Electrode material and energy storage apparatus

• US 10,644,324 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kechuang Lin, Yi-Jui Huang
• Original Assignee: Kechuang Lin, Yi-Jui Huang
• Inventors: Lin, Kechuang, Huang, Yi-Jui
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric W
• Application Number:
  US15/607,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20170263939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,073 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/24 characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/28 arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/46 Metal oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/50 specially adapted for lithium-ion capacitors, e.g. for lithium-doping or for intercalation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/136 Electrodes based on inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/137 Electrodes based on electro-active polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/808 Foamed, spongy materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An electrode material includes a fine-array porous material. The fine-array porous material includes a plurality of pores having a substantially uniform size of <1000 μm, with a variation of <20%, and comprises a metal such as Ni, Al, Ti, Sn and Mn. The metal fine-array porous electrode material can be surface-treated to form a metal oxide on the surface of the porous electrode material, or be coated with a metal oxide including RuO₂, TaO. An electrical energy storage apparatus, such as a supercapacitor or a lithium battery, containing the fine-array porous electrode material can have significantly improved performances as compared with conventional materials.

Claims

1. An electrode material for use in an electrical energy storage apparatus, comprising a fine-array porous material, wherein:

the fine-array porous material comprises a plurality of pores, wherein the plurality of pores have a size of less than about 1000 μ

m;

the size of the plurality of pores is substantially uniform with a variation of less than about 20%; and

the fine-array porous material has a porosity of about 40-85%;

the fine-array porous material further comprising a plurality of grain boundary regions filled with a solid material to increase a mechanical strength of the fine-array porous material, wherein the grain boundary regions have a size of about 5 μ

m-15 cm.

2. The electrode material according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage apparatus is a supercapacitor, and the fine-array porous material comprises at least one of Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Mn, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, W, Cr, Fe, Co, Rh, Ir, Pt, Pd, Cu, Ag, Au, or Ru, and has a specific surface area higher than 4100/mm, and the size variation is less than about 10%.

3. The electrode material according to claim 2, wherein the fine-array porous material further comprises a metal oxide on surface of the fine-array porous material, and the metal oxide is derived from the metal as used in the fine-array porous material.

4. The electrode material according to claim 2, wherein the fine-array porous material further comprises a metal oxide on surface of the fine-array porous material, and the metal oxide comprises at least one of RuO₂, TaO, BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃, PZT, Cu₂O, ZnO, Fe₂O₃, Co₃O₄, SnO₂, V₂O₅, Ni(OH)₂, Co(OH)₂, or PLZT.

5. The electrode material according to claim 2, wherein the fine-array porous material further comprises a second material within void space of the plurality of pores.

6. The electrode material according to claim 5, wherein the second material comprises at least one of graphene, graphane, mesocarbon microspheres, petroleum coke, carbon fibers, pyrolytic carbon resin, or LiCoO₂.

7. The electrode material according to claim 2, further comprising a layer of grain-shaped dielectric material at a surface of the fine-array porous material.

8. The electrode material according to claim 7, wherein the dielectric material comprises at least one of Al₂O₃, BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃, Ba_xSr_1-xTiO₃, PZT, TaO, Cu₂O, ZnO, Fe₂O₃, SnO2, Co3O4, V2O5, PLZT, or TiO₂.

9. The electrode material according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage apparatus is a supercapacitor, and the fine-array porous material comprises at least one of RuO₂, TiO₂, Co₃O₄, SnO₂, V₂O₅, or MnO₂.

10. The electrode material according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage apparatus is a lithium battery, and wherein the fine-array porous material has a composition of a lithiated ternary transition metal oxide selected from Li—

MnO₂, LiFePO₄, and wherein the fine-array porous material comprises a conductive polymer selected from PPV, PPY, PAC, PANI, PT, PEDOT or PPS, and wherein the conductive polymer comprises large molecules acting as pseudo capacitors.

11. An energy storage apparatus comprising an electrode including a fine-array porous material, wherein:

the fine-array porous material comprises a plurality of pores, wherein the plurality of pores have a size of less than about 1000 μ

m;

the size of the plurality of pores is substantially uniform with a variation of less than about 20%; and

the fine-array porous material has a porosity of about 40-85%;

the fine-array porous material further comprising a plurality of grain boundary regions filled with a solid material to increase a mechanical strength of the fine-array porous material, wherein the grain boundary regions have a size of about 5 μ

m-15 cm.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fine-array porous material comprises a metal selected from at least one of Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, W, Cr, Fe, Co, Rh, Ir, Pt, Pd, Cu, Ag, Au, or Mn.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fine-array porous material further comprises a metal oxide on surface of the fine-array porous material.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fine-array porous material comprises at least one of RuO₂, TiO₂, MnO₂, Al₂O₃, BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃, Ba_xSr_1-xTiO₃, TaO, Cu₂O, ZnO, Fe₂O₃, SnO2, Co3O4, V2O5, PZT, or PLZT.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fine-array porous material further comprises graphene within void space of the plurality of pores.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an electrolyte, wherein the fine-array porous material further comprises a layer of grain-shaped dielectric material on surface of the fine-array porous material, and wherein the electrolyte acts as another electrode.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus comprises a lithium battery having an anode, and wherein the fine-array porous material of the anode has a composition of a lithiated ternary transition metal oxide selected from Li—

MnO₂, or LiFePO₄.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the fine-array porous material of a cathode has a composition selected from at least one of Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, W, Cr, Fe, Co, Rh, Ir, Pt, Pd, Cu, Ag, Au, or Mn.