1. A robust coiled electrode for an electrochemical cell, comprising
an elongated electrode assembly having a coiled and generally flat configuration, said assembly having a final winding, and wherein a lateral thickness dimension of the final winding is less than the remaining, inner windings; and
an unperforated, substantially planar current collector configured to be coupled to an outer surface portion of the final winding.
2. A coiled electrode according to claim 1, wherein the elongated electrode assembly further comprises: a first relatively thick member and a second relatively thin member coupled together to form an overlapping region.
3. A coiled electrode according to claim 2, further comprising: a spacer member disposed on a portion of an inner face of the final winding of the electrode assembly.
4. A coiled electrode according to claim 3, wherein said spacer member has a shape corresponding to the current collector and at least partially extends beyond a peripheral edge of the current collector.
5. A coiled electrode assembly according to claim 4, wherein said spacer member at least partially overlaps at least a portion of the overlapping region.
6. A coiled electrode according to claim 2, wherein said electrode assembly further comprises a sheet-type dielectric separator disposed over at least the exposed surface of the current collector.
7. A coiled electrode according to claim 6, wherein said dielectric separator substantially surrounds the electrode assembly.
8. A coiled electrode according to claim 7, wherein said dielectric separator further comprises: at least two layers of separator material.
9. A coiled electrode according to claim 8, wherein a peripheral edge of said at least two layers of separator material are sealed together to form a dielectric pouch around said electrode assembly.
10. A coiled electrode according to claim 2, wherein a portion of said current collector covers at least a portion of the overlapping region.
11. A coiled electrode according to claim 10, wherein said current collector is disposed closely adjacent to the terminal end of the final winding.
12. A coiled electrode according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the current collector is disposed adjacent at least a portion of the overlapping region.
13. A coiled electrode according to claim 3, wherein said spacer member comprises at least two sheets of material.
14. A coiled electrode according to claim 2, wherein said elongated electrode assembly comprises a lithium material.
15. A coiled electrode according to claim 14, wherein said current collector comprises: a nickel material, a copper material, a titanium material, or an alloy thereof.
16. A coiled electrode according to claim 6, further comprising an additional portion of separator material disposed adjacent a planar portion of the proximal, interior end of the elongated electrode assembly.
17. A coiled electrode according to claim 1, further comprising:
a reinforcing member coupled to the overlapping region.
18. A coiled electrode according to claim 17, wherein said reinforcing member comprises an alkali metal.
19. A coiled electrode according to claim 18, wherein said alkali metal comprises a lithium material.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of handling a composition comprising placing a composition into contact with a material wherein said composition is in the molten state and said composition comprises at least 80% by weight of a rare-earth halide of formula AeLnfX(3f+e) wherein Ln represents one or more rare earth elements, X represents one or more halogen atoms chosen from Cl, Br and I, and A represents one or more alkali metals chosen from K, Li, Na, Rb and Cs, e and f representing values such that:
e, which may be zero, is less than or equal to 2f,
f is greater than or equal to 1,
wherein said material comprises at least 20% carbon by weight, the surface of said material that is in contact with said composition comprises at least 20% carbon by weight and said composition in the molten state coming into contact with said material is at a temperature above 500\xb0 C.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material forms part of a crucible.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the same crucible is used in the method at least five times, the crucible returning to ambient temperature between each time.
4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the same crucible is used in the method at least ten times, the crucible returning to ambient temperature between each time.
5. The method as claim 1, wherein the material comprises graphite or amorphous carbon.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the material comprises a graphite substrate and a lining intended to come into contact with the composition comprising the rare-earth halide.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lining is made of pyrolytic carbon.
8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lining is made of silicon carbide.
9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the material is entirely made of graphite or of amorphous carbon.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein contact takes place between 500\xb0 C. and 1000\xb0 C.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least 10% by weight of at least one rare earth element.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least 20% by weight of at least one rare earth element.
13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handling is carried out under an oxygenwater partial pressure of less than 10 millibars.
14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handling takes place within the context of the growth, from the composition, of a single crystal comprising the rare-earth halide.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the growth is carried out with a growth rate of less than 5 mmh.
16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the growth is of the Bridgeman type.
17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the growth is of the Kyropoulos or Czochralski type.
18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the single crystal is of formula AeLnfX(3f+e) in which Ln represents one or more rare earth elements, X represents one or more halogen atoms chosen from Cl, Br and I, and A represents one or more alkali metals chosen from K, Li, Na, Rb and Cs, e and f representing values such that:
e, which may be zero, is less than or equal to 2f,
f is greater than or equal to 1.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the single crystal is of formula ALn2X7 in which Ln represents one or more rare earth elements and X represents one or more halogen atoms, chosen from Cl, Br and I, A representing Rb or Cs.
20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the composition comprises LaCl3 andor LaBr3 andor GdBr3 andor LaxGd(1-x)Br3 with x ranging from 0 to 1.
21. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the composition also comprises CeCl3 andor CeBr3.
22. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is heated by graphite elements.