Patent ID: 7282302

Claim:
An electrochemical device component, comprising: an active metal electrode having a first surface and a second surface; a protective composite on the first surface of the electrode, the composite comprising, a first material in contact with the electrode, the first material being ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the active metal, wherein the first material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal nitride, a composite reaction product of the active metal with silicon nitride, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal halide, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal phosphide, a reaction product of the active metal with red phosphorus, and a reaction product of the active metal with LiPON coated with a wetting layer; and a second material in contact with the first material, the second material being substantially impervious, ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the first material; wherein the protective composite comprises a gradual transition between the first material and the second material; wherein the ionic conductivity of the composite is at least 10 −7 S/cm.