US Patent 9209446 Lithium batteries utilizing nanoporous separator layers

Provided are lithium batteries comprising (a) a separator/electrode assembly of a current collector layer interposed between two electrode layers of one polarity bonded to a porous separator layer on each electrode surface, wherein each electrode layer is coated directly on a separator layer, (b) an electrode of the opposite polarity with a current collector layer interposed between two electrode layers of the opposite polarity, and (c) an electrolyte, where the batteries comprise alternating layers of the separator/electrode assembly and the electrode of the opposite polarity. Preferably, a portion of the assembly is not in contact with the electrode of the opposite polarity and a portion of the electrode of opposite polarity is not in contact with the assembly, and an electrically conductive device independently connects the portions of each polarity for effective current collection. Also provided are methods of preparing such lithium batteries.