Plating metal negative electrodes under protective coatings
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating an electrode, the method comprising:
- (a) providing an electrode precursor in an electrochemical cell, the electrode precursor including a current collector, a material that intercalates ions of an alkali metal, and a glassy or amorphous protective layer forming a substantially impervious layer which is a single ion conductor conductive to ions of the alkali metal; and
(b) electrolytically transporting ions of the alkali metal through the protective layer to intercalate into the carbon to form the electrode.
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Abstract
A method for forming lithium electrodes having protective layers involves plating lithium between a lithium ion conductive protective layer and a current collector of an “electrode precursor.” The electrode precursor is formed by depositing the protective layer on a very smooth surface of a current collector. The protective layer is a glass such as lithium phosphorus oxynitride and the current collector is a conductive sheet such as a copper sheet. During plating, lithium ions move through the protective layer and a lithium metal layer plates onto the surface of the current collector. The resulting structure is a protected lithium electrode. To facilitate uniform lithium plating, the electrode precursor may include a “wetting layer” which coats the current collector.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating an electrode, the method comprising:
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(a) providing an electrode precursor in an electrochemical cell, the electrode precursor including a current collector, a material that intercalates ions of an alkali metal, and a glassy or amorphous protective layer forming a substantially impervious layer which is a single ion conductor conductive to ions of the alkali metal; and
(b) electrolytically transporting ions of the alkali metal through the protective layer to intercalate into the carbon to form the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electrode precursor comprising:
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a current collector;
a glassy or amorphous protective layer forming a substantially impervious layer which is a single ion conductor conductive to ions of an alkali metal; and
a material that intercalates ions of the alkali metal located between and adherent to the current collector and the protective layer;
a material that intercalates ions of the alkali metal located between and adherent to the current collector and the protective layer;
wherein the electrode precursor does not comprise an alkali metal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A battery or a battery precursor comprising:
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a) a positive electrode comprising a source of mobile alkali metal ions on charge;
b) a precursor to an alkali metal negative electrode including a current collector, a glassy or amorphous protective layer forming a substantially impervious layer which is a single ion conductor conductive to ions of an alkali metal, and a layer of material that intercalates ions of the alkali metal located between and adherent to the current collector and the protective layer; and
c) an electrolyte;
wherein the precursor does not include an alkali metal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of fabricating a battery, the method comprising:
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(a) providing an electrode precursor in an electrochemical cell, the electrode precursor comprising (i) a current collector, (ii) a glassy or amorphous protective layer forming a substantially impervious layer which is a single ion conductor conductive to ions of an alkali metal, and (iii) sandwiched between the current collector and the protective layer, a material that intercalates ions of the alkali metal;
(b) providing a positive electrode; and
(c) transporting alkali metal ions through the protective layer to intercalate alkali metal ions into the intercalation material and form the battery. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification