood to provide that current output for 10 hours, and conversely, if the time is specified as 10 hours relative to the rating, the battery can be understood to output 2 amperes for 10 hours. In particular, the rated capacity of a secondary battery may be given as the rated capacity at a specific discharge current, such as a C-rate, where the C-rate is a measure of the rate at which the battery is discharged relative to its capacity. For example, a C-rate of 1C indicates a discharge current that will discharge the battery in 1 hour, 2C indicates a discharge current that will discharge the battery in ½ hour, C / 2 indicates a discharge current that will discharge the battery in 2 hours, and so on. So, for example, a battery rated at 20 amp hours at a C rate of 1C will give a discharge current of 20Amp for 1 hour, a battery rated at 20 amp hours at a C rate of 2C will give a discharge current of 40Amp for 1 / 2 hour, and a battery rated at 20 amp hours at a C rate of C / 2 will give a discharge current of 10Amp for 2 hours.

[0024] As used herein in relation to the dimensions of an electrode assembly, "maximum width" (W EA ) corresponds to the maximum width of the electrode assembly measured longitudinally from opposite points on the longitudinal end faces of the electrode assembly.

[0025] As used herein in relation to the dimensions of an electrode assembly, "maximum length" (L EA ) corresponds to the maximum length of the electrode assembly measured laterally from opposite points on the sides of the electrode assembly.

[0026] As used herein in relation to the dimensions of an electrode assembly, "maximum height" (HEA ) corresponds to the maximum height of the electrode assembly measured laterally from opposite points on the sides of the electrode assembly.

[0027] As used herein in the context of an electrode assembly, a "substantially polyhedral shape" is a shape having six or more flat surfaces, and in certain embodiments may include curved surface areas, such as at corners or vertices of the shape.

[0028] Furthermore, as used herein, for each embodiment where the term "electrode" is used to describe a material or structure, such as an "electrode structure" or an "electrode active material," it is understood that such structure and / or materials may, in certain embodiments, correspond to that of a "negative electrode," such as an "negative electrode structure" or an "negative electrode active material." Similarly, as used herein, for each embodiment where the term "counter electrode" is used to describe a material or structure, such as a "counter electrode structure" or an "counter electrode active material," it is understood that such structure and / or materials may, in certain embodiments, correspond to that of a "positive electrode," such as a "positive electrode structure" or an "positive electrode active material." That is, where appropriate, any embodiment described in terms of an electrode and / or counter electrode may also correspond to the same embodiment in which the electrode and / or counter electrode is specifically a negative electrode and / or a positive electrode, including those corresponding structures and materials, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to secondary batteries, sealed secondary batteries, and electrode assemblies for battery packs having either a sealed secondary battery and an electrode assembly. One embodiment of a battery pack 900 is shown, for example, in FIGS. 7-9. The battery pack 900 may be for one or more storage devices 100, such as a secondary battery 102 that cycles between a charged state and a discharged state, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1A-1D and 2. According to certain embodiments, the secondary battery 102 includes a battery housing 104, an electrode assembly 106, and a secondary battery cell 902 (see FIGS. 7-9) that includes carrier ions. According to certain embodiments, a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte may also be held within the battery housing. In certain embodiments, the secondary battery 102 also includes a restriction system 108 that restricts growth of the electrode assembly 106. The restricted growth of the electrode assembly 106 may be a macroscopic increase in one or more dimensions of the electrode assembly 106.

[0030] 1A-1D, in one embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 includes a set of unit cells 504 stacked in series in a stacking direction (i.e., stacking direction D in FIG. 1B). Each member of the unit cell set includes an electrode structure 110, a counter-electrode structure 112, and an electrically insulating separator 130 between the electrode structure and the counter-electrode structure to electrically insulate the electrode structure 110 and the counter-electrode structure 112 from each other. In one example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the electrode assembly includes a series of stacked unit cells 504, each of which includes an electrode structure 110 and a counter-electrode structure in an alternating arrangement. FIG. 1C is an inset view showing a secondary battery including the electrode assembly 106 of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view of the secondary battery including the electrode assembly 106 of FIG. 1B. Other arrangements of the stacked series of unit cells 504 a, 504 b can also be provided. Thus, the electrode assembly can include a collection of electrode structures, a collection of counter electrode structures, and a collection of electrically insulating separator material that electrically separates the members of the electrode and counter electrode assemblies, with each member of the unit cell assembly including an electrode structure, a counter electrode structure, and an electrically insulating separator between the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure.

[0031] 1A-1D, the electrode structure 110 includes an electrode active material layer 132 and an electrode current collector 136. For example, the electrode structure may include an electrode current collector 136 disposed between one or more electrode active material layers 132. According to one embodiment, the electrode active material layer 132 includes an anode active material, and the electrode current collector 136 includes an anode current collector. Similarly, in one embodiment, the counter electrode structure 112 includes a counter electrode active material layer 138 and a counter electrode current collector 140. For example, the counter electrode structure 112 may include a counter electrode current collector 140 disposed between one or more counter electrode active material layers 138. According to one embodiment, the counter electrode active material layer 138 includes a cathode active material, and the counter electrode current collector 140 includes a cathode current collector. Furthermore, it should be understood that the electrode structure 110 and the counter electrode structure 112, respectively, are not limited to the particular embodiments and structures described herein, and that other configurations, structures, and / or materials than those specifically described herein may also be provided to form the electrode structure 110 and the counter electrode structure 112. According to certain embodiments, each unit cell 504 a, 504 b in the unit cell assembly includes, in stacked series, a unit cell portion of an electrode current collector 136, an electrode structure 110 including an electrode active material layer 132, an electrically insulating separator 130 between the electrode active material layer and the counter electrode active material layer, a counter electrode structure 113 including a counter electrode active material layer 138, and a unit cell portion of a counter electrode current collector 140. In certain embodiments, the order of the electrode current collector unit cell portion, electrode active material layer, separator, counter electrode active material layer, and counter electrode current collector unit cell portion is reversed for unit cells adjacent to each other in the stacked series, with portions of the electrode current collector and / or counter electrode current collector being shared between adjacent unit cells, for example, as shown in FIG. 1C .

[0032] 1A-1D, the members of the electrode structure assembly 110 and the counter electrode structure assembly 112 are respectively arranged in an alternating order, and the direction of the alternating order corresponds to the stacking direction D. The electrode assembly 106 according to this embodiment further includes a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and a vertical axis that are perpendicular to each other, and the longitudinal axis A EA The longitudinal axis A is generally parallel to the stacking direction D of the members of the electrode structure assembly and the counter electrode structure assembly. EA is shown corresponding to the Y-axis, the horizontal axis is shown corresponding to the X-axis, and the vertical axis is shown corresponding to the Z-axis. According to embodiments disclosed herein, the electrode structure 110, the counter electrode structure 112, and the electrically insulating separator 130 in each unit cell 504 of a unit cell assembly have opposing upper and lower end faces separated in a vertical direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the unit cell assemblies. For example, with reference to FIGS. 1C and 4 , the electrode structure 110 in each member of the unit cell assemblies may have opposing upper and lower end faces 500 a and 500 b separated in the vertical direction, the counter electrode structure 110 in each member of the unit cell assemblies may have opposing upper and lower end faces 501 a and 501 b separated in the vertical direction, and the electrically insulating separator 130 may have opposing upper and lower end faces 502 a and 502 b separated in the vertical direction.

[0033] 1A-1D, according to one embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 has mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes corresponding to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of a virtual three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, a first longitudinal end surface 116 and a second longitudinal end surface 118 separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EAand a side surface 142 connecting the first and second longitudinal end surfaces 116, 118. In one embodiment, the surface area of ​​the first and second longitudinal end surfaces 116, 118 is less than 33% of the surface area of ​​the electrode assembly 106. For example, in one such embodiment, the sum of the surface areas of the first and second longitudinal end surfaces 116, 118 is each less than 25% of the surface area of ​​all surfaces of the electrode assembly 106. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the sum of the surface areas of the first and second longitudinal end surfaces 116, 118 is each less than 20% of the surface area of ​​all surfaces of the electrode assembly. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the sum of the surface areas of the first and second longitudinal end surfaces 116, 118 is each less than 15% of the surface area of ​​all surfaces of the electrode assembly. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the sum of the surface areas of the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118, respectively, is less than 10% of the surface area of ​​all surfaces of the electrode assembly.

[0034] In one embodiment, the side surface 142 includes first and second regions on either side of the longitudinal axis and separated in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. For example, the side surface 142 may include opposing surface regions 144, 146 in the X direction (i.e., sides of a rectangular prism) and opposing surface regions 148, 150 in the Z direction. In yet another embodiment, the side surface may include a cylindrical shape. The electrode assembly 106 has a maximum width W measured in the longitudinal direction. EA and the maximum length L measured laterally bounded by the sides EA and the maximum height H measured longitudinally bounded by the sides EA In one embodiment, the maximum length L EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 2:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum length L EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 5:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum length L EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 10:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum length L EA Maximum height HEA may be at least 15:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum length L EA Maximum height H EA The ratio of .gtoreq..times ...

[0035] In some embodiments, the maximum width W EA is the maximum height H EA For example, in one embodiment, the maximum width W EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 2:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum width W EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 5:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum width W EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 10:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum width W EA Maximum height H EA may be at least 15:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, the maximum width W EA Maximum height H EA The ratio to may be at least 20:1.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the maximum width W EA Maximum length L EA The ratio of the maximum width W to the maximum width W may be selected to be within a predetermined range that provides an optimum configuration. EA Maximum length L EA The ratio of maximum width W to maximum width W may range from 1:5 to 5:1. EA Maximum length L EA The ratio of maximum width W to maximum width W may range from 1:3 to 3:1. EA Maximum length L EAThe ratio of may be in the range of 1:2 to 2:1.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each electrode structure 110 of a member of a unit cell assembly has a length L measured laterally between first and second opposing lateral end faces 601 a, 601 b of the electrode structure 110. E and a height H measured vertically between the opposing vertical end faces 500a, 500b of the upper and lower electrode structures. E and a width W measured longitudinally between the first and second opposing surfaces 603a, 603b of the electrode structure. E and each opposing electrode structure of the member of the unit cell assembly has a length L measured laterally between first and second opposing lateral end surfaces 602 a, 602 b of the opposing electrode structure. CE and a height H measured vertically between the upper and lower second opposing vertical end surfaces 501a, 501b of the counter electrode structure. CE and a width W measured longitudinally between the first and second opposing surfaces 604a, 604b of the opposing electrode structure. CE and,

[0038] According to one embodiment, the electrode structure of the elements of the unit cell assembly is E and W E and H E and each of the ratios is at least 5:1, E and W E and the ratio of L to L is in the range of about 2:1 to about 100:1, respectively, and for the counter electrode structure of the element of the unit cell assembly, CE and W CE and H CE and each of the ratios is at least 5:1, CE and W CE The ratio of L to L ranges from about 2:1 to about 100:1. E and W E and H E and the ratio of each of L to L is at least 10:1. CE and W CE and H CE and each of is at least 10:1. By way of further example, in one embodiment, L Eand W E and H E and the ratio of each of L to L is at least 15:1. CE and W CE and H CE and each of L is at least 15:1. E and W E and H E and the ratio of each of L to L is at least 20:1. CE and W CE and H CE The ratio of each of the above is at least 20:1.

[0039] In one embodiment, the height (H E ) the width of the electrode structure (W E ) is at least 0.4:1, respectively. For example, in one embodiment, E W E is at least 2:1 for each electrode structure of the member of the unit cell assembly. E W E and H are at least 10:1, respectively. E W E The ratio of H to H is at least 20:1, respectively. E W E The ratio of H to H is generally less than 1,000:1, respectively. For example, in one embodiment, E W E and H are each less than 500:1. E W E and H are each less than 100:1. E W E and H are each less than 10:1. E W E The ratio of 0.1 to 0.2 is in the range of about 2:1 to about 100:1 for each electrode structure of the member of the unit cell assembly.

[0040] In one embodiment, the height (H CE ) of the width (W CE ) is at least 0.4:1, respectively. For example, in one embodiment, CE W CE is at least 2:1 for each counter electrode structure of the member of the unit cell assembly. CE W CE and H are at least 10:1, respectively. CE W CE The ratio of H to H is at least 20:1, respectively. CE W CE The ratio of H to H is generally less than 1,000:1, respectively. For example, in one embodiment, CE W CE and H are each less than 500:1. CE W CE and H are each less than 100:1. CE W CE and H are each less than 10:1. CE W CE to range from about 2:1 to about 100:1, respectively, for each counter electrode structure of the member of the unit cell assembly.

[0041] In one embodiment, the unit cell assembly can include an alternating sequence of electrode structures 110 and counter electrode structures 112, and can include any number of members, depending on the energy storage device 100 and its intended use. By way of further example, in one embodiment, more generally, the assembly of electrode structures 110 and the assembly of counter electrode structures 112 each have N members, where each of the N-1 electrode structure members 110 is between two counter electrode structure members 112, and each of the N-1 counter electrode structure members 112 is between two electrode structure members 110, and N is at least 2. By way of further example, in one embodiment, N is at least 4. By way of further example, in one embodiment, N is at least 5. By way of further example, in one embodiment, N is at least 10. By way of further example, in one embodiment, N is at least 25. By way of further example, in one embodiment, N is at least 50. By way of further example, in one embodiment, N is at least 100 or more.

[0042] In one embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 is enclosed within a volume V defined by a restraint system 108 that constrains the overall macroscopic growth of the electrode assembly 106, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B . The restraint system 108 may be capable of constraining the growth of the electrode assembly 106 along one or more dimensions, such as to reduce expansion and deformation of the electrode assembly 106 and thereby improve the reliability and cycle life of the energy storage device 100 having the restraint system 108. Without being limited to any one particular theory, it is believed that carrier ions that migrate between the electrode structure 110 and the counter electrode structure 112 during charging and / or discharging of the secondary battery 102 and / or electrode assembly 106 may intercalate into the electrode active material, causing the electrode active material and / or the electrode structure 110 to expand. This expansion of the electrode structure 110 may deform and expand the electrode and / or electrode assembly 106, thereby compromising the structural integrity of the electrode assembly 106 and / or increasing the likelihood of electrical shorts or other failures. In one example, excessive expansion and / or expansion and contraction of the electrode active material layer 132 during cycling of the energy storage device 100 can cause pieces of the electrode active material to break away and / or delaminate from the electrode active material layer 132, thereby compromising the efficiency and cycle life of the energy storage device 100. In yet another example, excessive expansion and / or expansion and contraction of the electrode active material layer 132 can cause the electrode active material to breach the electrically insulating microporous separator 130, thereby causing electrical shorts and other failures of the electrode assembly 106. Thus, the restriction system 108 inhibits expansion or growth that might otherwise occur with cycling between charged and discharged states to improve the reliability, efficiency, and / or cycle life of the energy storage device 100.

[0043] In one embodiment, a restriction system 108 comprising a primary growth restriction system 151 is provided to mitigate and / or reduce at least one of growth, expansion, and / or distension of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction (i.e., the direction parallel to the Y-axis), as shown in FIG. 1A , for example. For example, the primary growth restriction system 151 may include a structure configured to limit growth by opposing expansion at the longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106. In one embodiment, the primary growth restriction system 151 comprises first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 that are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction (stacking direction) and can operate with at least one primary connecting member 162 that connects the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 to one another and restricts growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the stacking direction. For example, the first and second primary growth limiting portions 154, 156 can at least partially cover the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106 and can operate together with the connecting members 162, 164 connecting the primary growth limiting portions 154, 156 to one another to counteract and suppress any growth in the electrode assembly 106 that occurs during repeated charge and / or discharge cycles.

[0044] According to embodiments herein, the primary limiting system 151 restricts the growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction so that the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly 106 increases by less than 20% over 20 consecutive cycles (cycles between charged and discharged states) of the secondary battery 102, or the Feret diameter increases by less than 10% over 10 consecutive cycles of the secondary battery, or the Feret diameter increases by less than 10% over 5 consecutive cycles, or less than 1% per cycle of the battery. In one embodiment, the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly increases by less than 3% and / or less than 2% in the stack direction over 20 consecutive cycles and / or 50 consecutive cycles of the secondary battery.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the protrusions on the first longitudinal surface of the members of the electrode structure assembly 110 and the counter electrode structure assembly 112 surround a first protrusion region 700a, the protrusions on the second longitudinal surface of the members of the electrode structure assembly 110 and the counter electrode structure assembly 112 surround a second protrusion region 700b, and the first and second primary increase restriction portions 154, 156 include first and second compression members overlapping the first and second protrusion regions 700a, 700b.

[0046] Additionally, repeated cycling through the charge and discharge processes in the secondary battery 102 can induce growth and strain not only in the longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly 106 (e.g., along the Y-axis in FIG. 1A ), but also in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, such as the transverse and longitudinal directions (e.g., along the X- and Z-axes in FIG. 1A , respectively), as discussed above. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, incorporating a primary growth limiting system 151 to inhibit growth in one direction can exacerbate growth and / or expansion in one or more other directions. For example, if a primary growth limiting system 151 is provided to inhibit growth in the longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly 106, the intercalation of carrier ions and the resulting expansion of the electrode structure during charge and discharge cycles can induce strain in one or more other directions. In particular, in one embodiment, the strain created by the combination of electrode growth / expansion and the longitudinal growth limiter can result in buckling or other failure(s) of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the Z-axis as shown in FIG. 1A ), or even in the lateral direction (e.g., the X-axis as shown in FIG. 1A ). Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a secondary growth limiting system 152 is provided that can operate in conjunction with the primary growth limiting system 151 to limit the growth of the electrode assembly 106 along multiple axes of the electrode assembly 106. For example, in one embodiment, the secondary growth limiting system 152 may be configured to operate in conjunction with or otherwise synergistically with the primary growth limiting system 151, thereby limiting the overall growth of the electrode assembly 106, which can result in improved performance and a reduced incidence of failure of secondary batteries having the electrode assembly 106 and the primary and secondary growth limiting systems 151 and 152, respectively.

[0047] In one embodiment, the secondary restriction system 152, including the first and second connecting members 158, 160, restricts the growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction so that the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly increases by less than 20% per battery cycle over 20 consecutive secondary battery cycles, or by less than 10% per battery cycle over 10 consecutive secondary battery cycles, or by less than 10% per battery cycle over 5 consecutive volumetric cycles, or by less than 1% per battery cycle over 5 consecutive volumetric cycles. In one embodiment, the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly increases by less than 3% and / or less than 2% per battery cycle over 20 consecutive secondary battery cycles and / or over 50 consecutive secondary battery cycles.

[0048] 6A-6C, one embodiment of a restriction system 108 is shown having a primary growth restriction system 151 and a secondary growth restriction system 152 for an electrode assembly 106. FIG. 6A shows a cross-section of the electrode assembly 106 of FIG. 1A taken along the longitudinal axis (Y-axis), with the resulting 2D cross-section shown with the vertical axis (Z-axis) and the longitudinal axis (Y-axis). FIG. 6B shows a cross-section of the electrode assembly 106 of FIG. 1A taken along the horizontal axis (X-axis), with the resulting 2D cross-section shown with the vertical axis (Z-axis) and the horizontal axis (X-axis). As shown in FIG. 6A, the primary growth restriction system 151 can generally include first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156, respectively, separated from one another along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis). For example, in one embodiment, the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 each comprise a first primary growth restriction portion 154 at least partially or completely covering a first longitudinal end face 116 of the electrode assembly 106 and a second primary growth restriction portion 156 at least partially or completely covering a second longitudinal end face 118 of the electrode assembly 106. In yet another version, one or more of the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 may be internal to the longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106, such as when one or more of the primary growth restriction portions comprises an internal structure of the electrode assembly 106. The primary growth restriction system 151 may further comprise at least one primary connecting member 162 connecting the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 and which may have a major axis parallel to the longitudinal direction. For example, the primary growth limiting system 151 can include first and second primary connecting members 162, 164, respectively, which are separated from one another along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, such as along the vertical axis (Z-axis) in the illustrated embodiment. The first and second primary connecting members 162, 164 can function to connect the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156, respectively, to one another and to maintain the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156, respectively, in tension with one another to restrict growth along the longitudinal axis of the electrode assembly 106.

[0049] 6A-6C, the restriction system 108 can further include a secondary growth restriction system 152, which can generally include first and second secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160, respectively, which, in the illustrated embodiment, are separated from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, such as along the longitudinal axis (Z-axis). For example, in one embodiment, the first secondary growth restriction portion 158 extends at least partially across a first region 148 of the side surface 142 of the electrode assembly 106, and the second secondary growth restriction portion 160 extends at least partially across a second region 150 of the side surface 142 of the electrode assembly 106 opposite the first region 148. In yet another version, one or more of the first and second secondary growth restriction portions 154, 156 can be internal to the side surface 142 of the electrode assembly 106, such as when one or more of the secondary growth restriction portions comprises internal structure of the electrode assembly 106. In one embodiment, the first and second secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160 are each connected by at least one secondary connecting member 166, which may have a major axis, e.g., a longitudinal axis, parallel to the second direction. The secondary connecting member 166 may function to connect and hold the first and second secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160, respectively, in tension with one another to restrict growth of the electrode assembly 106 along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, e.g., along the longitudinal direction (e.g., the Z-axis). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A , the at least one secondary connecting member 166 may correspond to at least one of the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156. However, the secondary connecting member 166 is not limited thereto and may alternatively and / or additionally include other structures and / or configurations.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the primary and secondary growth limiting systems 151, 152 are each configured to operate in a cooperative manner, with portions of the primary growth limiting system 151 acting in cooperation as portions of the secondary growth limiting system 152 and / or portions of the secondary growth limiting system 152 acting in cooperation as portions of the primary growth limiting system 151. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the first and second primary connecting members 162, 164 of the primary growth limiting system 151 can function as at least part of, or even the entire structure of, the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160, respectively, which limit the growth in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In yet another embodiment, as described above, one or more of the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 can each function as one or more secondary connecting members 166 for connecting the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160, respectively. Conversely, at least a portion of the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160 can act as the first and second primary connection members 162, 164, respectively, of the primary growth limiting system 151, and at least one secondary connection member 166 of the secondary growth limiting system 152 can, in one embodiment, act as one or more of the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156, respectively. In yet another embodiment, at least a portion of each of the first and second primary connection members 162, 164 of the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or at least one secondary connection member 166 of the secondary growth limiting system 152 can function as at least a portion of each of the first and second tertiary growth limiters 157, 159, respectively, that limit growth in the lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, or even as the entire structure. Thus, the primary and secondary growth limiting systems 151, 152 can each share components and / or structures for exerting restraint on the growth of the electrode assembly 106.

[0051] In one embodiment, the restriction system 108 can include structures such as primary and secondary growth limiters and primary and secondary connecting members that can be structures external and / or internal to the battery housing 104 or that can be part of the battery housing 104 itself. In certain embodiments, the battery housing 104 can be a sealed housing, for example, to seal the liquid electrolyte therein and / or to seal the electrode assembly 106 from the external environment. In one embodiment, the restriction system 108 can include a combination of structures, including the battery housing 104 and other structural components. In one such embodiment, the battery housing 104 can be a component of the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 152. In other words, in one embodiment, the battery housing 104, alone or in combination with one or more other structures (inside and / or outside the battery housing 104, e.g., the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 152), limits the growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the electrode stacking direction D and / or in a second direction orthogonal to the stacking direction D. In one embodiment, one or more of the primary growth limiters 154, 156 and the secondary growth limiters 158, 160 can comprise structures internal to the electrode assembly. In another embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 152 do not form any part of the battery housing 104; instead, one or more separate structures other than the battery housing 104 (inside and / or outside the battery housing 104) limit the growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the electrode stacking direction D and / or a second direction orthogonal to the stacking direction D. In another embodiment, the primary and secondary growth limiting systems are within the battery housing, which may be a sealed battery housing, such as a hermetically sealed battery housing. The electrode assembly 106 may be limited by the limiting system 108 to a pressure greater than the pressure exerted by the growth and / or expansion of the electrode assembly 106 during repeated cycling of the energy storage device 100 or a secondary battery having the electrode assembly 106.

[0052] In one exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 includes one or more separate structures within the battery housing 104 that restrict growth in the stacking direction D of the electrode structure 110 by applying a pressure in the stacking direction D that exceeds the pressure in the stacking direction D generated by the electrode structure 110 during repeated cycling of a secondary battery 102 having the electrode structure 110 as part of the electrode assembly 106. In another exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 includes one or more separate structures within the battery housing 104 that restrict growth in the stacking direction D of the counter electrode structure 112 by applying a pressure in the stacking direction D that exceeds the pressure in the stacking direction D generated by the counter electrode structure 112 during repeated cycling of a secondary battery 102 having the counter electrode structure 112 as part of the electrode assembly 106. The secondary growth limiting system 152 may similarly include one or more individual structures within the battery housing 104, which suppress growth of at least one of the electrode structure 110 and the counter electrode structure 112 along a second direction perpendicular to the stacking direction D, e.g., the vertical axis (Z-axis direction), by applying a pressure in a second direction that exceeds the pressure in the second direction generated by the electrode structure 110 or the counter electrode structure 112 during repeated cycling of the secondary battery 102 having the electrode structure 110 or the counter electrode structure 112, respectively.

[0053] In yet another embodiment, the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 of the primary growth limiting system 151 restrict growth of the electrode assembly 106 by applying pressure to the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106, respectively, i.e., by applying pressure in the longitudinal direction that exceeds the pressure applied by the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 to other surfaces of the electrode assembly 106 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, such as opposing first and second regions of the side surface 142 of the electrode assembly 106 along the transverse and / or longitudinal axes. That is, the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 can apply pressure in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis) that exceeds the pressure generated thereby in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y-axis), such as the transverse direction (X-axis) and the longitudinal direction (Z-axis). For example, in one such embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 limits the growth of the electrode assembly 106 with a pressure on the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118 (i.e., in the stacking direction D) that is at least three times greater than the pressure maintained on the electrode assembly 106 by the primary growth limiting system 151 in at least one of, or even both of, two directions perpendicular to the stacking direction D. By way of further example, in one such embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 limits the growth of the electrode assembly 106 with a pressure on the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118 (i.e., in the stacking direction D) that is at least four times greater than the pressure maintained on the electrode assembly 106 by the primary growth limiting system 151 in at least one of, or even both of, two directions perpendicular to the stacking direction D. As a further example, in one such embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 restrains growth of the electrode assembly 106 using a pressure on the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118 (i.e., in the stacking direction D) that is at least five times greater than the pressure maintained on the electrode assembly 106 in at least one of two directions perpendicular to the stacking direction D, or even in both directions.

[0054] 6C, one embodiment of an electrode assembly 106 having a restriction system 108 is shown with a cross section taken along line A-A' as shown in FIG. 1A. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6C, a primary growth restriction system 151 can include first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 on longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106, respectively, and a secondary growth restriction system 152 can include first and second secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160 on opposing first and second surface regions 148, 150 of a side face 142 of the electrode assembly 106. According to this embodiment, the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 can function as at least one secondary connecting member 166 connecting the first and second secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160 and maintaining the growth restriction portions in tension with each other in a second direction (e.g., the longitudinal direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Additionally and / or alternatively, however, the secondary growth limiting system 152 can include at least one secondary connection member 166 located in an area other than the longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106. The at least one secondary connection member 166 can also be understood to be internal to the longitudinal ends 116, 118 of the electrode assembly and act as at least one of the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 that can act to limit growth in conjunction with another internal primary growth limiter and / or a primary growth limiter at the longitudinal ends 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106. With reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6C , secondary connection members 166 can be provided that are spaced along the longitudinal axis away from the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106, respectively, such as toward a central region of the electrode assembly 106. The secondary connecting member 166 may connect the first and second secondary growth restraints 158, 160, respectively, at a location inward from the electrode assembly end faces 116, 118 and may be under tension between the secondary growth restraints 158, 160 at that location.In one embodiment, the secondary connection members 166 connecting the secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160 at locations inward from the end faces 116, 118 are provided in addition to one or more secondary connection members 166 provided at the electrode assembly end faces 116, 118, such as secondary connection members 166 that also function as primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 at the longitudinal end faces 116, 118. In another embodiment, the secondary growth restriction system 152 comprises one or more secondary connection members 166 connecting the first and second secondary growth restriction portions 158, 160, respectively, at interior locations spaced from the longitudinal end faces 116, 118, with or without secondary connection members 166 at the longitudinal end faces 116, 118. It can be appreciated that the internal secondary connection members 166 also act as the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156, according to one embodiment. For example, in one embodiment, at least one of the secondary connection members 166 located at the internal location(s) may comprise at least a portion of the electrode structure 110 or the counter electrode structure 112, as described in further detail below.

[0055] 6C , the secondary growth limiting system 152 may include a first secondary growth limiting portion 158 overlying the upper region 148 of the side surface 142 of the electrode assembly 106 and an opposing second secondary growth limiting portion 160 overlying the lower region 150 of the side surface 142 of the electrode assembly 106, the first and second secondary growth limiting portions 158, 160 being separated from one another in the longitudinal direction (i.e., along the Z-axis). Additionally, the secondary growth limiting system 152 may further include at least one internal secondary connecting member 166 spaced from the longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106. The internal secondary connecting member 166 may be aligned parallel to the Z-axis and connect the first and second secondary growth limiting portions 158, 160, respectively, maintaining the growth limiting portions in tension with one another and forming at least a portion of the secondary limiting system 152. In one embodiment, the at least one internal secondary connection member 166, alone or in combination with secondary connection members 166 located on the longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly 106, can be pulled in the longitudinal direction (i.e., along the Z-axis) between the first and secondary growth limiters 158, 160 to reduce longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly 106 during repeated charging and / or discharging of the energy storage device 100 and / or secondary battery 102 having the electrode assembly 106. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6C , the restriction system 108 further comprises a primary growth limiting system 151 having first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 at the longitudinal ends 117, 119 of the electrode assembly 106, respectively, which are connected to the upper and lower side regions 148, 150 of the electrode assembly 106 by first and second primary connection members 162, 164, respectively. In one embodiment, the secondary internal connection member 166 may be understood to act in cooperation with one or more of the first and second primary increase restriction portions 154, 156 to apply a restricting pressure to portions of the electrode assembly 106 located longitudinally between the secondary internal connection member 166 and the longitudinal ends 117, 119 of the electrode assembly 106 at which the first and second primary increase restriction portions 154, 156 may be respectively positioned.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the first and second primary connection members 162, 164 (which may be the same as the first and second secondary growth constraints 158, 160) are connected to a secondary connection member 166 that includes at least a portion of the structure of the electrode 110 or the counter electrode 112, or other internal structure of the electrode assembly 106. In one embodiment, the first primary connection member 162 (which may be the first secondary growth constraint 158) is connected to the upper end surface(s) 500 a, 501 a of the electrode structure 110 and / or the counter electrode structure 112 of the subset 515 of members of the unit cell assembly 504. In another embodiment, the second primary connection member 164 (which may be the second secondary growth constraint 160) is connected to the lower end surface(s) 500 b, 501 b of the electrode structure 110 or the counter electrode structure 112 of the subset 515 of members of the unit cell assembly 504. The subset 515 of unit cell members connected at the upper end(s) may be the same or a different subset of unit cell members connected at the lower end(s). In one embodiment, the first and / or second secondary growth restrictions 158, 160 may be connected to other internal structures within the electrode assembly forming a secondary connecting member 166. In one embodiment, the first and / or second secondary growth restrictions 158, 160 may be connected to the upper and / or lower end surfaces of the electrode structure 110 and / or the counter electrode structure 112, including one or more of the electrode current collector 136, the electrode active material layer 132, the counter electrode current collector 140, and the counter electrode active material layer 138, in the member of the unit cell assembly 504. In another example, the first and second secondary growth restrictions 158, 160 may be connected to the upper and / or lower end surfaces of the electrically insulating separator 130. Thus, in certain embodiments, the secondary connection member 166 can comprise one or more of the electrode structures 110 and / or counter electrode structures 112, including one or more of the electrode current collector 136, electrode active material layer 132, counter electrode current collector 140, and counter electrode active material layer 138, within the members of the unit cell assembly 504. Referring to Figures 3A-3B, an embodiment is shown in which first and second secondary growth restrictions 158, 160 are connected to the secondary connection member 166 with the electrode current collectors 136 of a subset of the members of the unit cell assembly.4, the first and second secondary growth restrictions 158, 160 are connected to a secondary connection member 166 that comprises an electrode structure 110 including an electrode current collector 136. In one embodiment, the members of the electrode structure 110 assembly comprise an electrode current collector 136 having longitudinally opposed upper and lower end faces 510 a, 510 b, the members of the counter electrode structure assembly comprise a counter electrode current collector 140 having longitudinally opposed upper and lower end faces 509 a, 509 b, and the first and second connection members 162, 164 are connected to the longitudinal end faces of the electrode current collectors and / or counter electrode current collectors of a subset of the electrodes and / or members of the counter electrode assembly.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, longitudinally separated first and second primary connection members 162, 164 connect first and second primary growth restriction sections 154, 156, respectively, and further connect to subsets of members of electrode assembly 110 or counter electrode assembly 112. According to embodiments herein, first and second connection members 158, 160 have opposing upper and lower inner surfaces 400 a, 400 b, and upper and lower end faces of subsets 500 a, 501 a, 500 b, 501 b, respectively, are bonded by an electrically insulating thermoplastic hot melt adhesive 511. In some embodiments, hot melt adhesive 511 includes a material selected from, but not limited to, EAA (ethylene-co-acrylic acid), EMAA (ethylene-co-methacrylic acid), functionalized polyethylene and polypropylene, and combinations thereof. For example, in one embodiment, the hot melt adhesive includes a blend of EAA and EMAA copolymers. In one embodiment, the hot melt adhesive 511 has a film shape with a thickness in the range of about 10 to about 100 micrometers and a predetermined pattern shape.

[0058] 3A-3B, in one embodiment, the first and / or second primary connecting members 162, 164 (which may be the same as or different from the first and / or second secondary growth restrictions 158, 160) have their respective longitudinal thicknesses T CThe auxiliary electrode 686 includes an opening 176 formed therethrough. According to embodiments herein, the opening 176 can provide a passageway for the flow of carrier ions from the auxiliary electrode 686 through the first and / or second primary connection members 162, 164 to the members of the unit cell assembly. For example, in the case of an auxiliary electrode 686 positioned outside the volume V enclosed by the restriction system 108, e.g., external to the first and / or second primary connection members 162, 164, carrier ions provided from the auxiliary electrode 686 can access the unit cell members of the electrode assembly within the restriction via a passageway through the opening. The auxiliary electrode 686 can be selectively electrically connected or coupled to one or more of the electrode structures 110 and / or counter electrode structures 112 of the unit cell members, e.g., by a switch and / or a control unit (not shown). According to certain embodiments, the auxiliary electrode is electrolytically or otherwise coupled (e.g., through a separator) to the counter electrode structure and / or electrode structure of a member of the unit cell assembly to provide for the flow of carrier ions from the auxiliary electrode to the electrode and / or counter electrode structure. Electrolytically coupled means that carrier ions can be transferred through an electrolyte, such as from the auxiliary electrode to the electrode structure 110 and / or counter electrode structure 112 and between the electrode structure 110 and the counter electrode structure 112. The auxiliary electrode 686 is also electrically coupled, directly or indirectly, to the electrode and / or counter electrode structure, such as by a series of wires or other electrical connections.

[0059] 5, which shows a top view of the electrode assembly 106 illustrating the first primary connection member 162, the apertures 176 comprise slot shapes with elongated dimensions oriented in the longitudinal and / or stacking direction (Y direction) and extend across the plurality of unit cell members. Other shapes and / or configurations of apertures 176 may also be provided. For example, in one embodiment, the plurality of apertures comprise a plurality of slots 178 spaced apart from one another in a laterally-spaced direction perpendicular to the stacking and longitudinal directions, with each slot 178 extending along a longitudinal axis L oriented in the stacking direction. S, with each slot extending across multiple members of the unit cell assembly. In some embodiments, the first and / or second primary connection members 162, 164 include bonding regions 901 a, 901 b on the inner surfaces 400 a, 400 b adjacent the opening 176. The bonding regions 901 a, 901 b may include, for example, regions where an adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive 511, is provided for bonding to a subset of members of the electrode assembly 110 and / or the counter electrode assembly 112. As shown in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, the opening 176 comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending slots, and the bonding regions 901 a, 901 b for bonding to a subset of members of the electrode assembly 110 and / or the counter electrode assembly 112 are located on the inner surface regions 400 a, 400 b between the slots of the first and / or second connection members 158, 160.

[0060] 2, an exploded view of one embodiment of a secondary battery 102 including a secondary battery cell 902 (see FIGS. 7-9) and having a restriction system 108 of the present disclosure is shown. The secondary battery 102 includes a battery housing 104 and an electrode assembly 106 within the battery housing 104, the electrode assembly 106 having a first longitudinal end 116 and an opposing second longitudinal end 118 (i.e., separated from the first longitudinal end 116 along the Y-axis of the illustrated Cartesian coordinate system), as described above. Alternatively, the secondary battery 102 may include only a single electrode assembly 106 with the restriction 108. Each electrode assembly 106 includes a collection of electrode structures 110 and a collection of counter electrode structures 112 stacked relative to each other within each electrode assembly 106 in a stacking direction D; in other words, the collection of electrode 110 and counter electrode 112 structures is arranged in an alternating series of electrodes 110 and counter electrodes 112, which series proceeds in the stacking direction D between first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118, respectively.

[0061] 2 , tabs 190, 192 protrude from the battery housing 104 and provide electrical connection between the electrode assemblies 106 and an energy source or energy consumer (not shown). More specifically, in this embodiment, tab 190 is electrically connected (e.g., using a conductive adhesive) to a tab extension or bus bar 191, which is electrically connected to the electrodes 110 included in each of the electrode assemblies 106. Similarly, tab 192 is electrically connected (e.g., using a conductive adhesive) to a tab extension or bus bar 193, which is electrically connected to the counter electrodes 112 included by each of the electrode assemblies 106. Tab extensions 191, 193 may also serve as bus bars to pool current from each of the respective electrode and counter electrode structures to which they are electrically connected.

[0062] 2 has an associated primary growth limiting system 151 for limiting growth in the longitudinal direction (i.e., stacking direction D). Alternatively, in one embodiment, multiple electrode assemblies 106 may share at least a portion of the primary growth limiting system 151. In the illustrated embodiment, each primary growth limiting system 151 includes first and second primary growth limiting portions 154, 156 that can overlie the first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118, respectively, as described above, and first and second opposing primary connecting members 162, 164 that can overlie the side faces 142, respectively, as described above. The first and second opposing primary connecting members 162, 164 can respectively pull the first and second primary growth restraints 154, 156 toward each other, or in other words, help restrain growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction, and the primary growth restraints 154, 156 can apply a compressive or restraining force to the opposing first and second longitudinal end faces 116, 118, respectively. As a result, expansion of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction is prevented during formation and / or cycling of the battery 102 between charged and discharged states. Furthermore, the primary growth limiting system 151 applies pressure to the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction (i.e., stacking direction D), which exceeds the pressure maintained on the electrode assembly 106 in either of two directions that are perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (e.g., as shown, the longitudinal direction corresponds to the direction of the Y axis, and the two directions that are perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction correspond to the directions of the X axis and Z axis, respectively, of the Cartesian coordinate system shown).

[0063] 2 has an associated secondary growth limiting system 152 to restrict longitudinal growth (i.e., expansion of the electrode assembly 106, electrode 110, and / or counter electrode 112 in the longitudinal direction (i.e., along the Z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system). Alternatively, in one embodiment, multiple electrode assemblies 106 share at least a portion of a secondary growth limiting system 152. Each secondary growth limiting system 152 includes first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160, respectively, overlying a corresponding side surface 142, and at least one secondary connecting member 166, each of which is described in more detail above. The secondary connecting member 166 can pull the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160 toward each other, or alternatively, can help constrain growth of the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction, with the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160 each exerting a compressive or constraining force on the side surface 142, as described in more detail above. As a result, longitudinal expansion of the electrode assembly 106 is inhibited during formation of the battery 102 and / or cycling between charge and discharge states. Additionally, the secondary growth limiting system 152 exerts pressure on the electrode assembly 106 in the longitudinal direction (i.e., parallel to the Z-axis of a Cartesian coordinate system), which exceeds pressure maintained on the electrode assembly 106 in either of two directions perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (e.g., as shown, the longitudinal direction corresponds to the direction of the Z-axis, and the two directions perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction correspond to the directions of the X- and Y-axes of the illustrated Cartesian coordinate system, respectively).

[0064] When fully assembled, the sealed secondary battery 102 occupies a volume enclosed by its outer surfaces (i.e., a displacement volume), the secondary battery housing 104 occupies a volume corresponding to the displacement volume of the battery (including the lid 104a) minus its internal volume (i.e., the prismatic volume enclosed by the inner surfaces 104c, 104d, 104e, 104f, 104g and the lid 104a), and each growth restriction 151, 152 occupies a volume corresponding to its respective displacement volume. Thus, in combination, the battery housing 104 and the growth restrictions 151, 152 occupy no more than 75% of the volume bounded by the outer surfaces of the battery housing 104 (i.e., the displacement volume of the battery). For example, in one such embodiment, the growth restrictions 151, 152 and the battery housing 104 occupy no more than 60% of the volume enclosed by the outer surfaces of the battery housing 104. By way of further example, in one such embodiment, restrictions 151, 152 and battery housing 104 combine to occupy 45% or less of the volume bounded by the outer surface of battery housing 104. By way of further example, in one such embodiment, restrictions 151, 152 and battery housing 104 combine to occupy 30% or less of the volume bounded by the outer surface of battery housing 104. By way of further example, in one such embodiment, restrictions 151, 152 and battery housing 104 combine to occupy 20% or less of the volume bounded by the outer surface of the battery housing.

[0065] In general, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 152 typically comprise materials that have an ultimate tensile strength of at least 10,000 psi (>70 MPa), are compatible with the battery electrolyte, do not significantly corrode at the floating or anodic potential of the battery 102, and do not significantly react or lose mechanical strength at 45° C., or even up to 70° C. For example, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 152 may comprise any of a wide range of metals, alloys, ceramics, glasses, plastics, or combinations thereof (i.e., composite materials). In one exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 155 comprise a metal such as stainless steel (e.g., SS316, 440C, or 440C hard), aluminum (e.g., aluminum 7075-T6, hard H18), titanium (e.g., 6Al-4V), beryllium, beryllium copper (hard), copper (O2-free, hard), nickel, etc., but generally, when the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 155 comprise a metal, it is generally preferred that they be incorporated to limit corrosion and the occurrence of electrical shorts between the electrode 110 and the counter electrode 112. In another exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 155 comprise a ceramic such as alumina (e.g., sintered or Coorstek AD96), zirconia (e.g., Coorstek YZTP), yttria-stabilized zirconia (e.g., ENrG E-Strate®), etc. In another exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 includes glass, such as Schott D263 tempered glass.In another exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 155 comprise a plastic such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) (e.g., Aptiv 1102), carbon-filled PEEK (e.g., Victrex 90HMF40 or Xycomp 1000-04), carbon-filled polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) (e.g., Tepex Dynalite 207), 30% glass-filled polyetheretherketone (PEEK) (e.g., Victrex 90HMF40 or Xycomp 1000-04), polyimide (e.g., Kapton®), or the like. In another exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system include a composite material such as E Glass Std Fabric / Epoxy, 0 deg, E Glass UD / Epoxy, 0 deg, Kevlar Std Fabric / Epoxy, 0 deg, Kevlar UD / Epoxy, 0 deg, Carbon Std Fabric / Epoxy, 0 deg, Carbon UD / Epoxy, 0 deg, Toyobo Zylon® HM Fiber / Epoxy, etc. In another exemplary embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 155 include fibers such as Kevlar 49 aramid fiber, S-glass fiber, carbon fiber, Vectran UM LCP fiber, Dyneema, Zylon, etc. In yet another embodiment, the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system include a coating of insulating material, such as an insulating polymer material, on its inner and / or outer surfaces, for example on the inner and outer surfaces 400a, 400b, 401a, 401b of the first and second primary connecting members 162, 164.

[0066] Fast charging structure and method Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a structure including an electrode assembly capable of rapid charging, a sealed secondary battery cell including such an electrode assembly, and a battery pack including such a sealed secondary battery cell, as well as a method for rapid charging such a structure.

[0067] 1A to 1D, in one embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 has a horizontal axis, a longitudinal axis, and a vertical axis that are perpendicular to each other and correspond to the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, respectively, of a virtual three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, opposing longitudinal end faces 116, 118 that are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and side surfaces connecting the first and second longitudinal end surfaces 116, 118, the side surfaces having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis and opposed lateral surfaces separated from one another in a transverse direction on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis, the opposed longitudinal surfaces having a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral faces have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces have a total surface area V SA The electrode assembly 106 further includes an electrode structure assembly 110, an electrically insulating separator assembly 130, and a counter electrode structure assembly 112, with the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter electrode structure assembly being arranged in alternating order along the longitudinal direction.

[0068] 36-37, in one embodiment, the electrode structure assembly 110 member includes an electrode current collector 136 adjacent to an electrode active material layer 132, the electrode active material layer 132 having opposing lateral ends 605a, 605b, and the counter electrode structure assembly 112 member includes a counter electrode current collector 140 adjacent to a counter electrode active material layer 138, the counter electrode active material layer having opposing lateral ends 606a, 606b.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 1C , in one embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 comprises a collection of unit cells 504, each member of the unit cell collection comprising, stacked longitudinally in series, a unit cell portion of an electrode current collector 136, an electrode active material layer 132, an electrically insulating separator 130, a counter electrode active material layer 138, and a unit cell portion of a counter electrode current collector 140.

[0070] 36-37, in one embodiment, electrode current collector 136 has opposing electrode current collector surfaces 800a, 800b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and counter electrode current collector 140 has opposing opposing electrode current collector surfaces 801a, 801b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, one of the opposing electrode current collector surfaces comprising a coated region 802 coated with electrode active material layer 132 and an uncoated region 803 that does not have the electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being near one of lateral ends 601a, 601b of electrode current collector 136.

[0071] In one embodiment, the electrode current collector 136 has opposing electrode current collector surfaces 800a, 800b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector 140 has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces 801a, 801b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, one of the opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces comprising a covered region 804 coated with the counter electrode active material layer 138 and an uncoated region 805 that does not have the counter electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being near one of the lateral ends 602a, 602b of the counter electrode current collector 140.

[0072] In one embodiment, the electrode current collector 136 has opposing electrode current collector surfaces 800a, 800b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector 140 has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces 801a, 801b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, each of the counter electrode current collector surfaces comprising a covered region 802a, 802b coated with the electrode active material layer 132 and an uncoated region 803a, 803b that does not have the electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being near one of the lateral ends 601a, 601b of the electrode current collector 136.

[0073] In one embodiment, the electrode current collector 136 has opposing electrode current collector surfaces 800a, 800b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector 140 has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces 801a, 801b separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, each of the opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces comprising a covered region 804a, 804b coated with the counter electrode active material layer 132 and an uncoated region 805a, 805b that does not have the counter electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being near one of the lateral ends 602a, 602b of the counter electrode current collector 140.

[0074] In another embodiment, the member of the electrode structure assembly 110 comprises an electrode current collector 136 adjacent to an electrode active material layer 132, the electrode active material layer 132 having opposite lateral ends 605a, 605b, and the member of the counter electrode structure assembly 112 comprises a counter electrode current collector 140 adjacent to a counter electrode active material layer 138, the counter electrode active material layer 138 having opposite lateral ends 606a, 606b. In one embodiment, each member of the electrode structure assembly 110 comprises an electrode current collector 136 partially covered by an adjacent electrode active material layer 132, the electrode current collector 136 having (i) an electrode current collector body region 810 covered by the adjacent electrode active material layer 132 and extending between the opposing first and second lateral ends 605 a, 605 b of the adjacent electrode active material layer 132, and (ii) an electrode current collector end region 811 on the first or second lateral end 601 a, 601 b of the electrode current collector 136, the electrode current collector end region 811 being bounded by and extending beyond the first or second lateral end 605 a, 605 b of the adjacent electrode active material layer 132 on the same lateral side as the electrode current collector end region 811. In one embodiment, each member of the counter electrode structure assembly 112 comprises a counter electrode current collector 140 partially covered by an adjacent counter electrode active material layer 138, the counter electrode current collector 140 having (i) a counter electrode current collector body region 812 covered by the adjacent counter electrode active material layer 138 and extending between the opposing first and second lateral ends 606 a, 606 b of the adjacent counter electrode active material layer 138, and (ii) a counter electrode current collector end region 813 on the first or second lateral end 602 a, 602 b of the counter electrode current collector 140, the counter electrode current collector end region 813 being bounded by and extending beyond the first or second lateral end 606 a, 606 b of the adjacent counter electrode active material layer 138 on the same lateral side as the counter electrode current collector end region 813. Referring to FIG. 39, in one embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 further comprises an electrode bus bar 191 connected to the electrode current collector end region 811 of the electrode current collector 136 for electrically pooling current from the members of the electrode structure assembly 110.In another embodiment, the electrode assembly further comprises a counter electrode bus bar 193 connected to the counter electrode current collector end region 813 of the counter electrode current collector 140 for electrically pooling current from the members of the counter electrode structure assembly 112.

[0075] 36-37 and 39, in one embodiment, the lateral length (L ER ) is measured from the first or second lateral end 605a, 605b of the adjacent electrode active material layer 132 on the same lateral side as the electrode current collector end region 811 to the region 820a where the electrode current collector end region 811 connects with the electrode bus bar 191. In another embodiment, the lateral length (L CER ) is measured from the first or second lateral end 606a, 606b of the adjacent counter electrode active material layer 138 on the same lateral side as the counter electrode current collector end region 813 to the region 820b where the counter electrode current collector end region 813 connects with the electrode bus bar 193. In one embodiment, the height (H BR ) is measured between the opposing vertical faces 821a, 821b of the electrode current collector body region 810. In one embodiment, the vertical height (H CBR ) is measured between the opposing longitudinal faces 822a, 822b of the counter electrode current collector body region 812. In one embodiment, the height (H ER ) is measured between the opposing longitudinal faces 824a, 824b of the current collector end region 811. In one embodiment, the longitudinal height (H CER ) is measured between opposing longitudinal faces 826 a, 826 b of the current collector end region 813 .

[0076] In one embodiment, the lateral length (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: LER <0.5×H BR .

[0077] In another embodiment, the lateral length (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) is L ER <0.4×H BR In another embodiment, the lateral length (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) is L ER <0.3×H BR Satisfy the relationship.

[0078] In one embodiment, the lateral length (L CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) satisfies the following relationship: L CER <0.5×H CBR .

[0079] In another embodiment, the lateral length (L CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) is L CER <0.4×H BR In another embodiment, the lateral length (L CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) is L CER <0.3×H CBR Satisfy the relationship.

[0080] In one embodiment, the vertical height (H ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: H ER >0.5×H BR .

[0081] In another embodiment, the height (H ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) is expressed by the following relation H ER >0.7×H BR In another embodiment, the vertical height (H ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) is H ER >0.9×H BR Satisfy the relationship.

[0082] In one embodiment, the vertical height (H CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) satisfies the following relationship: H CER >0.5×H CBR .

[0083] In one embodiment, the vertical height (H CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) is H CER >0.7×H CBR In another embodiment, the vertical height (H CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) is H CER >0.9×H CBR Satisfy the relationship.

[0084] In one embodiment, the lateral length (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector end region (H ER ) satisfies the following relationship: L ER / H ER <1

[0085] In one embodiment, the lateral length (L CER) and the vertical height (H CER ) satisfies the following relationship: L CER / H CER <1

[0086] 39 , in one embodiment, a member of the electrode structure assembly 110 includes an electrode current collector end region 811 having longitudinally separated opposing surfaces 800 a, 800 b, at least one of the opposing surfaces of the electrode current collector end region including a layer of thermally conductive material 830 disposed thereon. In one embodiment, the electrode current collector end region 811 electrically connects to the electrode bus bar 191 via at least one of the opposing surfaces 800 a, 800 b, and a layer of thermally conductive material is disposed on the other of the opposing surfaces 800 a, 800 b. In one embodiment, a member of the counter electrode structure assembly 112 includes counter electrode current collector end regions 813 having longitudinally separated opposing surfaces 801 a, 801 b, at least one of the opposing surfaces 801 a, 801 b of the counter electrode current collector end region including a layer of thermally conductive material 830 disposed thereon. In one embodiment, the counter electrode current collector end region 813 electrically connects to the counter electrode bus bar 193 via at least one of the facing surfaces 801 a, 801 b, and a layer of thermally conductive material 830 is disposed on the other of the facing surfaces 801 a, 801 b. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive material includes a thermally conductive ceramic material such as alumina.

[0087] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a sealed secondary battery cell including the electrode assembly disclosed herein. As shown in Fig. 38, the sealed secondary battery 102 is chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and the sealed secondary battery 102 includes a hermetically sealed housing 610. With reference to Figs. 1A-1D and 38, in one embodiment, the secondary battery cell 102 includes one or more gas-containing compartments 611 for containing gas generated during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell, and the gas-containing compartments 611 are located outside the electrode assembly 106 and within the hermetically sealed housing 610. In one embodiment, the one or more gas-containing compartments 611 comprise any one or more of: (i) a lateral containment compartment 611a located laterally outside the lateral end faces 144, 146 of the electrode assembly to contain gas on the lateral sides of the electrode assembly between the hermetically sealed housing 610 and the electrode assembly, and (ii) a longitudinal containment compartment 611b located longitudinally outside the longitudinal end faces 116, 118 of the electrode assembly to contain gas on the longitudinal sides of the electrode assembly between the hermetically sealed housing 610 and the electrode assembly 106. In one embodiment, the lateral and longitudinal containment compartments 611a, 611b are configured to contain a volume V of gas released from the electrode assembly during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell. X、Y , which is contained between the hermetically sealed housing 610 and the electrode assembly 106 on the longitudinal sides 148, 150 of the electrode assembly, and which is configured to contain any volume V of gas released from the electrode assembly during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell. ZIn another embodiment, the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments 611 a, 611 b, alone or in combination with one another, have a volume greater than any space between the hermetically sealed housing and the electrode assembly on either longitudinal side 148, 150 of the electrode assembly. For example, in one embodiment, the gas volume Vxy is at least 1.5 times, at least 2 times, at least 3 times, at least 5 times, and / or at least 10 times the gas volume Vz. In another embodiment, substantially no gas volume Vz is contained on any longitudinal side of the electrode assembly. In one embodiment, one or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are configured to contain a gas volume Vxy that is at least 4% of the volume of the sealed secondary cell. In one embodiment, one or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are configured to contain a gas volume Vxy that is at least 5% of the volume of the sealed secondary cell.

[0088] In one embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cell 102 includes a hermetically sealed housing 610 comprising a flexible polymer housing material, and one or more lateral and longitudinal storage compartments 611 are formed by expansion of the hermetically sealed housing in at least one of the lateral and longitudinal directions when the sealed secondary battery is charged or discharged. In another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 610 includes a hermetically sealed case 2020, and one or more lateral and longitudinal storage compartments 611 are formed in the space between the electrode assembly and a wall of the hermetically sealed case on one or more lateral and longitudinal sides of the electrode assembly.

[0089] In order to restrict growth of the secondary battery cell during charge / discharge cycles, as shown in Figures 1 to 2 and 14, in one embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cell 102 includes a set of electrode limiters 108, and the set of electrode limiters 108 includes a vertical restriction system 2000 including first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002 separated from each other in the vertical direction, and the first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002 are connected to members of the assembly of the electrode structure 110 and / or members of the assembly of the counter electrode structure 112, and the vertical restriction system 2000 can restrict the vertical growth of the electrode assembly 106.

[0090] According to one embodiment, as shown in Figures 14-15, the hermetically sealed housing 610 has first and second vertical sides 612a, 612b that are vertically separated from each other and opposite to each other, and each of the first and second vertical sides 612a, 612b has an inner vertical surface 613a, 613b that faces the electrode assembly 106 and is attached to first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002, respectively. In one embodiment, the inner vertical surfaces 613a, 613b of the first and second vertical sides 612a, 612b of the hermetically sealed housing 610 are attached to the first and second vertical growth limiting portions 2001, 2002 by any of adhesive bonding, brazing, glueing, welding, bonding, joining, soldering, sintering, pressure welding, brazing, spray joining, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying.

[0091] The present disclosure also provides a battery pack including a collection of sealed secondary battery cells disclosed herein. Referring to FIGS. 7-9 , in one embodiment, a battery pack 900 includes a frame 903 for holding secondary battery cells 902 and a collection of pressure-applying structures 950 (see FIG. 7B ) configured to apply pressure to a hermetically sealed housing 104 of a member of the collection of sealed secondary battery cells 902, the hermetically sealed housing 104 including first and second longitudinal sides 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction. The frame 903 holds a cell array 902 including a subset of the collection of secondary battery cells 902 and the collection of pressure-applying structures 950. 14, and the members of the cell array 914 are held by the frame 903 in association with the members of the assembly of pressure application structure 950 such that the members of the assembly of pressure application structure maintain pressure against the first or second longitudinal sides 942, 944 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 during cycling of the members of the subset of secondary battery cell assembly 902, thereby maintaining the inner surfaces of the first and second longitudinal sides 942, 944 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 in direct contact with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002. For example, in one embodiment, the pressure application structure 950 applies a total pressure of at least 1.01 atmospheres in combination with ambient pressure (e.g., 1 atmosphere) to the first or second longitudinal sides of the hermetically sealed housing. In another embodiment, the pressure application structure applies a total pressure in the range of 1.01 atmospheres to 11 atmospheres in combination with ambient pressure (e.g., 1 atmosphere) to the first or second longitudinal sides of the hermetically sealed housing. In another embodiment, the pressure application structure applies a total pressure in the range of 1.1 atmospheres to 2 atmospheres in combination with ambient pressure (e.g., 1 atmosphere) to the first or second longitudinal side of the hermetically sealed housing. In another embodiment, the pressure application structure 950 applies pressure to both the first and second longitudinal sides of the hermetically sealed housing.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the components of the assembly of pressure-applying structure 950 include any of (i) cooling tubes 926, (ii) a layer of heat exchange material 927, (iii) a portion of a frame, and (iv) components of an assembly of sealed secondary battery cells. For example, the frame itself can be configured to apply pressure against the vertical surface, or separate structures, such as cooling tubes or heat exchange material, that remove heat from the secondary battery cells can be provided while being positioned to apply pressure against the vertical side. For example, the cooling tubes or other structures can be positioned and supported within the frame such that they apply pressure against the vertical side. In another embodiment, adjacent sealed secondary batteries can apply pressure to each other, such as being positioned and supported within the frame such that they apply pressure against each other's vertical side. In one embodiment, the cell array 914 includes a plurality of sealed secondary battery cells 902 arranged adjacent to one another with the longitudinal sides of the sealed secondary battery cells facing one another, and the members of the assembly of pressure application structure 950 apply pressure to first and second longitudinal end sides 928, 930 located at opposite longitudinal ends of the cell array 914, and the members of the cell array within the longitudinal ends of the cell array have pressure applied to their longitudinal faces by vertically adjacent secondary battery cells in the cell array. In another embodiment, the pressure applied by the members of the assembly of pressure application structure 950 to the first or second longitudinal sides 942, 944 of the members of the sealed secondary battery assembly 902 is greater than the pressure applied to the lateral or horizontal sides of the members of the sealed secondary battery assembly.

[0093] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of charging a sealed secondary battery cell. The method includes charging the sealed secondary battery at a rate of at least 1 C, at least 2 C, at least 3 C, at least 4 C, at least 6 C, at least 10 C, at least 12 C, at least 15 C, at least 18 C, at least 20 C, and / or at least 30 C until the sealed secondary battery reaches a predetermined capacity. In one embodiment, the method includes charging at a charge rate until the secondary battery reaches at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, and / or at least 99% of its rated capacity. In some embodiments, the sealed secondary battery is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 200 times, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 600, at least 800, and / or at least 1000 times. In some other embodiments, the sealed secondary battery is any of the electrode assemblies disclosed herein, any of the sealed secondary batteries disclosed herein, or part of a cell array of any of the battery packs disclosed herein, or any combination thereof.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells disclosed herein have a rated capacity of at least 500 milliampere-hours, at least 1 ampere-hour, at least 5 ampere-hours, at least 10 ampere-hours, at least 15 ampere-hours, at least 20 ampere-hours, at least 25 ampere-hours, at least 30 ampere-hours, at least 35 ampere-hours, and / or at least 50 ampere-hours.

[0095] According to another embodiment, the electrode assembly 106 disclosed herein has a substantially polyhedral shape with substantially flat opposing longitudinal end faces 116, 118, substantially flat opposing longitudinal faces 148, 150, and substantially flat opposing lateral faces 144, 146. In some embodiments, V SA and L SA and T SA The ratio of each of these is at least 5:1.

[0096] According to one embodiment, for a sealed secondary battery cell 902, a battery pack 900, or a method disclosed herein, the hermetically sealed housing comprises a polymer housing material. In another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 comprises a hermetically sealed case 2020.

[0097] According to some embodiments, the frame 903 disclosed herein holds a cell array 914 including a subset of the collection of secondary battery cells 902 arranged adjacent to one another, the members being arranged in the cell array 914 such that opposing longitudinal surfaces of adjacent members in the cell array face one another to form adjacent facing pairs of longitudinal surfaces, each adjacent facing pair of longitudinal surfaces in the cell array including its adjacent facing region.

[0098] In one embodiment, the sealed secondary battery disclosed herein includes a core energy density of at least 700 Whr / liter, at least 800 Whr / liter, at least 900 Whr / liter, at least 1000 Whr / liter, at least 1100 Whr / liter, or at least 1200 Whr / liter, where the core energy density is defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that make up the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery. The total weight does not include the weight of any set, such as a restrictor, pack, housing, or pouch.

[0099] In the electrode assemblies disclosed herein, a member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, the layer of electrode active material having a longitudinal thickness in the range of 15 microns to 75 microns, 20 microns to 60 microns, or 30 microns to 50 microns, such as about 45 microns. In another embodiment, a member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, the layer of electrode active material having a porosity in the range of 10 to 40%, 12 to 30%, or 18 to 20%.

[0100] According to certain aspects, the porosity referred to herein can be measured by any suitable technique known to those skilled in the art. For example, according to one embodiment, porosity can be determined by mercury porosimetry, a technique that characterizes the porosity of a material by applying various levels of pressure to a sample of the material immersed in mercury. The pressure required to force mercury into the pores of the sample is inversely proportional to the size of the pores. The mercury porosimetry technique is described in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Practice Guide for Porosity and Specific Surface Area Measurements for Solid Materials, by Peter Klobes, Klaus Meyer, and Ronald Munro, dated September 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In other embodiments, the porosity can be determined by calculating the porosity using the volume of the electrode active material layer used, and the weight of the electrode active material used in the electrode active material layer and its density, where porosity is the difference between the total volume of the electrode active material layer and the volume occupied by the electrode active material (the weight of the electrode active material divided by its density), as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, expressed as a percentage of the total volume of the electrode active material layer.

[0101] 2 and 7-9, as disclosed herein, a sealed secondary battery includes an electrode bus bar 191 electrically connected to the electrode current collector 136 to pool current from the members of the electrode structure assembly 110, and a counter electrode bus bar 193 electrically connected to the counter electrode current collector 140 to pool current from the members of the counter electrode structure assembly 112, the sealed secondary battery further including an electrode bus bar tab 190 electrically connecting the electrode bus bar 191 to an electrical structure external to the sealed secondary battery, a counter electrode bus bar tab 192 electrically connecting the counter electrode bus bar 193 to an electrical structure external to the sealed secondary battery, and a cooling system 926 configured to cool the electrode or counter electrode bus bar tab via one or more of convection cooling or conductive cooling. In another embodiment, cooling is provided by cooling tubes 926a, 926b provided adjacent to the tabs or by a heat sink thermally connected to the tabs.

[0102] Battery pack 7-9, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery pack 900 for a collection of secondary battery cells 902 that are chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state is provided, the battery pack 900 including a frame 903 that holds the secondary battery cells within the battery pack 900. According to a particular embodiment, the members of the secondary battery cell collection 902 have a rated capacity and include a hermetically sealed housing 104 and an electrode assembly 106 within the hermetically sealed housing.

[0103] According to certain embodiments, the electrode assembly has a substantially polyhedral shape with mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes corresponding to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. For example, in certain embodiments, the electrode assembly can include six substantially flat and / or completely flat surfaces, and / or can include additional flat surfaces, such as eight or more flat surfaces. The electrode assembly can also include curved portions, in certain embodiments, such as at corners and / or vertices between otherwise flat surfaces.

[0104] According to certain embodiments, and referring again to FIGS. 6A-6B, the electrode assembly 106 is substantially planar and has opposed longitudinal faces 116, 118 (i.e., first and second longitudinal end faces) longitudinally separated from one another and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and side surfaces 142 connecting the opposing longitudinal end surfaces. Side surfaces 142 are substantially flat and include opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 separated from one another longitudinally on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and include opposing lateral surfaces 910, 912 separated from one another laterally on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis. According to one embodiment, opposing longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 have a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral surfaces 910, 912 have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 have a total surface area V SA V SA and L SA and T SA is at least 5:1. The total surface area is the surface area of ​​each surface added to its opposing surface (e.g., the total surface area of ​​opposing longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 is the surface area of ​​longitudinal surface 116 added to the surface area of ​​longitudinal surface 118).

[0105] Furthermore, according to certain embodiments, as similarly described with respect to the energy storage device and / or secondary battery 102 above, the electrode assembly 106 of the secondary battery cell 902 includes an electrode structure assembly 110, an electrically insulating separator assembly 130, and a counter electrode structure assembly 112, with the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter electrode structure assembly being arranged in alternating order longitudinally within the electrode assembly.

[0106] 7 , according to certain embodiments, a battery pack frame 903 holds a cell array 914 including a subset of the collection of secondary battery cells 902 arranged adjacent to one another, with the members arranged in the cell array such that opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 of adjacent members in the cell array face one another to form adjacent facing pairs 916, 918 of longitudinal surfaces. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , the members are arranged adjacent to one another in the vertical direction to provide adjacent facing pairs of longitudinal surfaces for those secondary battery cells that are vertically adjacent to one another. According to one embodiment, the adjacent facing pairs 916, 918 of longitudinal surfaces may be perfectly aligned with one another longitudinally and laterally, and / or the adjacent facing pairs may be partially offset from one another in one or more of the longitudinal and laterally directions.

[0107] According to certain embodiments, each adjacent facing pair 916, 918 in the longitudinal direction within the cell array comprises adjacent facing regions 920, 922 separated from each other by less than 1 mm. In one embodiment, the facing pairs 916, 918 are perfectly aligned with each other in the longitudinal and lateral directions, and the facing regions separated from each other by less than 1 mm may extend across the surface of the facing pair 916. In another embodiment, the facing pairs 916, 918 are at least partially offset from each other in one or more of the longitudinal and lateral directions, and the facing regions separated from each other by less than 1 mm extend across those portions of the surface of the facing pair 916 that overlap each other in the lateral and / or longitudinal directions. In one embodiment, the facing regions 920, 922 are in thermal contact with each other via a thermally conductive path comprising a thermally conductive material 924 having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W / mK.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces create a combined surface area that is greater than 66%. According to another embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces create a combined surface area that is greater than 75%. According to another embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces create a combined surface area that is greater than 80%. According to another embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces create a combined surface area that is greater than 95%. According to another embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces create a combined surface area that is greater than 99%. According to another embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces create a combined surface area that corresponds to substantially all of the surface area of ​​the electrode assembly.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the number of secondary battery cells 902 in the cell array 914 is two. According to another embodiment, the number of secondary battery cells in the cell array is three (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A-8B). According to another embodiment, the number of secondary battery cells in the cell array is greater than three. The secondary battery cells 902 in the cell array 914 are in thermal contact with each other via thermal conduction paths between the secondary battery cells 902 in the cell array 914, for example, via thermally conductive material disposed between adjacent secondary battery cells 902. According to one embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes multiple cell arrays 914, such as multiple cell arrays 914 arranged vertically relative to each other and / or arranged in one or more of a horizontal or longitudinal direction relative to each other.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes at least one cooling tube 926 for cooling the cell array 914. According to one embodiment, the cell array includes opposing cell array ends 928, 930 that are separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the cooling tube 926 extends in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction (e.g., the longitudinal direction shown in FIG. 7 ) and extends along at least one of the opposing cell array ends 928, 930 of the cell array to cool the at least one opposing cell array end. According to certain embodiments, a thermal conduction path between cells in the array provides that cooling of one cell array end by the cooling tube draws heat from other cells in the array, providing a cooling effect to the entire array.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the cell array includes two secondary battery cells 902 arranged adjacent to one another such that opposing longitudinal faces 906, 908 of the two secondary battery cells are separated from one another in the vertical direction and include a pair of outer surfaces 932, 934 disposed toward opposing cell array ends 928, 930 (see FIG. 8B ). According to particular aspects, a cooling tube 926 extends orthogonally along at least one longitudinal cell array end face 928, 930 adjacent to and cooling one of the pair of outer surfaces 932, 934. According to another embodiment, the cell array includes three secondary battery cells 902 arranged adjacent to one another (see FIG. 8B ), such that opposing longitudinal faces 906, 908 of the three secondary battery cells are separated from one another in the vertical direction and include a pair of outer surfaces 932, 934 disposed toward opposing cell array ends 928, 930. According to certain aspects, the cooling tubes 926 extend orthogonally along at least one longitudinal cell array end face 928, 930 adjacent one of a pair of outer faces 932, 934 to cool the outer face. According to another embodiment, the cell array includes four or more secondary battery cells 902 arranged adjacent to one another such that opposing longitudinal faces 906, 908 of the four or more secondary battery cells 902 in the cell array are separated from one another vertically and include a pair of outer faces 932, 934 disposed toward the opposing cell array end faces 928, 930. According to certain aspects, a cooling tube 926 extends orthogonally along at least one longitudinal cell array end face 928, 930 adjacent one of a pair of outer faces 932, 934 to cool the outer face, and cooling of the outer face of the secondary battery cell 902 adjacent the cooling tube 926 can further cool other secondary battery cells in the array, including secondary battery cells farther from the cooling tube 926, by heat transfer via thermal conduction paths between the secondary battery cells in the cell array.

[0112] According to one embodiment, a thermally conductive material 924 is provided between the cooling tube 926 and the outer surfaces 932, 934 of the secondary battery cells adjacent to the cooling tube. For example, referring to FIG. 7 , the thermally conductive material 924 can be provided both between adjacent secondary battery cells 902 in the cell array 914 and between secondary battery cells at the ends of the array and adjacent cooling tubes to provide thermal conduction paths between cells in the array and between the array and the cooling tubes. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive material includes a thermally conductive adhesive. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive material includes a compressible thermal interface material. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive material includes a combination of a compressible thermal interface material and a thermally conductive adhesive, such as a layer of compressible thermal interface material with thermally conductive adhesive on both sides for adhering to adjacent secondary battery cells and / or cooling tubes. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive material can be substantially entirely comprised of a thermally conductive adhesive material. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive material comprises a thermally conductive adhesive bonding adjacent facing regions 920, 922 of adjacent facing pairs 916, 918 of opposing vertical sides within the cell array to one another. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive material comprises a compressible thermal interface material disposed between adjacent facing regions 920, 922 of adjacent facing pairs 916, 918 of opposing vertical sides within the cell array. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive material is disposed between the outer surface of the cell array and the surface of the adjacent cooling tube and comprises one selected from the group consisting of a thermally conductive adhesive and a compressible thermal interface material.

[0113] In one embodiment, if the secondary battery cells undergo longitudinal expansion and / or contraction as the cells charge and / or discharge, a compressible thermal interface material (alone or in addition to a thermally conductive adhesive) can be provided to at least partially accommodate the cell expansion and / or contraction. In another embodiment, in which the secondary battery cells experience little or no expansion and / or contraction, the thermally conductive adhesive may be sufficient to provide a thermally conductive path between adjacent cells and / or cooling tubes. In one embodiment, a first thermally conductive material 924a is provided between the first cell array end face 930 and the cooling tube surface 940, and a second thermally conductive material 924b is provided between each pair of adjacent facing regions 920, 922 on opposing longitudinal sides within the cell array, with the first thermally conductive material 924a having a higher thermal conductivity than the second thermally conductive material 924b. According to another embodiment, a thermally conductive material including a first compressible thermal interface material is provided between a first cell array end face 930 and a surface 940 of the cooling tube 926, and a thermally conductive material including a second compressible thermal interface material is provided between each pair of adjacent facing regions 920, 922 of opposing longitudinal faces within the cell array, the first compressible thermal interface material being thinner than the second compressible thermal interface material.

[0114] In one embodiment, at least one of the cell array end faces 928, 930 includes a surface of a thermally conductive material disposed on one of the cell array outer faces 932, 934. For example, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, a first outer face 932 at a first end of the cell array may be the same as the first cell array end face 930 (i.e., no thermally conductive material is present on the outer face 932), and a second outer face 934 at a second end of the cell array on the opposite side of the cell array may include a thermally conductive material thereon, the surface forming the second cell array end face 928 on the opposite side of the cell array. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive material includes a compressible thermal interface material including any of compressible foams and elastomeric materials, such as any selected from the group consisting of silicone pads (e.g., Silicone Pad), natural rubber, or other elastomeric materials (e.g., SIL Pad®), and may include electrically insulating ceramic particles to increase thermal conductivity. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive material may comprise a thermally conductive adhesive comprising any one selected from the group consisting of an epoxy adhesive, a thermoplastic adhesive, a silicone adhesive, or a polyurethane adhesive (e.g., LOCTITE® Bergquist®), and may include electrically insulating ceramic particles to increase thermal conductivity. According to yet another embodiment, the thermally conductive material may comprise a grease material filled with electrically insulating ceramic particles to increase thermal conductivity.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the battery pack includes multiple cell arrays 914, where a first cell array 914a is disposed on a first longitudinal side of a cooling tube 926 and a second cell array 914b is disposed on a second longitudinal side of the cooling tube 926, and the cooling tube cools outer surfaces 932, 934 of the first and second cell arrays adjacent to the cooling tube on each of the first and second longitudinal sides, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7. According to certain aspects, the same cooling tube 926 can be used to transfer heat from and cool both cell arrays disposed on either longitudinal side of the cooling tube, with the cell arrays contacting the cooling tube via a thermally conductive material between the secondary battery cells at the end of each array and the cooling tube. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes first and second cooling tubes 926a, 926b (see FIG. 7), where the second cooling tube can extend along the end faces of the cell arrays in the same or different direction as the first cooling tube (i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal direction). According to one embodiment, a first cooling tube extends along a first cell array end face 928 adjacent a first of the pair of cell array outer faces 932, 934, and a second cooling tube extends along a second cell array end face 928 adjacent a second of the pair of cell array outer faces 932, 934, such that both of the pair of cell array outer faces 932, 934 can be cooled by the first and second cooling tubes. According to yet another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes multiple cell arrays and multiple cooling tubes, where the cell arrays alternate with the cooling tubes in a vertical direction.

[0116] 9 , in one embodiment, a battery pack 900 includes a cooling tube 926 having a cooling fluid inlet side 936 through which cooling fluid is introduced and a cooling fluid outlet side 938 through which cooling fluid flows from the cooling fluid inlet side to the cooling fluid outlet side. The cooling tube 926 is positioned such that the cooling fluid inlet side 936 of the cooling tube passes along a first cell array end face 928 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the cooling fluid outlet side 938 of the cooling tube 926 passes through an opposing second cell array end face 930 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. According to an embodiment, the same cooling tube can be used to cool both opposing cell array end faces 928, 930. In one embodiment, a first thermally conductive material 924a is provided between a first cell array end face 930 and a surface of the cooling tube on the fluid inlet side 936, and between a second cell array end face 928 of the cell array and a surface 940 of the cooling tube on the fluid outlet side 938, and a second thermally conductive material 924b is provided between each pair of adjacent facing regions 920, 922 on opposing longitudinal sides within the cell array, the first thermally conductive material having a higher thermal conductivity than the second thermally conductive material.

[0117] According to further embodiments, the battery pack 900 can further include multiple cell arrays arranged in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction in addition to the one or more cell arrays arranged in a vertical direction, and one or more cooling tubes can further extend along the multiple cell arrays in a direction perpendicular to the multiple cell arrays to cool the multiple cell arrays. According to certain embodiments, the same cooling tube can be used to cool both opposing cell array end faces 928, 930 in the multiple orthogonally arranged cell arrays, and / or multiple cooling tubes can be used. According to certain embodiments, the one or more cooling tubes are configured to carry a liquid or gas coolant.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions 920, 922 of each pair 916, 918 of adjacent facing cells in the vertical plane within the cell array 914 are separated from each other by less than 0.8 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing cells in the vertical plane within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.75 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing cells in the vertical plane within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.5 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing cells in the vertical plane within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.25 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing cells in the vertical plane within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.1 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing vertical surfaces within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.05 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing vertical surfaces within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.01 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing vertical surfaces within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.005 mm. According to another embodiment, the battery pack 900 includes a cell array 914, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing vertical surfaces within the cell array are separated from each other by less than 0.001 mm.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 20% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 30% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 50% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 75% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 80% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 90% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across at least 95% of the surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction paths extend across substantially the entire surface area of ​​each adjacent vertical side of the cell array.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 20% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 30% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 50% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 75% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 80% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 90% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across at least 95% of the surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array. According to another embodiment, the thermally conductive material between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces forms a contact patch between the adjacent pair that extends across substantially the entire surface area of ​​the respective adjacent vertical surfaces of the cell array.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the thermal conduction path between each adjacent pair 916, 918 of vertical surfaces in the cell array 914 includes a thermally conductive material having a thermal conductivity of at least 2 W / mK. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction path between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces in the cell array includes a thermally conductive material having a thermal conductivity of at least 3 W / mK. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction path between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces in the cell array includes a thermally conductive material having a thermal conductivity of at least 5 W / mK. According to another embodiment, the thermal conduction path between each adjacent pair of vertical surfaces in the cell array includes a thermally conductive material having a thermal conductivity of at least 10 W / mK.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 (see FIG. 7 ) separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is 50 mm or less. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is 20 mm or less. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is 15 mm or less. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in the vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is 10 mm or less. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in the vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is 8 mm or less. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in the vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is at least 0.5 mm. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is at least 1 mm. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is at least 2 mm.According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is at least 3 mm. According to another embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 includes upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and the vertical thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured between the upper and lower outer surfaces 942, 944 is at least 5 mm.

[0123] According to one embodiment, the frame 903 holds a cell array including two secondary battery cells 902 (see FIG. 8A). According to another embodiment, the frame 903 holds a cell array including three secondary battery cells 902 (see FIG. 8B). According to another embodiment, the frame 903 holds a cell array including more than three secondary battery cells 902. According to another embodiment, the frame 903 holds a cooling array including at least one cell array and at least one cooling tube. According to another embodiment, the frame 903 holds a cooling array including multiple cell arrays and cooling tubes.

[0124] Sealed secondary battery cell having hermetically sealed housing 13-16, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a sealed secondary battery cell 902 capable of being charged between a charged state and a discharged state is provided. The sealed secondary battery cell 902 includes a housing 104 that is a hermetically sealed housing comprising a polymer housing material, an electrode assembly 106 surrounded by the hermetically sealed housing 104, and a set of electrode limiters 108. According to a specific embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 100 milliampere-hours. According to a specific embodiment, the charged state is at least 75% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell, and the discharged state is less than 25% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell.

[0125] According to certain embodiments, the electrode assembly 106 has a substantially polyhedral shape with mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes that correspond, respectively, to the x-, y-, and z-axes of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. For example, in certain embodiments, the electrode assembly 106 can include six substantially flat and / or completely flat surfaces, and / or can include additional flat surfaces, such as eight or more flat surfaces. The electrode assembly can also, in certain embodiments, include curved portions, such as at corners and / or vertices between otherwise flat surfaces.

[0126] According to certain embodiments, and referring again to FIGS. 13-16, the electrode assembly 106 is substantially planar and has opposed longitudinal faces 116, 118 (i.e., first and second longitudinal end faces) longitudinally separated from one another and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and side surfaces 142 connecting the opposing longitudinal end surfaces. Side surfaces 142 are substantially flat and include opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 separated from one another longitudinally on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and include opposing lateral surfaces 910, 912 separated from one another laterally on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis. According to one embodiment, opposing longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 have a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral surfaces 910, 912 have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 have a total surface area V SA V SA and L SA and T SA is at least 5:1. The total surface area is the surface area of ​​each surface added to its opposing surface (e.g., the total surface area of ​​opposing longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 is the surface area of ​​longitudinal surface 116 added to the surface area of ​​longitudinal surface 118).

[0127] According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 66% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 75% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 80% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 95% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 99% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create substantially the entire total surface area of ​​the electrode assembly.

[0128] Furthermore, according to certain embodiments, as similarly described with respect to the energy storage device and / or secondary battery 102 above, the electrode assembly 106 of the secondary battery cell 902 includes an electrode structure assembly 110, an electrically insulating separator assembly 130, and a counter-electrode structure assembly 112, with the electrode structure assembly, electrically insulating separator assembly, and counter-electrode structure assembly members arranged in alternating order within the electrode assembly. In one embodiment, the electrode structure, electrically insulating separator, and counter-electrode structure assembly members are arranged in alternating order in the longitudinal direction. According to one embodiment, the electrode structure assembly 110 member includes an electrode active material layer 132 and an electrode current collector 136, and the counter electrode structure assembly 112 member includes a counter-electrode active material layer 138 and a counter-electrode current collector 140.

[0129] 14 , according to certain embodiments, the set of electrode limiters 108 includes a longitudinal limiting system 2000 including first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 being connected to members of the assembly of the electrode structure 110 and / or members of the assembly of the counter electrode structure 112. According to certain embodiments, the longitudinal limiting system 2000 corresponds to the secondary growth limiting system 152 described herein, and therefore, the description of the secondary growth limiting system 152 can be considered to also apply to the longitudinal limiting system 2000. For example, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 can correspond to the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160 described herein, and members of the assembly of the electrode structure 110 and / or members of the assembly of the counter electrode structure 112 can correspond to at least one connecting member 166. Similar to the secondary growth limiting system described above, the longitudinal limiting system 2000 can limit the growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction. The counter electrode structure assembly members and / or counter electrode structure assembly members connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 have a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm and a yield strength of more than 100 MPa to provide the longitudinal growth limiting effect of the longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002.

[0130] Additionally, according to certain embodiments, the set of electrode limiters 108 further comprises a longitudinal growth limiting system 2010 comprising first and second longitudinal limiters 2012, 2014 separated from one another in the longitudinal direction and connected by a connecting member 2016 to restrict growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction. According to certain embodiments, the longitudinal limiting system 2010 corresponds to the primary growth limiting system 151 described elsewhere herein, and therefore, the description of the primary growth limiting system 151 can be considered to also apply to the longitudinal limiting system 2010. For example, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2012, 2014 can correspond to the first and second primary growth limiters 154, 156 described herein, which can be connected by primary connecting members 162, 164 corresponding to the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002.

[0131] According to a particular embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 comprises opposing exterior vertical surfaces 2004, 2005 separated from one another in a vertical direction, and a thickness t1 of the sealed secondary battery cell 902 measured in a vertical direction between vertically opposing regions 2006, 2007 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 is at least 1 mm. According to a further embodiment, a thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along a heat conduction path 2008 between the vertically opposing regions 2006, 2007 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 in the vertical direction is at least 2 W / m + It's K.

[0132] According to a particular embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 150 milliampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 200 milliampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 400 milliampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 0.1 ampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 0.5 ampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 1 ampere-hour. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 3 ampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 5 ampere-hours.

[0133] According to a particular embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902, measured lengthwise between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104, is at least 2 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902, measured lengthwise between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104, is at least 3 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902, measured lengthwise between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104, is at least 5 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902, measured lengthwise between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104, is at least 8 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured lengthwise between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 is at least 10 mm.

[0134] According to certain embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the thermal conduction path 2008 between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 in the vertical direction is at least 3 W / m + According to another embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the heat conduction path 2008 between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 in the vertical direction is at least 4 W / m + According to another embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the heat conduction path 2008 between the facing regions 2006, 2007 of the facing surfaces 2004, 2005 of the hermetically sealed housing 104 in the vertical direction is at least 5 W / m + K. According to certain embodiments, the thermal conduction path 2008 is along the longitudinal direction of the members of the assembly of electrode structures 110 and / or the members of the assembly of counter electrode structures 112 connected to the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002.

[0135] According to one embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 comprises a polymeric material suitable for containing an electrode assembly and / or an electrolyte within the housing. According to certain embodiments, the hermetically sealed housing 104 may further comprise a laminate structure of a polymeric material and another material, such as a flexible sheet of a metallic material. In certain embodiments, the polymer and / or other material used for the housing can withstand corrosion by any electrolyte used in the secondary battery cell and can serve to contain such electrolyte within the cell. In one embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 comprises a laminate structure made from a sheet of a polymeric material and a flexible sheet of a metallic material disposed therebetween. In one embodiment, the hermetically sealed housing 104 comprises a laminate structure made from sheets of polypropylene, aluminum, and nylon, with the aluminum sheet between the polypropylene polymer sheet and the nylon polymer sheet. The hermetically sealed housing 104 may be in the form of a hermetically sealed pouch having a polymeric material, such as a hermetically sealed pouch made from a flexible pouch material. According to certain embodiments, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 may comprise any of the materials specified for any of the primary and secondary growth limiters 151, 152 herein, such as, for example, metal, alloy, ceramic, glass, plastic, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters comprise any one or more of stainless steel and aluminum.

[0136] According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 100 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 150 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 200 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0137] According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions have a tensile strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions have a tensile strength of at least 100 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions have a tensile strength of at least 150 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions have a tensile strength of at least 200 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions have a tensile strength of at least 300 MPa. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions have a tensile strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a yield strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a tensile strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a tensile strength of at least 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a tensile strength of at least 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a tensile strength of at least 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a tensile strength of at least 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions have a tensile strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0140] According to one embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits have a yield strength of more than 70 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits have a yield strength of more than 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits have a yield strength of more than 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits have a yield strength of more than 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits have a yield strength of more than 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the members of the assembly of electrode structures and / or the members of the assembly of counter-electrode structures connected to the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions have a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly have a tensile strength of more than 70 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly have a tensile strength of more than 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly have a tensile strength of more than 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly have a tensile strength of more than 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly have a tensile strength of more than 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the members of the electrode structure assembly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions and / or the members of the counter electrode structure assembly have a tensile strength of more than 500 MPa.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 are connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the electrode structure assembly and / or the counter electrode structure assembly members. For example, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 can be connected to the vertically separated upper and lower end surfaces 500a, 500b of the electrode structure assembly members and / or the vertically separated upper and lower end surfaces 501a, 501b of the counter electrode structures. According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 can be connected to the vertically separated upper and lower end surfaces 502a, 502b of the separator 130. In one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters are connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the electrode current collectors of the electrode structure assembly members and / or the upper and lower surfaces of the counter electrode current collectors of the counter electrode assembly members. For example, in one embodiment, the electrode and / or counter electrode current collector is connected to the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions 2001, 2002 and has a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm to restrict longitudinal growth, and a yield strength of greater than 100 MPa. In one embodiment, the electrode current collector is connected to the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions 2001, 2002 and has a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm and has a yield strength of greater than 100 MPa. The electrode and / or counter electrode current collector may also have any of the yield strengths and / or tensile strengths otherwise described herein, as suitable for members of the electrode and / or counter electrode structural assembly connected to the upper and lower sidewalls.

[0143] According to one embodiment, the longitudinal limiting system 2000, which includes the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002, limits the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that the Feret diameter increases by less than 2% over 20 consecutive cycles. In another embodiment, the longitudinal limiting system 2000, which includes the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002, limits the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that the Feret diameter increases by less than 2% over 30 consecutive cycles. In another embodiment, the longitudinal limiting system 2000, which includes the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002, limits the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that the Feret diameter increases by less than 2% over 50 consecutive cycles. In another embodiment, the longitudinal limiting system 2000, which includes the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002, limits the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that the Feret diameter increases by less than 2% over 80 consecutive cycles. In another embodiment, a longitudinal limiting system 2000 comprising first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 limits the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly so that the increase in Feret's diameter over 100 consecutive cycles is less than 2%.

[0144] According to certain embodiments, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 have a tensile strength of at least 10,000 psi (greater than 70 MPa). According to another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal limiters 2012, 2014 have a tensile strength of at least 10,000 psi (greater than 70 MPa). In one embodiment, the thickness of the first and second longitudinal limiters 2012, 2014 measured in the longitudinal direction is at least 150 μm. In another embodiment, the thickness of the first and second longitudinal limiters 2012, 2014 measured in the longitudinal direction is at least 250 μm. In another embodiment, the thickness of the first and second longitudinal limiters 2012, 2014 measured in the longitudinal direction is at least 400 μm.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the members of the counter electrode structure assembly are connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002 by any one or more of adhesive bonding, gluing, welding, bonding, joining, soldering, sintering, pressure welding, brazing, spray bonding, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying. In one embodiment, opposite longitudinal faces of the members of the electrode structure and / or the members of the counter electrode structure assembly are connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 200, 2001 by an adhesive.

[0146] Referring to FIG. 12 , compared to other secondary battery cells ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ), aspects of the present disclosure provide efficient thermal conduction paths for heat dissipation during battery cycling (hollow arrows indicate thermal paths inside the secondary battery cell, and solid lines indicate cooling paths used to cool the outside of the secondary battery cell). As seen in FIG. 12 , according to aspects of the present disclosure, a direct thermal conduction path is provided along the electrode and / or counter-electrode structure to the largest surface area surfaces (i.e., vertical faces) of the secondary battery, and cooling of these surfaces removes a significant amount of heat. In contrast, in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the heat removal path intersects many different layers of the electrode assembly, and as a result, heat is not efficiently transferred to the surface of the secondary battery cell. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 , the exemplary housing 104 may include two parts: a top cover 1302 and a bottom holder 1303. These two sections may be overlapped vertically (FIGS. 14 and 15) and sealed together, with the seal folded against the side of the sealed secondary battery cell.

[0147] Sealed secondary battery cell having hermetically sealed case 17-22, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a sealed secondary battery cell 902 capable of being charged between a charged state and a discharged state is provided. The sealed secondary battery cell 902 includes a housing 104 that is a hermetically sealed case 2020 comprising a polymer housing material, and an electrode assembly 106 surrounded by the hermetically sealed case 2020. According to certain embodiments, the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 100 milliampere-hours. According to certain embodiments, the charged state is at least 75% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell, and the discharged state is less than 25% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery cell.

[0148] According to certain embodiments, the electrode assembly 106 has a substantially polyhedral shape with mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes that correspond, respectively, to the x-, y-, and z-axes of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. For example, in certain embodiments, the electrode assembly 106 can include six substantially flat and / or completely flat surfaces, and / or can include additional flat surfaces, such as eight or more flat surfaces. The electrode assembly can also, in certain embodiments, include curved portions, such as at corners and / or vertices between otherwise flat surfaces.

[0149] According to certain embodiments, and referring again to FIGS. 17-22, the electrode assembly 106 is substantially planar and has opposed longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 (i.e., first and second longitudinal end surfaces) longitudinally separated from one another and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and side surfaces 142 connecting the opposing longitudinal end surfaces. Side surfaces 142 are substantially flat and include opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 separated from one another longitudinally on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and include opposing lateral surfaces 910, 912 separated from one another laterally on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis. According to one embodiment, opposing longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 have a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral surfaces 910, 912 have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces 906, 908 have a total surface area V SAV SA and L SA and T SA is at least 5:1. The total surface area is the surface area of ​​each surface added to its opposing surface (e.g., the total surface area of ​​opposing longitudinal surfaces 116, 118 is the surface area of ​​longitudinal surface 116 added to the surface area of ​​longitudinal surface 118).

[0150] According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 66% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 75% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 80% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 95% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create more than 99% of the total surface area. According to one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal, vertical, and lateral surfaces (which are substantially flat) create substantially the entire total surface area of ​​the electrode assembly.

[0151] Furthermore, according to certain embodiments, as similarly described with respect to the energy storage device and / or secondary battery 102 above, the electrode assembly 106 of the secondary battery cell 902 includes an electrode structure assembly 110, an electrically insulating separator assembly 130, and a counter-electrode structure assembly 112, with the electrode structure assembly, electrically insulating separator assembly, and counter-electrode structure assembly members arranged in alternating order within the electrode assembly. In one embodiment, the electrode structure, electrically insulating separator, and counter-electrode structure assembly members are arranged in alternating order in the longitudinal direction. According to one embodiment, the electrode structure assembly 110 member includes an electrode active material layer 132 and an electrode current collector 136, and the counter electrode structure assembly 112 member includes a counter-electrode active material layer 138 and a counter-electrode current collector 140.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the hermetically sealed case 2020 has first and second opposing case ends 2021, 2022 separated longitudinally, and a case side wall 2023 connecting the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, wherein the opposing first and second case ends 2021, 2022 and the case side wall 2023 form an airtight seal around the electrode assembly 106, and the case side wall 2023 includes upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 separated from each other vertically, and first and second lateral side walls 2026, 2027 separated from each other horizontally. In the embodiment shown in Figures 17-22, first and second case ends 2021, 2022, first and second lateral side walls 2026, 2027, and lower side wall 2025 form a lower housing portion of case 2020, and upper side wall 2024 is in the form of a lid that can be sealed to the lower housing portion to form hermetically sealed case 2020.

[0153] According to one embodiment, the thickness t1 of the secondary battery cell 902 measured vertically between the vertically facing regions 2028, 2028 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 1 mm. According to a particular embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured vertically between the vertically facing regions 2028, 2028 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 2 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured vertically between the vertically facing regions 2028, 2028 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 3 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured vertically between the vertically facing regions 2028, 2028 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 5 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured vertically between the vertically facing regions 2028, 2028 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 8 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness of the secondary battery cell 902 measured vertically between the vertically facing regions 2028, 2028 of the exterior vertical surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 10 mm.

[0154] According to one embodiment, members of the electrode structure assembly 110 and / or the counter electrode structure assembly 112 are connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 to restrict vertical growth of the electrode assembly during cycling of the secondary battery between charge and discharge states. According to certain embodiments, the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 (in combination with the electrode and / or counter electrode structures to which they are connected) correspond to the secondary growth limiting system 152 described herein, and therefore, the description of the secondary growth limiting system 152 can be considered to also apply to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode and / or counter electrode structures. For example, the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 can correspond to the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160 described herein, and members of the assembly of the electrode structure 110 and / or the assembly of the counter electrode structure 112 can correspond to at least one connecting member 166. Similar to the secondary growth limiting system described above, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode and / or counter-electrode structures can limit the growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction. The electrode structure assembly members and / or counter-electrode structure assembly members connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm and a yield strength greater than 100 MPa to provide the longitudinal growth limiting effect.

[0155] Additionally, according to certain embodiments, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, which are longitudinally separated from one another, can act to limit longitudinal growth. For example, the opposing first and second case ends 2021, 2022 can be connected together by one or more of the upper and lower case sidewalls 2024, 2025 to limit the growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction. In one embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022 (in combination with one or more of the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025) can correspond to the primary growth limiting system 151 described elsewhere herein, and therefore, the description of the primary growth limiting system 151 can be considered to apply to the first and second case ends 2021, 2022 connected by one or more of the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025. For example, the opposing first and second case ends 2021, 2022 can correspond to the first and second primary growth restriction portions 154, 156 described herein, which can be connected by primary connecting members 162, 164 corresponding to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the case.

[0156] In one embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cell 902 further comprises a set of electrode limiters 108 inside the hermetically sealed case 2020, the set of electrode limiters including an internal vertical limiting system 2020 including first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002 separated from each other in the vertical direction, the first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002 being connected to the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the members of the counter electrode structure assembly. The vertical limiting system 2000 can restrict growth of the electrode assembly in the vertical direction, and the first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002 are connected to the respective upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, indirectly connecting the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the members of the counter electrode structure assembly to the upper and lower side walls. For example, the first and second vertical growth limiters 2001, 2002 may be adhesively attached to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 to complete the connection of the electrodes and / or members of the counter electrode assembly to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the case. According to certain embodiments, the vertical limiting system 2000, either alone or in combination with the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the case, may correspond to the primary growth limiting system 151 described elsewhere herein, and therefore the description of the primary growth limiting system 151 may be considered to apply to the vertical limiting system 2000 as well. For example, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2001, 2002, alone or in combination with the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, can correspond to the first and second secondary growth limiters 158, 160 described herein, which can be connected by secondary connecting members 166 corresponding to the electrode and / or counter-electrode structure assembly members. In embodiments where an internal set of electrode limiters 108 is provided, the electrode structure assembly members and / or counter-electrode structure assembly members connected to the upper and lower side walls have a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm to restrict longitudinal growth, and a yield strength of greater than 100 MPa.

[0157] According to yet another embodiment, the set of electrode limiters 108 inside the hermetically sealed case 2020 further comprises a longitudinal limiting system 2010 comprising first and second longitudinal growth limiters 2012, 2014 separated from one another longitudinally and connected by a connecting member 2016 for constraining growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction. According to certain embodiments, the longitudinal limiting system 2010, alone or in combination with the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, can correspond to the primary growth limiting system 151 described elsewhere herein, and therefore the description of the primary growth limiting system 151 can be considered to apply to the longitudinal limiting system 2010 as well. For example, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions 2012, 2014, alone or in combination with the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, can correspond to the first and second primary growth limiting portions 154, 156 described herein, which can be connected by primary connecting members 162, 164, which, alone or in combination with the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, correspond to the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions 2002, 2002.

[0158] According to one embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the heat conduction path 2008 between the longitudinally facing regions 2028, 2029 of the exterior longitudinal surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 7.5 W / m + According to another embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the heat conduction path 2008 between the longitudinally facing regions 2028, 2029 of the exterior longitudinal surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 8 W / m + According to another embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the heat conduction path 2008 between the longitudinally facing regions 2028, 2029 of the exterior longitudinal surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 10 W / m +According to another embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell 902 along the heat conduction path 2008 between the longitudinally facing regions 2028, 2029 of the exterior longitudinal surfaces 2030, 2031 of the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the hermetically sealed case 2020 is at least 15 W / m + K. According to certain embodiments, the thermal conduction path 2008 is along the longitudinal direction of the members of the assembly of electrode structures 110 and / or the members of the assembly of counter electrode structures 112 connected to the first and second longitudinal growth restriction portions 2001, 2002.

[0159] According to a particular embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 150 milliampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 200 milliampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 400 milliampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 0.1 ampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 0.5 ampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 1 ampere-hour. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 3 ampere-hours. According to another embodiment, the sealed secondary battery cells 902 have a rated capacity of at least 5 ampere-hours.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the hermetically sealed casing 2020 includes a metallic material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, beryllium, copper, nickel, and alloys thereof. For example, in certain embodiments, the metallic material is any of the metallic materials disclosed herein as suitable for the primary growth limiting system 151 and / or the secondary growth limiting system 152. In one embodiment, the metallic material used for the casing, e.g., the upper and lower sidewalls, includes stainless steel and aluminum. In certain embodiments, the metallic material used for the casing can resist corrosion by any electrolyte used in the secondary battery cell and can serve to contain such electrolyte within the cell. According to certain embodiments in which the internal set of electrode limiters 108 is provided within the hermetically sealed casing 2020, the first and second vertical growth limiters and / or the first and second longitudinal growth limiters can include any of the materials specified for either the primary and secondary growth limiting systems 151, 152 herein, such as, for example, metal, alloy, ceramic, glass, plastic, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2001, 2002 comprise any one or more of stainless steel and aluminum.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a yield strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a yield strength of at least 100 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a yield strength of at least 150 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a yield strength of at least 200 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a yield strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0162] According to one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a tensile strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a tensile strength of at least 100 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a tensile strength of at least 150 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002, have a tensile strength of at least 200 MPa. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of at least 300 MPa, either alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of at least 500 MPa, either alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2001, 2002.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a yield strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a yield strength of at least 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a yield strength of at least 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a yield strength of at least 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2012, 2014, have a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2012, 2014, have a yield strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0164] According to one embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a tensile strength of at least 70 MPa. According to one embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a tensile strength of at least 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a tensile strength of at least 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth limits 2012, 2014, have a tensile strength of at least 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2012, 2014, have a tensile strength of at least 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the first and second case ends 2021, 2022, alone or in combination with the first and second longitudinal growth restrictions 2012, 2014, have a tensile strength of at least 500 MPa.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a yield strength of greater than 70 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a yield strength of greater than 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a yield strength of greater than 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a yield strength of greater than 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a yield strength of greater than 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a yield strength of greater than 500 MPa.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of greater than 70 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of greater than 100 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of greater than 150 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of greater than 200 MPa. In another embodiment, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of greater than 300 MPa. In another embodiment, the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the members of the counter electrode structure assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 have a tensile strength of greater than 500 MPa.

[0167] According to one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters comprise a longitudinal thickness of at least 150 um. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters comprise a longitudinal thickness of at least 250 um. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters comprise a longitudinal thickness of at least 400 um.

[0168] According to one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 are connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the electrode structure assembly and / or the counter electrode structure assembly members. For example, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 can be connected to the longitudinally separated upper and lower end surfaces 500a, 500b of the electrode structure assembly members and / or the longitudinally separated upper and lower end surfaces 501a, 501b of the counter electrode structures. According to another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 can be connected to the longitudinally separated upper and lower end surfaces 502a, 502b of the separator 130. In one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 are connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the electrode current collectors of the electrode structure assembly members and / or the upper and lower surfaces of the counter electrode current collectors of the counter electrode assembly members. In one embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions 2001, 2002 are connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or counter electrode structure assembly, and the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions 2001, 2002 are in turn connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025. In another embodiment, the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions 2001, 2002 are connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the electrode current collectors of the members of the electrode structure assembly and / or the upper and lower surfaces of the counter electrode current collectors of the members of the counter electrode current collector, and the first and second longitudinal growth limiting portions 2001, 2002 are then directly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025. For example, in one embodiment, the electrode and / or counter electrode current collectors are connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 (e.g., directly or through first and second longitudinal growth constraints) and comprise a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm to constrain longitudinal growth, and a yield strength greater than 100 MPa. In one embodiment, the electrode current collectors are connected to the upper and lower sidewalls 2024, 2025 (e.g., directly or through first and second longitudinal growth constraints) and comprise a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction in the range of 5 to 50 μm and a yield strength greater than 100 MPa.The electrode and / or counter electrode current collector may also have any of the yield strengths and / or tensile strengths otherwise described herein as suitable for members of the electrode and / or counter electrode structural assembly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025.

[0169] According to one embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode structure assembly or members of the counter electrode structure assembly, alone or together with an internal longitudinal restraint system, limit the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly over 20 consecutive cycles is less than 2%. In another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode structure assembly or members of the counter electrode structure assembly, alone or together with an internal longitudinal restraint system, limit the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly over 30 consecutive cycles is less than 2%. In another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode structure assembly or members of the counter electrode structure assembly, alone or together with an internal longitudinal restraint system, limit the longitudinal growth of the electrode assembly such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly over 50 consecutive cycles is less than 2%. In another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode structure assembly or members of the counter electrode structure assembly, alone or together with an internal longitudinal restraint system, limit the longitudinal growth such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly over 80 consecutive cycles is less than 2%. In another embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 connected to the electrode structure assembly or members of the counter electrode structure assembly, alone or together with an internal longitudinal restraint system, limit the longitudinal growth such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly over 100 consecutive cycles is less than 2%.

[0170] In one embodiment, the members of the assembly of electrode structures 110 and / or the members of the assembly of counter electrode structures 112 are directly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the case. According to another embodiment, the members of the assembly of electrode structures 110 and / or the members of the assembly of counter electrode structures 112 are indirectly connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025 of the case, such as via first and second longitudinal growth limiters. For example, the members of the assembly of electrode structures and / or the members of the assembly of counter electrode structures may be directly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limiters, which are in turn connected to the upper and lower side walls 2024, 2025. According to certain embodiments, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly are directly connected to the upper and lower side walls by any one or more of one or more of adhesive bonding, gluing, welding, bonding, joining, soldering, sintering, pressure welding, brazing, spray bonding, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying. According to certain embodiments, the elements of the electrode structure assembly and / or the elements of the counter-electrode structure assembly are directly connected to the first and second longitudinal growth limits by any one or more of adhesive bonding, gluing, welding, bonding, joining, soldering, sintering, pressure welding, brazing, spray bonding, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying. According to certain embodiments, the first and second longitudinal growth limiters are directly connected to the respective upper and lower side walls by any one or more of adhesive bonding, glueing, welding, bonding, joining, soldering, sintering, pressure welding, brazing, spray bonding, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying.In one embodiment, the opposing longitudinal faces of the members of the electrode structure and / or of the members of the assembly of counter electrode structures are connected to either the first and second longitudinal growth limiters and / or the upper and lower side walls, and / or the first and second longitudinal growth limiters are connected to the upper and lower side walls by adhesive.

[0171] Referring to FIG. 25 , compared to other secondary battery cells ( FIGS. 23 and 24 ), embodiments of the present disclosure provide efficient thermal conduction paths for heat dissipation during battery cycling (hollow arrows indicate thermal paths inside the secondary battery cell, and solid lines indicate cooling paths used to cool the exterior of the secondary battery cell). As seen in FIG. 25 , according to embodiments herein, direct thermal conduction paths are provided along the electrode and / or counter-electrode structures to the largest surface area surfaces (i.e., vertical faces) of the secondary battery cell, and cooling of these surfaces removes a significant amount of heat. In contrast, in FIGS. 23-24 , the heat removal path intersects many different layers of the electrode assembly, resulting in inefficient transfer of heat to the surface of the secondary battery cell.

[0172] The assembly members of the electrode 110 and counter electrode 112 comprise electroactive materials capable of absorbing and releasing carrier ions, such as lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, or aluminum ions. In some embodiments, the assembly members of the electrode structure 110 comprise anode active electroactive materials (sometimes referred to as negative electrodes), and the assembly members of the counter electrode structure 112 comprise cathode active electroactive materials (sometimes referred to as positive electrodes). In other embodiments, the assembly members of the electrode structure 110 comprise cathode active electroactive materials, and the assembly members of the counter electrode structure 112 comprise anode active electroactive materials. In each of the embodiments and examples described in this paragraph, the anode active material may be, for example, a particulate agglomerated electrode, an electrode active material formed from a particulate material, such as by forming a slurry of the particulate material and casting it into a layer, or a monolithic electrode.

[0173] According to one embodiment, the electrode active material used in the electrode structure 110 corresponding to the anode of the electrode assembly 106 includes a material that expands when carrier ions are inserted into the electrode active material during charging of the secondary battery 102 and / or electrode assembly 106. For example, the electrode active material may include an anode active material that accepts carrier ions, such as by intercalating or alloying with the carrier ions, in an amount sufficient to cause an increase in the volume of the electrode active material during charging of the secondary battery. For example, in one embodiment, the secondary battery active material may include a material that has a capacity to accept more than 1 mole of carrier ions per mole of electrode active material when the electrode 102 is charged from a discharged state to a charged state. As a further example, the electrode active material may include a material that has a capacity to accept 1.5 moles or more of carrier ions per mole of electrode active material, such as 2.0 moles or more of carrier ions per mole of electrode active material, or even 2.5 moles or more of carrier ions per mole of electrode active material, such as 3.5 moles or more of carrier ions per mole of electrode active material. The carrier ions accepted by the electrode active material may be at least one of lithium, potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Examples of electrode active materials that are adapted to provide such a volume change include one or more of silicon (e.g., SiO), aluminum, tin, zinc, silver, antimony, bismuth, gold, platinum, germanium, palladium, and alloys and compounds thereof. For example, in one embodiment, the electrode active material may include a silicon-containing material in particulate form, such as one or more of particulate silicon, particulate silicon oxide, and mixtures thereof. In yet another embodiment, the electrode active material may include a material that exhibits a smaller or even negligible volume change. For example, in one embodiment, the electrode active material may include a carbon-containing material such as graphite. In yet another embodiment, the electrode structure includes a layer of lithium metal, which can function as an electrode current collector, on which the electrode active material is deposited by carrier ions migrating to the lithium metal layer during the charging process.

[0174] Exemplary anode active electroactive materials include carbon materials such as graphite and soft or hard carbon, or any of various metals, semimetals, alloys, oxides, and compounds that can form an alloy with lithium. Specific examples of metals or semimetals that can constitute the anode material include graphite, tin, lead, magnesium, aluminum, boron, gallium, silicon, Si / C composites, Si / graphite blends, SiOx, porous Si, intermetallic Si alloys, indium, zirconium, germanium, bismuth, cadmium, antimony, silver, zinc, arsenic, hafnium, yttrium, lithium, sodium, graphite, carbon, lithium titanate, palladium, and mixtures thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, the anode active material includes aluminum, tin, or silicon, or oxides, nitrides, fluorides, or other alloys thereof. In another exemplary embodiment, the anode active material includes silicon, silicon oxide, or alloys thereof.

[0175] In a further embodiment, the anode active material may include lithium metal, lithium alloy, carbon, petroleum coke, activated carbon, graphite, silicon compounds, tin compounds, and alloys thereof. In one embodiment, as the anode active material, carbon such as non-graphitizable carbon and graphite-based carbon, Li x Fe2O3 (0 ≦ x ≦ 1), Li x WO2 (0 ≦ x ≦ 1), Sn x Me 1-x Me′ y O z (Me: Mn, Fe, Pb, Ge, Me′: Al, B, P, Si, elements belonging to Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 of the periodic table, halogen, 0 < x ≦ 1, 1 ≦ y ≦ 3, 1 ≦ z ≦ 8), etc. metal composite oxides, lithium metal, lithium alloy, silicon-based alloy, tin-based alloy, SnO, SnO2, PbO, PbO2, Pb2O 3、Examples of suitable carbon materials include metal oxides such as PbO, SbO, SbO, SbO, SbO, GeO, GeO, BiO, BiO, BiO, BiO, and BiO, conductive polymers such as polyacetylene, and Li-Co-Ni-based materials. In one embodiment, the anode active material may include a carbon-based active material, including crystalline graphite, such as natural graphite and artificial graphite, and amorphous carbon, such as soft carbon and hard carbon. Other examples of carbon materials suitable for the anode active material include graphite, kish graphite, pyrolytic carbon, mesophase pitch-based carbon fiber, mesocarbon microbeads, mesophase pitch, graphitized carbon fiber, and high-temperature sintered carbon, such as petroleum- or coal-tar pitch-derived coke. In one embodiment, the negative electrode active material may include tin oxide, titanium nitrate, and silicon. In another embodiment, the negative electrode can include lithium metal, such as a lithium metal film, or a lithium alloy, such as an alloy of lithium with one or more types of metal selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Al, and Sn. In yet another embodiment, the anode active material can include a metal compound that can alloy and / or intercalate with lithium, such as Si, Al, C, Pt, Sn, Pb, Ir, Ni, Cu, Ti, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Ca, Sr, Sb, Ba, Ra, Ge, Zn, Bi, In, Mg, Ga, Cd, Si alloys, Sn alloys, Al alloys, SiO v(0 < v < 2), a metal oxide capable of doping and undoping lithium ions such as SnO2, vanadium oxide or lithium vanadium oxide, and a composite containing a metal compound such as a Si-C composite or a Sn-C composite and a carbon material may be included. For example, in one embodiment, a material capable of alloying / intercalating with lithium may be a metal such as lithium, indium, tin, aluminum, or silicon, or an alloy thereof, a transition metal oxide such as Li4 / 3Ti5 / 3O4 or SnO, and artificial graphite, graphite carbon fiber, resin-fired carbon, pyrolytic vapor-grown carbon, cork, mesocarbon microbeads ("MCMB"), furfuryl alcohol resin-fired carbon, polyacene, pitch-based carbon fiber, vapor-grown carbon fiber, or a carbonaceous material such as natural graphite. In yet another embodiment, the negative electrode active material may include a composition suitable for carrier ions such as sodium or magnesium. For example, in one embodiment, the negative electrode active material includes a layered carbonaceous material and a formula Na disposed between the layers of the layered carbonaceous material x Sn y-z M z of the composition, where M is Ti, K, Ge, P, or a combination thereof, 0 < x ≦ 15, 1 ≦ y ≦ 5, and 0 ≦ z ≦ 1.

[0176] In one embodiment, the negative electrode active material may further include a conductive material and / or a conductive additive such as a carbon-based material, carbon black, graphite, graphene, activated carbon, carbon fiber, carbon black such as acetylene black, ketjen black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black, or thermal black, conductive fiber such as carbon fiber or metal fiber, conductive tube such as carbon nanotube, fluorocarbon powder, metal powder such as aluminum powder or nickel powder, conductive whisker such as zinc oxide or potassium titanate, conductive metal oxide such as titanium oxide, or conductive material such as polyphenylene derivative. Alternatively, metal fiber such as metal mesh, metal powder such as copper, silver, nickel, or aluminum, or organic conductive material such as polyphenylene derivative may be used. In yet another embodiment, a binder such as one or more of polyethylene, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), styrene-butadiene rubber, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride-pentafluoropropylene copolymer, propylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-perfluoromethyl vinyl ether-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, and the like may be provided and may be used alone or in mixtures.

[0177] Exemplary cathode active materials include any of a wide range of cathode active materials. For example, in the case of a lithium-ion battery, the cathode active material can include, and can selectively be used, a cathode material selected from transition metal oxides, transition metal sulfides, transition metal nitrides, lithium-transition metal oxides, lithium-transition metal sulfides, and lithium-transition metal nitrides. The transition metal elements of these transition metal oxides, transition metal sulfides, and transition metal nitrides can include metal elements having a d-shell or an f-shell. Specific examples of such metal elements include Sc, Y, lanthanides, actinides, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Tc, Re, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pb, Pt, Cu, Ag, and Au. Additional cathode active materials include LiCoO2, LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O4, Li(Ni x Co y Al z )O2, LiFePO4, Li2MnO4, V2O5, molybdenum oxysulfide, phosphates, silicates, vanadates, sulfur, sulfur compounds, oxygen (air), Li(Ni x Mn y Co z )O2, and combinations thereof. Additionally, compounds for the cathode active material layer may include lithium-containing compounds further comprising metal oxides or metal phosphates, such as compounds comprising lithium, cobalt, and oxygen (e.g., LiCoO2), compounds comprising lithium, manganese, and oxygen (e.g., LiMn2O4), and compounds comprising lithium iron and phosphate (e.g., LiFePO4). In one embodiment, the cathode active material includes at least one of lithium manganese oxide, lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel oxide, lithium iron phosphate, or a composite oxide formed from a combination of the foregoing oxides. In another embodiment, the cathode active material includes lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2), or compounds substituted with one or more transition metals, such as Li 1+x Mn 2-xLithium manganese oxides such as O4 (where x is from 0 to 0.33), LiMnO3, LiMn2O3, LiMnO2, lithium copper oxide (Li2CuO2), vanadium oxides such as LiV3O8, LiFe3O4, V2O5, Cu2V2O7, LiNi 1-x M x Ni-site type lithium nickel oxides represented by the chemical formula O2 (where M is Co, Mn, Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, B or Ga and x = 0.01 to 0.3), LiMn 2-x M x Lithium manganese composite oxides represented by the chemical formula O2 (where M is Co, Ni, Fe, Cr, Zn or Ta, x = 0.01 to 0.1) or Li2Mn3MO8 (where M is Fe, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn), LiMn2O4 in which part of Li is substituted with alkaline earth metal ions, disulfide compounds, Fe2(MoO4)3, etc. may be included. In one embodiment, the cathode active material is of the formula Li 1+a Fe 1-x M′ x (PO 4-b )X b and may include lithium metal phosphates having an olivine crystal structure, where M′ is at least one selected from Al, Mg, Ni, Co, Mn, Ti, Ga, Cu, V, Nb, Zr, Ce, In, Zn, and Y, X is at least one selected from F, S, and N, -0.5 ≦ a ≦ +0.5, 0 ≦ x ≦ 0.5, and 0 ≦ b ≦ 0.1, and is at least one of LiFePO4, Li(Fe,Mn)PO4, Li(Fe,Co)PO4, Li(Fe,Ni)PO4, etc. In one embodiment, the cathode active material is LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMnO2, LiMn2O4, LiNi 1-y Co y O2, LiCo 1-y Mn y O2, LiNi 1-y Mn y O2 (0 ≦ y ≦ 1), Li(Ni a Co b Mn c )O4 (0 < a < 2, 0 < b < 2, 0 < c < 2, and a + b + c = 2), LiMn 2-z Ni z O4, LiMn 2-zCo z It contains at least one of CoO4 (0 < z < 2), LiCoPO4, and LiFePO4, or a mixture of two or more of them.

[0178] In yet another embodiment, the cathode active material may contain elemental sulfur (S8), sulfur-based compounds, or a mixture thereof. Specific examples of sulfur-based compounds include Li2S n (n ≧ 1), organic sulfur compounds, carbon-sulfur polymers ((C2S x ) n : x = 2.5 to 50, n ≧ 2), etc. In yet another embodiment, the cathode active material may contain oxides of lithium and zirconium.

[0179] In yet another embodiment, the cathode active material can contain, and can be used, at least one composite oxide of lithium and a metal such as cobalt, manganese, nickel, or a combination thereof. Examples thereof include Li a A 1-b M b D2 (0.90 ≦ a ≦ 1, and 0 ≦ b ≦ 0.5), Li a E 1-b M b O 2-c D c (0.90 ≦ a ≦ 1, 0 ≦ b ≦ 0.5, and 0 ≦ c ≦ 0.05), LiE 2-b M b O 4-c D c (0 ≦ b ≦ 0.5, and 0 ≦ c ≦ 0.05), Li a Ni 1-b-c Co b M c D a (0.90 ≦ a ≦ 1, 0 ≦ b ≦ 0.5, 0 ≦ c ≦ 0.05, and 0 < a ≦ 2), Li a Ni 1-b-c Co b M c O 2-a X a (0.90 ≦ a ≦ 1, 0 ≦ b ≦ 0.5, 0 ≦ c ≦ 0.05, and 0 < a < 2), Li a Ni 1-b-c Co b M c O2-a X2(0.90≦a≦1, 0≦b≦0.5, 0≦c≦0.05, and 0 <a<2)、Li a Ni 1-b-c Mn b M c D a (0.90≦a≦1, 0≦b≦0.5, 0≦c≦0.05, and 0 <a≦2)、Li a Ni 1-b-c Mn b M c O 2-a X a (0.90≦a≦1, 0≦b≦0.5, 0≦c≦0.05, and 0 <a<2)、Li a Ni 1-b-c Mn b M c O 2-a X2(0.90≦a≦1, 0≦b≦0.5, 0≦c≦0.05, and 0 <a<2)、Li a Ni b E c G d O2 (0.90≦a≦1, 0≦b≦0.9, 0≦c≦0.5, and 0.001≦d≦0.1), Li a Ni b Co c Mn d GeO2 (0.90≦a≦1, 0≦b≦0.9, 0≦c≦0.5, 0≦d≦0.5, and 0.001≦e≦0.1), Li a NiG b O2 (0.90≦a≦1 and 0.001≦b≦0.1), Li a CoG b O2 (0.90≦a≦1 and 0.001≦b≦0.1), Li a MnG b O2 (0.90≦a≦1 and 0.001≦b≦0.1), Li a Mn2G b O4 (0.90≦a≦1, and 0.001≦b≦0.1), QO2, QS2, LiQS2, V2O5, LiV2O5, LiX'O2, LiNiVO4, Li (3-f) J2(PO4)3(0≦f≦2), Li (3-f)Fe2(PO4)3 (0≦f≦2) and LiFePO4. In the above formula, A is Ni, Co, Mn, or a combination thereof; M is Al, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Fe, Mg, Sr, V, a rare earth element, or a combination thereof; D is O, F, S, P, or a combination thereof; E is Co, Mn, or a combination thereof; X is F, S, P, or a combination thereof; G is Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Mg, La, Ce, Sr, V, or a combination thereof; Q is Ti, Mo, Mn, or a combination thereof; X' is Cr, V, Fe, Sc, Y, or a combination thereof; and J is V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, or a combination thereof. For example, LiCoO2, LiMn x O 2x (x=1 or 2), LiNi 1-x Mn x O 2x (0 <x<1)、LiNi 1-x-y Co x Mn y O2 (0≦x≦0.5, 0≦y≦0.5), FePO4, etc. can be used. In one embodiment, the cathode active material includes at least one of lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel oxide, lithium nickel cobalt oxide, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide, lithium manganese oxide, or a lithium compound such as lithium iron phosphate, nickel sulfide, copper sulfide, sulfur, iron oxide, or vanadium oxide.

[0180] In one embodiment, the cathode active material has the formula NaM, such as NaFeO, NaMnO, NaNiO, or NaCoO. 1 a O2 oxide, or NaMn 1-a M 1 a Oxides represented by O2 (M 1 is at least one transition metal element, and may include at least one sodium-containing material, such as 0≦a<1). Representative positive electrode active materials include Na[Ni 1 / 2 Mn 1 / 2]O2, Na 2 / 3 [Fe 1 / 2 Mn 1 / 2 ]O2, etc., Na 0.44 Mn 1-a M 1 a Oxide represented by O2, Na 0.7 Mn 1-a M 1 a O 2.05 an(M 1 is at least one transition metal element, and is represented by the oxide Na6Fe2Si (0≦a<1). 12 O 30 or Na2Fe5Si 12 Na as O b M 2 c Si 12 O 30 (M 2 is at least one transition metal element, and 2≦b≦6, and 2≦c≦5), an oxide represented by Na2Fe2Si6O 18 or Na2MnFeSi6O 18 Na etc. d M 3 e SiO 18 (M 3 is at least one transition metal element, 3≦d≦6, and 1≦e≦2), an oxide represented by f M 4 g Si2O6(M 4 is a transition metal element, at least one element selected from magnesium (Mg) and aluminum (Al), an oxide represented by 1≦f≦2 and 1≦g≦2), a phosphate such as NaFePO4, Na3Fe2(PO4)3, Na3V2(PO4)3, Na4Co3(PO4)2P2O7, a borate such as NaFeBO4 or Na3Fe2(BO4)3, a Na such as Na3FeF6 or Na2MnF6 h M 5 F6(M 5is at least one transition metal element, fluorides represented by 2≦h≦3), fluorophosphates such as Na3V2(PO4)2F3 and Na3V2(PO4)2FO2, etc. The positive electrode active material is not limited to those mentioned above, and any suitable positive electrode active material used in the art can be used. In one embodiment, the positive electrode active material is preferably NaMnO2, Na[Ni 1 / 2 Mn 1 / 2 ]O2 and Na 2 / 3 [Fe 1 / 2 Mns 1 / 2 ]O2, phosphate cathodes such as Na3V2(PO4)3 and Na4Co3(PO4)2P2O7, or fluorophosphate cathodes such as Na3V2(PO4)2F3 and Na3V2(PO4)2FO2.

[0181] In one embodiment, the electrode current collector may include a negative electrode current collector and may include a suitable conductive material, such as a metallic material. For example, in one embodiment, the negative electrode current collector may include at least one of copper, nickel, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, palladium, calcined carbon, calcined carbon, indium, iron, magnesium, cobalt, germanium, lithium, carbon, nickel, titanium, silver-surface-treated copper or stainless steel material, aluminum-cadmium alloy, and / or other alloys thereof. As another example, in one embodiment, the negative electrode current collector includes at least one of copper, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, titanium, calcined carbon, carbon-surface-treated copper or stainless steel material, nickel, titanium, silver, aluminum-cadmium alloy, and / or other alloys thereof. In one embodiment, the negative electrode current collector includes at least one of copper and stainless steel.

[0182] In one embodiment, the counter electrode current collector may comprise a positive electrode current collector and may comprise a suitable conductive material, such as a metallic material. In one embodiment, the electrode current collector comprises at least one of the following materials: stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, titanium, burnt carbon, sintered carbon, carbon, nickel, titanium, silver, and / or alloys thereof. In one embodiment, the electrode current collector comprises aluminum.

[0183] In yet another embodiment, the cathode active material may further comprise one or more conductive aids and / or binders, which may be, for example, any of the conductive aids and / or binders described for the anode active material herein.

[0184] According to certain embodiments, the electrically insulating separator layer 130 can electrically insulate each member of the assembly of electrode structures 110 from each member of the assembly of counter electrode structures 112. The electrically insulating separator layer is designed to prevent electrical shorts while also allowing the transport of ionic charge carriers necessary to close the circuit during the passage of current in the electrochemical cell. In one embodiment, the electrically insulating separator layer is microporous and permeated with an electrolyte, such as a non-aqueous liquid or gel electrolyte. Alternatively, the electrically insulating separator layer can include a solid electrolyte, i.e., a solid ionic conductor, which can function as both the separator and the electrolyte in the battery.

[0185] In certain embodiments, the electrically insulating separator layer 130 typically comprises a microporous separator material that can be permeated with a non-aqueous electrolyte; for example, in one embodiment, the microporous separator material comprises pores having diameters of at least 50 Å, more typically in the range of about 2,500 Å, and a porosity in the range of about 25% to about 75%, more typically in the range of about 35% to 55%. Furthermore, the microporous separator material can be permeated with a non-aqueous electrolyte to allow conduction of carrier ions between adjacent members of the electrode and counter-electrode assemblies. In certain embodiments, for example, disregarding the porosity of the microporous separator material, at least 70% by volume of the electrically insulating separator material between the members of the assembly of the electrode structure 110 and the nearest member(s) of the assembly of the counter electrode structure 112 (i.e., the "adjacent pair") for ion exchange during a charge or discharge cycle is microporous separator material; stated another way, the microporous separator material constitutes at least 70% by volume of the electrically insulating material between the members of the assembly of the electrode structure 110 and the nearest member of the structural assembly of the counter electrode 112.

[0186] In one embodiment, the microporous separator material includes a particulate material and a binder and has a porosity of at least about 20% by volume. The pores in the microporous separator material have a diameter of at least 50 Å, typically within the range of about 250-2,500 Å. The microporous separator material typically has a porosity of less than about 75%. In one embodiment, the microporous separator material has a porosity of at least about 25% by volume. In one embodiment, the microporous separator material has a porosity of about 35-55%.

[0187] Binders for microporous separator materials can be selected from a wide variety of inorganic or polymeric materials. For example, in one embodiment, the binder may be an organic polymeric material, such as a fluoropolymer derived from a monomer containing vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoropropene, or the like. In another embodiment, the binder is a polyolefin, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polybutene, having any of a variety of molecular weight and density ranges. In another embodiment, the binder is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-diene-propene terpolymer, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, polyacetal, and polyethylene glycol diacrylate. In another embodiment, the binder is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, styrene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl ether, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyacrylonitrile, and polyethylene oxide. In another embodiment, the binder is selected from the group consisting of acrylate, styrene, epoxy, and silicone. Other suitable binders may be selected from polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride-co-trichloroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate, polyethylene oxide, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cyanoethyl pullulan, cyanoethyl polyvinyl alcohol, cyanoethyl cellulose, cyanoethyl sucrose, pullulan, carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyimide or mixtures thereof.In yet another embodiment, the binder may be selected from polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride-trichloroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene oxide, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cyanoethyl pullulan, cyanoethyl polyvinyl alcohol, cyanoethyl cellulose, cyanoethyl sucrose, pullulan, carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylonitrile styrene butadiene copolymer, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyester, polyacetal, polyamide, polyether ether ketone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene naphthalene, and / or any combination thereof. In another embodiment, the binder is a copolymer or blend of two or more of the foregoing polymers.

[0188] The particulate material included in the microporous separator material may also be selected from a wide range of materials. Generally, such materials have relatively low electronic and ionic conductivity at operating temperatures and do not corrode under the operating voltages of the battery electrodes or current collectors that contact the microporous separator material. For example, in one embodiment, the particulate material is 1×10 -4 By way of further example, in one embodiment, the particulate material has a conductivity of carrier ions (e.g., lithium) of less than 1×10 S / cm. -5 By way of further example, in one embodiment, the particulate material has a carrier ion conductivity of less than 1×10 S / cm. -6The particulate material has a carrier ion conductivity of less than 1000 s / cm. For example, in one embodiment, the particulate material is an inorganic material selected from the group consisting of silicates, phosphates, aluminates, aluminosilicates, and hydroxides such as magnesium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. Exemplary particulate materials include particulate polyethylene, polypropylene, TiO2-polymer composites, silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, aluminum silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, or combinations thereof. For example, in one embodiment, the particulate material comprises a particulate oxide or nitride such as TiO2, SiO2, Al2O3, GeO2, BO3, Bi2O3, BaO, ZnO, ZrO2, BN, Si3N4, or Ge3N4. See, for example, P. Arora and J. Zhang, "Battery Separators," Chemical Reviews 2004, 104, 4419-4462. Other suitable particles include BaTiO3, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT), Pb 1-x La x Zr 1-y Ti y O3(PLZT), PB(Mg3Nb 2 / 3 )O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT), hafnia (HfO2), SrTiO3, SnO2, CeO2, MgO, NiO, CaO, ZnO, ZrO2, YO3, Al2O3, TiO2, SiC, or mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the particulate material has an average particle size of about 20 nm to 2 micrometers, more typically 200 nm to 1.5 micrometers. In one embodiment, the particulate material has an average particle size of about 500 nm to 1 micrometer.

[0189] In yet another embodiment, the electrically insulating separator 130 includes a solid electrolyte, such as in a solid-state battery. Generally speaking, a solid electrolyte can facilitate the transport of carrier ions without the need for the addition of a liquid or gel electrolyte. According to certain embodiments, when a solid electrolyte is provided, the solid electrolyte may itself be able to provide insulation between the electrodes and allow the passage of carrier ions therethrough, and may not require the addition of a liquid electrolyte that permeates the structure.

[0190] In one embodiment, the secondary battery 102 may include an electrolyte, which may be any of an organic liquid electrolyte, an inorganic liquid electrolyte, an aqueous electrolyte, a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte, a solid polymer electrolyte, a solid ceramic electrolyte, a solid glass electrolyte, a garnet electrolyte, a gel polymer electrolyte, an inorganic solid electrolyte, a fused inorganic electrolyte, etc. Other arrangements and / or configurations of the electrically insulating separator 130, with or without a liquid electrolyte, may also be provided. In one embodiment, the solid electrolyte may include a ceramic or glass material that can provide electrical insulation while also conducting carrier ions therethrough. Examples of ion-conducting materials may include garnet materials, sulfide glasses, lithium-ion conducting glass ceramics, or phosphate ceramic materials. In one embodiment, the solid polymer electrolyte may include any of the following polymers: polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyethyleneimine (PEI), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), LiPON (lithium phosphate nitride), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) based polymers or copolymers thereof. In another embodiment, a sulfide-based solid electrolyte can be provided, such as a sulfide-based solid electrolyte including at least one of lithium and / or phosphorus, such as at least one of Li2S and P2S5, and / or other sulfides, such as SiS2, GeS2, Li3PS4, Li4P2S7, Li4SiS4, Li2S-P2S5, and other sulfides, such as Li4SiO4, Li3BO3, and / or B2S3. Still other embodiments of the solid electrolyte include Li3N, LiI, Li5NI2, Li3N-LiI-LiOH, LiSiO4, LiSiO4-LiI-LiOH, Li2SiS3, Li4SiO4, Li4SiO4-LiI-LiOH, and Li3PO4-Li2S-SiS2, Li2S-P2S5, Li2S-P2S5-L4SiO4, Li2S-Ga2S3-GeS2, Li2S-Sb2S3-GeS2, Li 3.25 -Ge 0.25 -P 0.75 S4, (La, Li)TiO3(LLTO), Li6La2CaTa2O 12 , Li6La2ANb2O 12(A=Ca, Sr), Li2Nd3TeSbO 12 , Li3BO 2.5 N 0.5 , Li9SiAlO8, Li 1+x Al x Ge 2-x (PO4)3(LAGP), Li 1+x Al x Ti 2-x (PO4)3(LATP), Li 1+x Ti 2-x Al x Si y (PO4) 3-y , LiAl x Zr 2-x (PO4)3, LiTi x Zr 2-x The solid electrolyte may include nitrides, halides, and sulfates of lithium (Li), such as (PO4)3. Still other embodiments of the solid electrolyte may include garnet materials, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,361,455, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In one embodiment, the garnet solid electrolyte is a nesosilicate having the general formula X3Y2(SiO4)3, where X may be a divalent cation such as Ca, Mg, Fe, or Mn, or Y may be a trivalent cation such as Al, Fe, or Cr.

[0191] According to one embodiment of the assembled energy storage device, the electrically insulating separator comprises a microporous separator material impregnated with a non-aqueous electrolyte suitable for use as a secondary battery electrolyte. Typically, the non-aqueous electrolyte comprises a lithium salt and / or mixture of salts dissolved in an organic solvent and / or solvent mixture. Exemplary lithium salts include inorganic lithium salts such as LiClO, LiBF, LiPF, LiAsF, LiCl, and LiBr, as well as LiB(CH), LiN(SOCF), LiN(SOCF), LiNSOCF, ... 11 , LiNSO2C6F 13 , and LiNSO2C7F 15As yet another example, the electrolyte may include sodium ions dissolved therein, such as, for example, any one or more of NaClO, NaPF, NaBF, NaCFSO, NaN(CFSO), NaN(CFS0), NaC(CFSO). Salts of magnesium and / or potassium may be provided as well. For example, magnesium salts such as magnesium chloride (MgCl), magnesium bromide (MgBr), or magnesium iodide (MgI), and / or magnesium perchlorate (Mg(ClO)), magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO), magnesium sulfate (MgSO), magnesium tetrafluoroborate (Mg(BF), magnesium tetraphenylborate (Mg(B(CH)), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF), magnesium hexafluoroarsenate (Mg(AsF), magnesium perfluoroalkylsulfonate (Mg(R), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluoroarsenate (Mg(AsF), magnesium perfluoroalkylsulfonate (Mg(R), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluoroarsenate (Mg(AsF) ...phosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluoroarsenate (Mg(AsF)), magnesium perfluoroalkylsulfonate (Mg(R), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluoroarsenate (Mg(AsF)), magnesium perfluoroalkylsulfonate (Mg(R), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg(PF)), magnesium hexafluorophosphate (Mg( f1 SO3)2), R f1 is a perfluoroalkyl group), magnesium perfluoroalkylsulfonylimide (Mg((R f2 SO2)2N)2, R f2A magnesium salt may be provided which may be at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium hexaalkyldisilazide ((Mg(HRDS)2), where R is a perfluoroalkyl group) and magnesium hexaalkyldisilazide ((Mg(HRDS)2), where R is an alkyl group). Organic solvents that dissolve the lithium salt include cyclic esters, chain esters, cyclic ethers, and chain ethers. Specific examples of cyclic esters include propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, γ-butyrolactone, vinylene carbonate, 2-methyl-γ-butyrolactone, acetyl-γ-butyrolactone, and γ-valerolactone. Specific examples of chain esters include dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dibutyl carbonate, dipropyl carbonate, methyl ethyl carbonate, methyl butyl carbonate, methyl propyl carbonate, ethyl butyl carbonate, ethyl propyl carbonate, butyl propyl carbonate, alkyl propionate, dialkyl malonate, and alkyl acetate. Specific examples of cyclic ethers include tetrahydrofuran, alkyltetrahydrofuran, dialkyltetrahydrofuran, alkoxytetrahydrofuran, dialkoxytetrahydrofuran, 1,3-dioxolane, alkyl-1,3-dioxolane, and 1,4-dioxolane.Specific examples of chain ethers include 1,2-dimethoxyethane, 1,2-diethoxyethane, diethyl ether, ethylene glycol dialkyl ether, diethylene glycol dialkyl ether, triethylene glycol dialkyl ether, and tetraethylene glycol dialkyl ether.

[0192] According to certain embodiments, the battery pack 900 may include sealed secondary battery cells 902 corresponding to any of those described herein.

[0193] Aspects of the present disclosure can provide many advantages. For example, the structures and architectures of battery packs and sealed secondary battery cells described herein can provide a 26% increase in energy density compared to conventional battery packs. As an example, a battery pack with sealed secondary battery cells can provide 971 Wh / L instead of 676 Wh / L for a battery pack with conventional cylindrical cells. As an example, a battery pack with sealed secondary battery cells can provide 4.7 times faster cooling of the secondary battery cells. [Example]

[0194] The following non-limiting examples are provided to further illustrate aspects of the present invention with reference to Figures 23A-35. It should be understood by those of skill in the art that the techniques disclosed in the following examples represent approaches the inventors have found to work well in the practice of the invention and, as such, can be considered to constitute exemplary modes for its practice. However, those of skill in the art should, in light of the present disclosure, understand that many changes can be made in the specific embodiments disclosed and still obtain a like or similar result without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0195] Charge Acceptance and Discharge Rate Capability Test Protocol The C-rate of the cell was determined using the cycle 1 capacity measured at 0.1 C. The protocol used for the charge acceptance test was as follows: After 25 cycles of the standard 0.33 C cycling protocol, the specified charge C-rate was entered for a given cycle. For the charge acceptance test, every two cycles used a standard 0.33 C constant current charge with a constant voltage step at the top of charge of 4.2 V, using a current cutoff of 0.04 C, followed by a 5-minute pause at the top of charge, followed by a 0.33 C constant current discharge with a voltage cutoff of 2.5 V, followed by a 5-minute pause at the bottom of charge. Each alternating cycle then used a charge rate including the following: The cells were charged at 1C, 2C, 3C, 4C, 5C, 6C, 7C, 8C, 9C, or 10C, using the otherwise identical protocol: constant current charge at the specified C-rate, followed by a constant voltage hold at 4.2V at the top of charge with a 0.04C current cutoff, followed by a 5-minute rest at the top of charge, followed by a 0.33C constant current discharge with a 2.5V voltage cutoff. The cells were then discharged using the standard protocol described above, using the same cells except that the 0.33C constant current discharge was replaced with a discharge to the specified rate, i.e., 4C, for discharge rate testing. Successive cycles were used to ramp the current and included discharge rates of 0.2C, 0.5C, 1C, 2C, 3C, and 4C. The following example provides batteries converted from EXP4049 (approximately 530Wh / L) for charge and discharge rate capability testing and high-rate cycling testing. These cells had a discharge capacity of 3.6mAh / cm. 2 NMC622 electrodes were used, which have 96.4 wt% active material, a density of 3.2 g / cc, and POR-type SiO x The anode was formed using a cell cutoff voltage of 2.5-4.2 V and then equilibrated with 80% buffer and a target anode formation porosity of 26%.

[0196] Example 1 - Charging Rate Capability Tables 1 and 2 show the charge rate, discharge rate, constant current charge step (CC) capacity in ampere-hours, constant voltage charge step (CV) capacity at the cell top of charge, and the first recorded time to >80% of charge capacity. Good repeatability was demonstrated with two cells (TM40142 as shown in Table 1 and TM39713 as shown in Table 2), with the maximum test rate of 10C (2.53 amps) approaching 5.2 minutes to 80% SOC. [Table 1] [Table 2]

[0197] In support of Tables 1 and 2, current (A) and voltage (V) versus time (min) plots for TM39713 and TM40142 are further shown in Figures 23A-23C. These plots show the relative CC and CV step times and the currents used for the CC and CV steps for charge rates from 1C to 10C. Figure 28 shows plots of SOC versus cycle time and charge time at various C rates using the NMC-622 cell, and Figure 29 summarizes the results. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 35, at a 6C charge rate, over 600 cycles were achieved with minimal capacity loss (approximately 5%).

[0198] Example 2 - Discharge Rate Capability Tables 3 and 4 show discharge rates normalized to 0.1C Reference Cycle 52 and 0.2C Reference Cycle 53 for comparison (*Cycle 52 included a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse every 10% SOC, per the DOE standard reference protocol). Also shown are the charge rate, discharge rate (C / 25 CV step), and discharge capacity in ampere-hours. The maximum 4C discharge rate tested was found to be approximately 88% when normalized to the C / 10 capacity. [Table 3] [Table 4]

[0199] Figures 24A-24D provide supporting data for Tables 3 and 4, with current (A) and voltage (V) versus time (min) plots for TM39713 and TM40142 for the indicated cycles. Figure 25 shows the discharge voltage curves from cycles 53-58 for the same two cells with discharge rates ranging from 5 C / C to 4 C / C, along with the temperature profile as a function of capacity. The discharge rate capabilities observed for these cells exceeded those predicted by the base rate capability of the NMC 622 material obtained from BASF. Using a thermocouple placed directly on the cell surface, we monitored the surface temperature as a function of SOC, showing that the surface exceeded 50 °C at a 4 C rate near the bottom of the charge. The elevated cell temperature compared to the test chamber set point of 30 °C is likely responsible for the increased rate capability at rates above 1 C, which was expected from the manufacturer's specifications to be approximately 90% at 1 C at room temperature.

[0200] Figure 25 shows cell voltage (V) and cell temperature (°C) versus capacity (Ah) for cells TM39713 (left) and TM40142 (right) for the indicated cycles, using rates tested at a standard C / 3 charge rate and a C / 5 to 4C discharge rate for all cycles with a C / 25 CV step, as described in Tables 3 and 4.

[0201] The discharge capacity and average discharge voltage are compared in Table 5 and show similar values ​​for all three cells (TM39713, TM40142, and the reference cell TM36721), suggesting that the TM39713 and TM40142 were not damaged after charge acceptance testing up to 10C for the cycles shown in Table 1. [Table 5]

[0202] Example 3 - High Rate Cycle Life Stability Figure 26 shows the cell capacity (Ah), average discharge voltage (V), and the difference between average charge and discharge voltages (DeltaAveCell_V (V)) versus cycle number for EXP4049-type cells TM39059 and TM40136. For cycles 5 through 29, a C / 3 charge and discharge rate was used, with a C / 25 CV step at the top of charge. From cycle 32 onward, a 6C charge step (with a C / 25 CV step) and a 1C discharge step were used every cycle, except for the 50-cycle interval, where the standard C / 3 reference cycle was used, along with the standard U.S. Department of Energy-defined test protocol with the current pulse routine described above.

[0203] Figure 30 shows the cell cycled using a 0.33C / 0.33C charge / discharge rate with C / 25 CV steps (CellInt=32266) compared to cells cycled at a 6C / 1C charge / discharge rate with C / 25 CV steps (CellInt=39059 and CellInt=40136), including the discharge capacity, average discharge voltage, difference between average charge and discharge voltage (DeltaAveCell_V), and normalized capacity retention (using cycle 32 as the reference) plotted against cycle number. Every 50 cycles, a DOE-defined diagnostic cycle using a C / 10 discharge with a 1C discharge pulse and a 0.75C charge pulse, and a standard 0.33C / 0.33C diagnostic cycle (not shown) were performed.

[0204] Both the TM39059 and TM40136 cells demonstrated stable and reproducible performance for >350 cycles using a 6C charge and 1C discharge test protocol. Figures 27A-27B show the charge and discharge voltage profiles of the same cells, along with the current in amperes and temperature versus capacity for every 10 cycles between cycle 40 and cycle 180. Both cells exhibited significantly elevated temperatures during the charge profile, exceeding 58°C near the top of charge in cycle 40. This maximum temperature decreased to near 57°C near the top of charge in cycle 180. The high temperatures resulting from the stressful test conditions in the 30°C test chamber adversely affected cycle life and stability compared to standard C / 3 cycling tests.

[0205] 31-35 provide further examples of charging rates achievable with structures according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0206] The following listed embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the present disclosure, but the embodiments are not intended to be limiting, and other aspects and / or embodiments may be provided. Embodiment 1. An electrode assembly for a secondary battery, comprising: The electrode assembly has mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes, which correspond to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of a virtual three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and opposing longitudinal end faces separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly. EA and a side surface connecting the first longitudinal end surface and the second longitudinal end surface, the side surface having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis and opposed lateral surfaces separated from one another in a transverse direction on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis, the opposed longitudinal surfaces having a total surface area L SA and the opposing lateral faces have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces have a total surface area V SA and The electrode assembly further includes an electrode structure assembly, an electrically insulating separator assembly, and a counter electrode structure assembly, and the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter electrode structure assembly are arranged in alternating order along the longitudinal direction. Embodiment 2. An electrode assembly as described in embodiment 1, wherein the electrode structure assembly member comprises an electrode current collector adjacent to the electrode active material layer, the electrode active material layer having opposing lateral ends, and the opposing electrode structure assembly member comprises a counter electrode current collector adjacent to the counter electrode active material layer, the counter electrode active material layer having opposing lateral ends. Embodiment 3. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a collection of unit cells, each member of the unit cell collection comprising, stacked longitudinally in series, a unit cell portion of an electrode current collector, an electrode active material layer, an electrically insulating separator, a counter electrode active material layer, and a unit cell portion of a counter electrode current collector. Embodiment 4. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode current collector has opposing electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, one of the opposing electrode current collector surfaces comprising a coated region coated with an electrode active material layer and an uncoated region not having the electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being located near one of the lateral ends of the electrode current collector. Embodiment 5. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode current collector has opposing electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, one of the opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces comprising a coated region coated with a counter electrode active material layer and an uncoated region not having the counter electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being located near one of the lateral ends of the counter electrode current collector. Embodiment 6. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode current collector has opposing electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, each of the counter electrode current collector surfaces comprising a coated region coated with an electrode active material layer and an uncoated region not having the electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being located near one of the lateral ends of the electrode current collector. Embodiment 7. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode current collector has opposing electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the counter electrode current collector has opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, each of the opposing counter electrode current collector surfaces comprising a coated region coated with a counter electrode active material layer and an uncoated region not having the counter electrode active material layer, the uncoated region being located near one of the lateral ends of the counter electrode current collector. Embodiment 8. A member of an electrode structure assembly includes an electrode current collector adjacent to an electrode active material layer, the electrode active material layer having opposite lateral edges; a member of a counter electrode structure assembly includes an counter electrode current collector adjacent to a counter electrode active material layer, the counter electrode active material layer having opposite lateral edges; 10. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein each member of the electrode structure assembly comprises an electrode current collector partially covered by an adjacent electrode active material layer, the electrode current collector having: (i) an electrode current collector body region covered by the adjacent electrode active material layer and extending between opposing first and second lateral ends of the adjacent electrode active material layers; and (ii) an electrode current collector end region on the first or second lateral end of the electrode current collector, the electrode current collector end region being bounded by the first or second lateral end of the adjacent electrode active material layer on the same lateral side as the electrode current collector end region and extending beyond the first or second lateral end. Embodiment 9. A member of an electrode structure assembly includes an electrode current collector adjacent to an electrode active material layer, the electrode active material layer having opposite lateral edges; a member of a counter electrode structure assembly includes a counter electrode current collector adjacent to a counter electrode active material layer, the counter electrode active material layer having opposite lateral edges; 10. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein each member of the counter electrode structure assembly comprises a counter electrode current collector partially covered by an adjacent counter electrode active material layer, the counter electrode current collector having: (i) a counter electrode current collector body region covered by the adjacent counter electrode active material layer and extending between opposing first and second lateral ends of the adjacent counter electrode active material layer; and (ii) a counter electrode current collector end region on the first or second lateral end of the counter electrode current collector, the counter electrode current collector end region being bounded by the first or second lateral end of the adjacent counter electrode active material layer on the same lateral side as the counter electrode current collector end region and extending beyond the first or second lateral end. Embodiment 10. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode assembly further comprises an electrode bus bar connected to the electrode current collector end region of the electrode current collector for electrically pooling current from members of the electrode structure assembly. Embodiment 11. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a counter electrode bus bar connected to the counter electrode current collector end region of the counter electrode current collector for electrically pooling current from members of the counter electrode structure assembly. Embodiment 12. The lateral length of the electrode current collector end region (L ER ) is measured from a first or second lateral edge of an adjacent electrode active material layer on the same lateral side as the electrode current collector end region to a region where the electrode current collector end region connects with an electrode bus bar. Embodiment 13. The lateral length (L CER ) is measured from a first or second lateral edge of an adjacent counter electrode active material layer on the same lateral side as the counter electrode current collector end region to a region where the counter electrode current collector end region connects with a counter electrode bus bar. Embodiment 14. The vertical height (H BR) is measured between opposing longitudinal faces of the electrode current collector body region. Embodiment 15. The vertical height (H CBR ) is measured between opposing longitudinal faces of the counter electrode current collector body region. Embodiment 16. The vertical height (H ER ) is measured between opposing longitudinal faces of the electrode current collector end region. Embodiment 17. The vertical height (H CER ) is measured between opposing longitudinal faces of the counter electrode current collector end regions. Embodiment 18. The lateral length of the electrode current collector end region (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: L ER <0.5×H BR . Embodiment 19. The lateral length of the electrode current collector end region (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: L ER <0.4×H BR . Embodiment 20. The lateral length of the electrode current collector end region (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: L ER <0.3×H BR . Embodiment 21. The lateral length (L CER) and the vertical height (H CBR ) satisfies the following relationship: L CER <0.5×H CBR . Embodiment 22. The lateral length (L CER ) and the vertical height (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: L CER <0.4×H CBR . Embodiment 23. The lateral length (L CER ) and the vertical height (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: L CER <0.3×H CBR . Embodiment 24. The vertical height (H ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: H ER >0.5×H BR . Embodiment 25. The vertical height (H ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: H ER >0.7×H BR . Embodiment 26. The vertical height (H ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector body area (H BR ) satisfies the following relationship: H ER >0.9×HBR . Embodiment 27. The vertical height (H CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) satisfies the following relationship: H CER >0.5×H CBR . Embodiment 28. The vertical height (H CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) satisfies the following relationship: H CER >0.7×H CBR . Embodiment 29. The vertical height (H CER ) and the vertical height (H CBR ) satisfies the following relationship: H CER >0.9×H CBR . Embodiment 30. The lateral length (L ER ) and the vertical height of the electrode current collector end region (H ER ) satisfies the following relationship: L ER / H ER <1. Embodiment 31. The lateral length (L CER ) and the vertical height (H CER ) satisfies the following relationship: L CER / H CER <1. Embodiment 32. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the members of the electrode structure assembly comprise electrode current collector end regions having opposing surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and at least one of the opposing surfaces of the electrode current collector end regions comprises a layer of thermally conductive material disposed thereon. Embodiment 33. An electrode assembly as described in embodiment 32, wherein the electrode current collector end region is electrically connected to the electrode bus bar through at least one of the opposing surfaces, and a layer of thermally conductive material is disposed on the other of the opposing surfaces. Embodiment 34. An electrode assembly according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the members of the counter electrode structure assembly comprise counter electrode current collector end regions having opposing surfaces separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, and at least one of the opposing surfaces of the counter electrode current collector end regions comprises a layer of thermally conductive material disposed thereon. Embodiment 35. An electrode assembly as described in embodiment 34, wherein the counter electrode current collector end region is electrically connected to the counter electrode bus bar through at least one of the opposing surfaces, and a layer of thermally conductive material is disposed on the other of the opposing surfaces. Embodiment 36. An electrode assembly according to any one of embodiments 32 to 35, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises a thermally conductive ceramic material. Embodiment 37. Length L of the electrode current collector end region ER is from (i) a first or second lateral edge of an adjacent electrode active material layer on the same lateral side as the electrode current collector end region, to (ii) an area of ​​electrical connection between the electrode current collector end region and the electrode bus bar. Embodiment 38: Length L of the counter electrode current collector end region CER is from (i) a first or second lateral end of an adjacent counter electrode active material layer on the same lateral side as the counter electrode current collector end region, to (ii) an area of ​​electrical connection between the counter electrode current collector end region and the counter electrode bus bar. Embodiment 39. A sealed secondary battery cell comprising an electrode assembly according to any one of embodiments 1 to 38, wherein the sealed secondary battery is chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and the sealed secondary battery comprises a hermetically sealed housing. Embodiment 40. A sealed secondary battery cell as described in embodiment 39, wherein the secondary battery cell has one or more gas-storing compartments located externally within the hermetically sealed housing to accommodate gas generated during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell, the one or more gas-storing compartments comprising any one or more of: (i) a lateral storage compartment located laterally external to the lateral end face of the electrode assembly to accommodate gas between the hermetically sealed housing and the electrode assembly on the lateral side of the electrode assembly, and (ii) a longitudinal storage compartment located longitudinally external to the longitudinal end face of the electrode assembly to accommodate gas between the hermetically sealed housing and the electrode assembly on the longitudinal side of the electrode assembly. Embodiment 41. One or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are configured to accommodate a volume V of gas generated from the electrode assembly during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell. X、Y 41. A sealed secondary battery cell as described in embodiment 40, configured to include: Embodiment 42. One or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments accommodate a volume V of gas released from the electrode assembly during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell. X、Y The hermetically sealed housing is configured to accommodate any volume V of gas released from the electrode assembly during charging or discharging of the secondary battery cell, which is accommodated between the hermetically sealed housing and the electrode assembly on either of the longitudinal sides of the electrode assembly. Z 42. The sealed secondary battery cell of embodiment 40 or 41, wherein Embodiment 43. A sealed secondary battery cell according to any of embodiments 39 to 42, wherein one or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments, alone or in combination with one another, have a volume greater than any space between the hermetically sealed housing and the electrode assembly on either longitudinal side of the electrode assembly. Embodiment 44. A sealed secondary battery cell according to any of embodiments 39 to 43, wherein the volume Vxy of gas contained in one or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments is at least 1.5 times, at least 2 times, at least 3 times, at least 5 times, and / or at least 10 times the volume Vz of gas contained in any of the longitudinal sides of the electrode assembly. Embodiment 45. A sealed secondary battery cell according to any one of embodiments 39 to 44, wherein substantially no gas volume Vz is contained on either longitudinal side of the electrode assembly. Embodiment 46. A sealed secondary battery cell according to any of embodiments 39 to 45, wherein one or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are configured to contain a volume Vxy of gas that is at least 4% of the volume of the sealed secondary cell. Embodiment 47. A sealed secondary battery cell according to any of embodiments 39 to 46, wherein one or more of the lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are configured to contain a volume Vxy of gas that is at least 5% of the volume of the sealed secondary cell. Embodiment 48. A sealed secondary battery cell described in any of embodiments 39 to 47, wherein the hermetically sealed housing comprises a flexible polymer housing material, and the one or more lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are formed by expansion of the hermetically sealed housing in at least one of the lateral and longitudinal directions upon charging or discharging of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 49. A sealed secondary battery cell described in any of embodiments 39 to 48, wherein the hermetically sealed enclosure includes a hermetically sealed case, and one or more lateral and longitudinal storage compartments are formed in the space between the walls of the hermetically sealed case on one or more lateral and longitudinal sides of the electrode assembly and the electrode assembly. Embodiment 50. A sealed secondary battery cell according to any of embodiments 39 to 49, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell comprises a set of electrode limiting portions, the set of electrode limiting portions comprising a vertical restriction system comprising first and second vertical growth limiting portions separated from each other in the vertical direction, the first and second vertical growth limiting portions being connected to members of the electrode structure assembly and / or members of the counter electrode structure assembly, and the vertical restriction system can restrain the vertical growth of the electrode assembly. Embodiment 51. A sealed secondary battery cell described in any of embodiments 39 to 50, wherein the hermetically sealed housing has opposing first and second vertical sides separated from each other in the vertical direction, each of the first and second vertical sides having an inner vertical surface facing the electrode assembly and attached to the first and second vertical growth limiting portions, respectively. Embodiment 52. A sealed secondary battery cell as described in embodiment 51, wherein the inner vertical surfaces of the first and second vertical sides of the hermetically sealed housing are attached to the first and second vertical growth limiting portions by any of adhesive bonding, brazing, glueing, welding, bonding, joining, soldering, sintering, pressure welding, brazing, spray joining, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying. Embodiment 53. A battery pack including an assembly of sealed secondary battery cells according to any one of embodiments 39 to 52. Embodiment 54. A battery pack including the assembly of sealed secondary battery cells according to any one of embodiments 39 to 52, wherein the battery pack includes a frame for holding the secondary battery cells and an assembly of pressure-applying structures configured to apply pressure to the hermetically sealed housings of the members of the assembly of sealed secondary battery cells; the hermetically sealed housing includes first and second longitudinal sides separated from one another longitudinally; A battery pack, wherein the frame is configured to hold a cell array including a subset of the assembled secondary battery cells and a pressure application structure assembly, and the members of the cell array are held by the frame in association with the members of the pressure application structure assembly, such that the members of the pressure application structure assembly maintain pressure against the first or second vertical side of the hermetically sealed housing during cycling of the members of the subset of the assembled secondary battery cells, thereby maintaining the inner surfaces of the first and second vertical sides of the hermetically sealed housing in direct contact with the first and second vertical growth limiting portions. Embodiment 55. A battery pack as described in embodiment 54, wherein the pressure applying structure applies a total pressure of at least 1.01 atmospheres to the first or second vertical side of the hermetically sealed housing in combination with ambient pressure. Embodiment 56. A battery pack as described in embodiment 54 or 55, wherein the pressure application structure applies a total pressure in the range of 1.01 atmospheres to 11 atmospheres in combination with ambient pressure to the first or second vertical side of the hermetically sealed housing. Embodiment 57. A battery pack described in any of embodiments 54 to 56, wherein the pressure application structure applies a total pressure in the range of 1.1 atmospheres to 2 atmospheres in combination with ambient pressure to the first or second vertical side of the hermetically sealed housing. Embodiment 58. A battery pack described in any of embodiments 54 to 57, wherein the pressure applying structure applies pressure to both the first and second vertical sides of the hermetically sealed housing. Embodiment 59. A battery pack described in any of embodiments 54 to 58, wherein the assembly member of the pressure application structure includes any of (i) a cooling tube, (ii) a layer of heat exchange material, (iii) a portion of the frame, and (iv) an assembly member of a sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 60. A battery pack as described in any of embodiments 54 to 59, wherein the cell array includes a plurality of sealed secondary battery cells arranged adjacent to each other with the longitudinal sides of the sealed secondary battery cells facing each other, and the members of the pressure application structure apply pressure to first and second longitudinal end sides located at opposite longitudinal ends of the cell array, and the members of the cell array inside the longitudinal ends of the cell array have pressure applied to their longitudinal surfaces by vertically adjacent secondary battery cells in the cell array. Embodiment 61. A battery pack described in any of embodiments 54 to 60, wherein the pressure applied by the structural assembly member that applies pressure to the first or second vertical side of the sealed secondary battery cell member is greater than the pressure applied to the lateral or horizontal side of the sealed secondary battery cell member. Embodiment 62. A method for charging a sealed secondary battery cell, the method comprising charging at a rate of at least 1C. Embodiment 63. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 2C. Embodiment 64. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 3C. Embodiment 65. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 4C. Embodiment 66. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 6C. Embodiment 67. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 10C. Embodiment 68. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 12C. Embodiment 69. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 15C. Embodiment 70. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 18C. Embodiment 71. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 20C. Embodiment 72. The method of embodiment 62, comprising charging at a rate of at least 30C. Embodiment 73. The method of any of embodiments 62-72, comprising charging the sealed secondary battery cell at the rate until it reaches at least 80% of its rated capacity. Embodiment 74. The method of embodiment 73, comprising charging the sealed secondary battery cell at the rate until it reaches at least 85% of its rated capacity. Embodiment 75. The method of embodiment 73, comprising charging the sealed secondary battery cell at the rate until it reaches at least 90% of its rated capacity. Embodiment 76. The method of embodiment 73, comprising charging the sealed secondary battery cell at the rate until it reaches at least 95% of its rated capacity. Embodiment 77. The method of embodiment 73, comprising charging the sealed secondary battery cell at the rate until it reaches at least 99% of its rated capacity. Embodiment 78. The method of any one of embodiments 62 to 77, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 200 times. Embodiment 79. The method of embodiment 78, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 300 times. Embodiment 80. The method of embodiment 78, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 400 times. Embodiment 81. The method of embodiment 78, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 500 times. Embodiment 82. The method of embodiment 78, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 600 times. Embodiment 83. The method of embodiment 78, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 800 times. Embodiment 84. The method of embodiment 78, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell is charged and discharged at a charge rate at least 1000 times. Embodiment 85. The method of any one of embodiments 62 to 84, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell includes an electrode assembly described in any one of embodiments 1 to 38, a sealed secondary battery cell described in any one of embodiments 39 to 52, or a part of a cell array of a battery pack described in any one of embodiments 53 to 61, or any combination thereof. Embodiment 86. A sealed secondary battery cell described in any one of embodiments 39 to 52, a battery pack described in any one of embodiments 53 to 61, or a method described in any one of embodiments 62 to 85, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 500 milliampere hours. Embodiment 87. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 1 ampere-hour. Embodiment 88. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 5 ampere-hours. Embodiment 89. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 10 ampere-hours. Embodiment 90. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 15 ampere-hours. Embodiment 91. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 20 ampere-hours. Embodiment 92. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 25 ampere hours. Embodiment 93. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 30 ampere hours. Embodiment 94. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 35 ampere hours. Embodiment 95. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of embodiment 86, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a rated capacity of at least 50 ampere hours. Embodiment 96. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the electrode assembly has a substantially polyhedral shape with opposing longitudinal end faces that are substantially flat, opposing longitudinal faces that are substantially flat, and opposing lateral faces that are substantially flat. Embodiment 97.V SA and L SA and T SA The electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the ratio of each of Embodiment 98. A sealed secondary battery cell described in any one of embodiments 39 to 52 and 86 to 97, a battery pack described in any one of embodiments 53 to 61 and 86 to 97, or a method described in any one of embodiments 62 to 97, wherein the hermetically sealed housing comprises a polymer housing material. Embodiment 99. A sealed secondary battery cell described in any one of embodiments 39 to 52 and 86 to 98, a battery pack described in any one of embodiments 53 to 61 and 86 to 98, or a method described in any one of embodiments 62 to 98, wherein the hermetically sealed enclosure includes a hermetically sealed case. Embodiment 100. A battery pack described in any of embodiments 53 to 61 and 86 to 99, or a method described in any of embodiments 62 to 99, wherein the frame holds a cell array including a subset of a collection of secondary battery cells arranged adjacent to each other, and the members are arranged in the cell array so that opposing vertical surfaces of adjacent members in the cell array face each other to form adjacent facing pairs of vertical surfaces, and each adjacent facing pair of vertical surfaces in the cell array includes its adjacent facing region. Embodiment 101. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a core energy density of at least 700 Whr / liter, the core energy density being defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery cell divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that constitute the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 102. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a core energy density of at least 800 Whr / liter, the core energy density being defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery cell divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that constitute the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 103. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a core energy density of at least 900 Whr / liter, the core energy density being defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery cell divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that constitute the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 104. A sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a core energy density of at least 1000 Whr / liter, the core energy density being defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery cell divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that constitute the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 105. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a core energy density of at least 1100 Whr / liter, the core energy density being defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery cell divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that constitute the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 106. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sealed secondary battery cell has a core energy density of at least 1200 Whr / liter, the core energy density being defined as the rated capacity of the sealed secondary battery cell divided by the total weight of the electrode structure, counter electrode structure, separator, and electrolyte that constitute the electrode assembly of the sealed secondary battery cell. Embodiment 107. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein a member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material includes a longitudinal thickness in the range of 15 micrometers to 75 micrometers. Embodiment 108. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein a member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material includes a longitudinal thickness in the range of 20 micrometers to 60 micrometers. Embodiment 109. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein a member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material includes a longitudinal thickness in the range of 30 micrometers to 50 micrometers. Embodiment 110. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material includes a longitudinal thickness of about 45 microns. Embodiment 111. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the member of the electrode structure assembly includes a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material includes a porosity in the range of 10 to 40%. Embodiment 112. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the member of the electrode structure assembly comprises a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material comprises a porosity in the range of 12 to 30%. Embodiment 113. An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the member of the electrode structure assembly comprises a layer of electrode active material, and the layer of electrode active material comprises a porosity in the range of 18 to 20%. Embodiment 114. A sealed secondary battery cell includes an electrode bus bar electrically connected to a current collector to pool current from members of an electrode structure assembly, and a counter electrode bus bar electrically connected to a counter electrode current collector to pool current from members of a counter electrode structure assembly, and the sealed secondary battery cell includes: an electrode bus bar tab that electrically connects the electrode bus bar to an electrical structure external to the sealed secondary battery cell; and a counter electrode bus bar tab that electrically connects the counter electrode bus bar to an electrical structure external to the sealed secondary battery cell. 10. The sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, further comprising: a cooling system configured to cool the electrode or counter-electrode busbar tab via one or more of convection or conduction cooling. Embodiment 115. A sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method as described in embodiment 114, wherein cooling is by a cooling tube provided adjacent to the tab or by a heat sink thermally connected to the tab. Embodiment 116: A battery pack comprising: a collection of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state; and a frame for holding the secondary battery cells within the battery pack; (a) a secondary battery cell assembly member having a rated capacity and including a hermetically sealed housing and an electrode assembly within the hermetically sealed housing; (b) the electrode assembly has a substantially polyhedral shape with mutually perpendicular horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical axes corresponding to the x-, y-, and z-axes, respectively, of an imaginary three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system; (c) the electrode assembly is substantially planar, having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated longitudinally from one another, and a longitudinal axis A of the electrode assembly; EA and side surfaces connecting the opposed longitudinal end surfaces, the side surfaces being substantially flat and having opposed longitudinal surfaces separated from one another in a longitudinal direction on opposite longitudinal sides of the longitudinal axis, and opposed lateral surfaces being substantially flat and separated from one another in a transverse direction on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis, the opposed longitudinal surfaces having a total surface area L SAand the opposing lateral faces have a total surface area T SA and the opposing longitudinal surfaces have a total surface area V SA V SA and L SA and T SA is at least 5:1 with each of (d) the electrode assembly further comprises an electrode structure assembly, an electrically insulating separator assembly, and a counter-electrode structure assembly, wherein the members of the electrode structure assembly, the electrically insulating separator assembly, and the counter-electrode structure assembly are arranged in alternating order longitudinally within the electrode assembly; (e) a battery pack, wherein the frame holds a cell array including a subset of the collection of secondary battery cells arranged adjacent to one another, and the members are arranged in the cell array such that opposing longitudinal surfaces of adjacent members in the cell array face one another to form adjacent facing pairs of longitudinal surfaces, and each adjacent facing pair of longitudinal surfaces in the cell array includes its adjacent facing region. Embodiment 117: The electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing longitudinal surfaces in the cell array are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction by less than 1 mm. Embodiment 118: An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein adjacent facing regions of each pair of adjacent facing vertical surfaces in the cell array are in thermal contact with each other via a thermal conduction path having a thermally conductive material with a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W / mK. Embodiment 119: An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the substantially flat opposing longitudinal surfaces, the substantially flat opposing vertical surfaces, and the substantially flat opposing lateral surfaces make up more than 66% of the total surface area of ​​the electrode assembly. Embodiment 120: An electrode assembly, sealed secondary battery cell, battery pack, or method described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the substantially flat opposing longitudinal surfaces, the substant...

Claims

1. A device for energy storage and energy release, comprising: an electrode assembly including an electrode structure separated from and laminated on the opposed electrode structure along the longitudinal direction; a limiting system including an opening having a slot shape with an elongated dimension, wherein the electrode assembly is disposed in the limiting system; a housing configured to surround the electrode assembly and the limiting system, having opposed longitudinal surfaces disposed in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the device being configured such that a first thermal conductivity of the electrode assembly along a first heat conduction path between the opposed longitudinal surfaces of the housing is at least 2 watts per meter kelvin (W / m·K); A device comprising the above.

2. The opening is oriented in the longitudinal direction. The device according to claim 1.

3. The limiting system is connected to the electrode assembly and is capable of suppressing an increase of the electrode assembly in the vertical direction. The device according to claim 1.

4. The limiting system includes elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, plastic, or a combination thereof. The device according to claim 3.

5. The limiting system includes stainless steel. The device according to claim 3.

6. The stainless steel includes stainless steel (SS) 316. The device according to claim 5.

7. The limiting system includes a first longitudinal limiting portion and a second longitudinal limiting portion separated from each other in the longitudinal direction. The device according to claim 3.

8. The limiting system includes a first vertical increase limiting portion and a second vertical increase limiting portion separated from each other in the vertical direction. The device according to claim 3.

9. The first vertical increase limiting portion and the second vertical increase limiting portion limit an increase in the vertical direction such that an increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly over 20 consecutive cycles is less than 2%. The device according to claim 8. **Claim 10**: The limiting system is coupled to the electrode assembly using at least a portion of one or more of adhesion, gluing, welding, joining, bonding, soldering, sintering, press fitting, brazing, spray welding, clamping, wire bonding, ribbon bonding, ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, induction welding, cold welding, plasma spraying, flame spraying, and arc spraying. The device according to claim 3. **Claim 11**: The limiting system includes slots spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, each of the slots having a longitudinal axis oriented along a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The device according to claim 3. **Claim 12**: The limiting system is configured to couple with an auxiliary electrode to flow charge carriers through the slots to the electrode assembly. The device according to claim 11. **Claim 13**: The cell unit includes the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of cell units similar to and including the cell unit. Each of the slots extends across the members of the plurality of cell units. The device according to claim 11. **Claim 14**: The electrode structure and the counter electrode structure are each operably coupled to respective tabs. The device includes the tabs, and the heat sink is thermally connected to the tabs. The device according to claim 1. **Claim 15**: The core energy density of the device is at least 700 watt-hours per liter (Wh r / l). The device according to claim 1. **Claim 16**: The device includes a pair of adjacent opposing longitudinal faces of the electrode assembly along the longitudinal direction. The device includes a thermally conductive material contacting each of the pair of adjacent opposing longitudinal faces. The thermally conductive material extends over at least 50% of the surface area of each of the pair of adjacent opposing longitudinal faces of the electrode assembly. The device according to claim 1. **Claim 17**: The electrode structure includes an electrode current collector, and the electrode current collector has (a) an electrode current collector body region and (b) an electrode current collector end region bounded by a lateral end of the electrode current collector body region that is coupled to the electrode active material and extending from the lateral end, wherein the lateral end of the electrode current collector body region is along a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the electrode current collector body region has a first height along a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the electrode current collector end region has a second height different from the first height. The device according to claim 1. **Claim 18**: The device further includes an electrode bus bar disposed along the longitudinal direction, and the electrode bus bar is operably coupled to a surface of the electrode current collector, the surface having (a) a first surface portion of the electrode current collector body region disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and (b) a second surface portion of the electrode current collector end region disposed along the longitudinal direction. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 19**: The electrode current collector end region is spatially configured to increase energy density. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 20**: At least a part of the electrode current collector end region is bent in a direction along the longitudinal direction. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 21**: The electrode current collector body region and a part of the electrode current collector end region are aligned around the lateral direction. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 22**: The electrode current collector body region is coated by the electrode active material, and the lateral end of the electrode current collector body region is coupled to the electrode active material. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 23**: The electrode active material includes silicon. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 24**: A cell unit of the electrode assembly includes the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure, and the electrode assembly includes a plurality of cell units similar to and including the cell unit, and the plurality of cell units are stacked along the longitudinal direction. The device according to claim 17. **Claim 25**: The electrode assembly includes at least four cell units. The device according to claim 24. Claim 26: (a) The length LE of the electrode structure of each of the plurality of cell units and the length LCE of the counter electrode structure of each of the plurality of cell units are measured in the lateral direction, (b) the width WE of the electrode structure of each of the plurality of cell units and the width WCE of the counter electrode structure of each of the plurality of cell units are measured in the longitudinal direction, (c) the height HE of the electrode structure of each of the plurality of cell units and the height HCE of the counter electrode structure of each of the plurality of cell units are measured in the vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, (i) for each of the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure, the ratios of LE to WE and HE are at least 2:1 respectively, (ii) for each of the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure, the ratio of HE to WE is at least 0.4:1, (iii) for each of the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure, the ratios of LCE to WCE and HCE are at least 2:1 respectively, and / or (iv) for each of the electrode structure and the counter electrode structure, the ratio of HCE to WCE is at least 0.4:

1. The device according to claim 24. Claim 27: The opposing longitudinal faces of the electrode assembly have a total surface area LSA, the opposing lateral faces of the electrode assembly have a total surface area TSA, the opposing vertical faces of the electrode assembly have a total surface area VSA, and the ratio of VSA to LSA and TSA is at least 5:

1. The device according to claim 1. Claim 28: The rated capacity of the device is at least 100 milliampere-hours (mAh). The device according to claim 1. Claim 29: The electrode assembly is disposed in the housing, and the second thermal conductivity of the electrode assembly along the second heat conduction path between the longitudinal opposing regions of the outer longitudinal faces of the housing in the longitudinal direction is at least 10 watts per meter kelvin (W / m·K), or at least 15 W / m·K. The device according to claim 1. Claim 30: The electrode assembly is configured to be charged at a rate of at least 1C until the rated capacity of the electrode assembly reaches at least 80%. The device according to claim 1.

31. The electrode assembly is configured to perform at least 200 cycles at the rate, the cycles including charging and discharging. The device according to claim 30.

32. The housing is hermetically sealed. The device according to claim 1.

33. The housing includes an upper cover and a bottom holder. The device according to claim 1.

34. The upper cover is sealed by the bottom holder to form a seal. The device according to claim 33.

35. The seal is folded against at least two opposing sides of the electrode assembly. The device according to claim 34.

36. A method for storing energy and releasing energy, the method including using one or more operations for forming the device according to any one of claims 1 to 35.

37. A method for storing energy and releasing energy, the method including: (a) providing the device according to any one of claims 1 to 35; (b) using the device to flow carrier ions into the electrode assembly and / or cycling the electrode assembly between a charged state and a discharged state.

38. A control unit for facilitating energy storage and releasing energy, the control unit being configured to be electrically coupled to the device according to any one of claims 1 to 35.

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