Electrode material for lithium batteries

• US 10,644,314 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rutgers University
• Original Assignee: Rutgers University
• Inventors: Amatucci, Glenn, Lu, Matthew Y., Badway, Fadwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Kopec, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/776,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20190260027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 25/45 containing plural metal, or metal and ammonium
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/72 by d-values or two theta-values, e.g. as X-ray diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/40 Electric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/06 mainly consisting of other non-metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5825 Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Substitution of tantalum into the lattice of monoclinic niobium phosphate results in improved reversibility, near 0% irreversible loss, and similar excellent 20 C high rate behavior in large grain material without the formation of electronically conducting nanocomposites. Tantalum substitution into niobium pentaphosphate enables an improved stabilization of the difficult to fabricate monoclinic niobium phosphate phase. Such tantalum-substituted niobium phosphates show excellent potential for use as electrodes in lithium or lithium-ion batteries.

Claims

1. A composition consisting essentially of Nb_(1-x)M_xPO₅,

wherein M is at least one transition metal selected from among the Group 5 transition metals and the Group 6 transition metals,

wherein x is a value that is greater than 0 and less than 1, and

wherein M is selected from the group consisting of tantalum, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, or any combinations thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein M is tantalum.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a monoclinic crystalline structure.

4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the crystal structure has lattice parameters of a=−

12.9 Å

to 13.3 Å

, b=5.1 Å

to 5.5 Å

, c=13.0 Å

to 13.4 Å and

the Beta angle=119.7 degrees to 121.7 degrees.

5. A composition comprising Nb_(1-x)Ta_xPO₅ and at least one other chemical component,

wherein x is a value that is greater than 0 and less than 1.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein the composition has a monoclinic crystalline structure.

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the crystal structure has lattice parameters of a=−

12.9 Å

to 13.3 Å

, b=5.1 Å

to 5.5 Å

, c=13.0 Å

to 13.4 Å and

the Beta angle=119.7 degrees to 121.7 degrees.