MEMS volumetric Li/ion battery for space, air and terrestrial applications

• US 20040191626A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Waypa, John J., Lewis, David H. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/400,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20040191626A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/224
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• 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 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/409 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/489 Separators, membranes, diaphragms or spacing elements inside the cells, characterised by their physical properties, e.g. swelling degree, hydrophilicity or shut down properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/497 Ionic conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A MEMS volumetric lithium-ion battery formed using a soft lithography technique. The battery includes a reduced footprint area with a corresponding increase in capacity by exploiting the Z dimension through increased volume, while utilizing a chemistry capable of one Joule per cubic millimeter. The battery may be manufactured to cell sizes of one millimeter and cell volumes of one cubic millimeter. The battery can be formed into battery banks, electrically connected in series and parallel, and integrated into a system-on-a-chip. The battery may also be implemented for on-board applications and is suitable for space, air, and terrestrial applications, and in particular, for providing a MEMS volumetric battery.

Claims

1. A volumetric lithium-ion energy storage device, comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

an electrolyte separator interstitial to and in communication with the anode and the cathode, which anode, cathode and electrolyte separator form a micro-battery having a volume of no more than one cubic millimeter.

2. The device of claim 1, the electrolyte separator is approximately one millimeter thick.

3. The device of claim 1 is approximately one millimeter thick.

4. The device of claim 1, the anode is comprised of lithium.

5. The device of claim 1, the cathode is comprised of manganese dioxide.

6. The device of claim 1, the electrolyte separator is comprised of at least one of propylene carbonate, 1,2-dimethoyethane and, a mixture of propylene carbonate and 1,2-dimethoyethane.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an optimizing material formed between at least one of the electrolyte separator and the anode, and the electrolyte separator and the cathode.

8. The device of claim 7, the optimizing material is at least one of ceramic and plastic.

9. The energy storage device of claim 1 manufactured according to soft lithography techniques.

10. The energy storage device of claim 1 integrated into a system-on-a-chip.

11. The device of claim 1 having an increased energy storage capacity with a corresponding reduction in footprint area.

12. The device of claim 1 providing energy storage capacity of approximately one joule per cubic millimeter.

13. The device of claim 1 is a rechargeable device.

14. An lithium-ion energy storage device manufactured according to a soft lithography technique, comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

an electrolyte separator interstitial to and in communication with the anode and the cathode, the anode, cathode and electrolyte forming the energy storage device which is volumetric, the volumetric device having at least one of a cell size of no more than one millimeter and a cell volume of no more than one cubic millimeter.

15. An electronic system integrated on a single chip, comprising:

a high-speed circuit; and

one or more volumetric batteries for providing power to all or selected portions of the high-speed circuit.

16. The system of claim 15, the one or more volumetric batteries distributed throughout the chip and connected electrically in at least one of series and parallel.

17. A system integrated on a single chip comprising:

a circuit;

one or more sensors operatively connected to the circuit for providing sensing signals to the circuit;

one or more actuators operatively connected to the circuit for providing actuator signals to the circuit; and

one or more volumetric batteries operatively connected to provide power to at least one of the circuit, one or more sensors, and one or more actuators.

18. The system of claim 17, the one or more volumetric batteries distributed throughout the chip proximate to an entity that it powers.

19. The system of claim 17, the one or more volumetric batteries electrically connected in at least one of in series and in parallel.

20. The system of claim 17, the one or more volumetric batteries distributed individually on the chip and off the chip.

21. A method of providing a lithium-ion volumetric battery, the method comprising utilizing a soft lithography technique to produce an anode, cathode and electrolyte separator, the combination of which form a micro-battery having a volume of no more than one cubic millimeter.

22. The method of claim 21, the electrolyte separator approximately one millimeter thick.

23. The method of claim 21, the volumetric battery having cubic dimensions of one millimeter per side.

24. The method of claim 21, the volumetric battery having at least one of a cell size of no more than one millimeter and a cell volume of no more than one cubic millimeter.