IMMOBILIZED CHALCOGEN COMPRISING A CHALCOGEN ELEMENT, AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, AND HYDROPHILIC MEMBRANE GATE AND USE THEREOF IN A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

An immobilized chalcogen system or body includes an element of chalcogen, an electrically conductive material, and a hydrophilic membrane gate. The hydrophilic membrane gate may be used to isolate hydrophobic regions, one related to polychalcogenide ion(s) and another related to a hydrophobic electrolyte system. The hydrophilic membrane gate may prevent polychalcogenide from forming, and may provide control of undesirable parasitic mass transport and undesirable electron transport inside a chalcogen-based battery, and thereby allow the battery to cycle at a high specific capacity with a long cycling life. If desired, the immobilized chalcogen system or body may be employed in a cathode of a rechargeable battery.