Lithium inks and electrodes and batteries made therefrom

• US 20050239917A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brightvolt, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solicore Incorporated
• Inventors: Wensley, C. Glen, Guindy, Wade W., Nelson, Craig R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,968,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/160
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/006 Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/03 characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/38 characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/12 of consumable metal or alloy electrodes use of alloy compositions as active materials H01M4/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/62 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Lithium metal powder based inks are provided. The inks are provided in formulations suitable for printing using a variety of printing techniques, including screen printing, offset litho printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, pad printing and inkjet printing. The inks include lithium metal powder, a polymer binder and optionally electrically conductive materials and/or lithium salts in a solvent. The inks are well suited for use in printing electrodes for use in lithium metal batteries. Batteries made from lithium powder based anodes and electronic applications such as RFID labels, Smart Cards and wearable medical devices are also provided.

Claims

1. A lithium ink for use in printing an electrode for a lithium battery, the ink comprising lithium metal powder, a high temperature polymer binder and a solvent.

2. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the high temperature polymer is capable of complexing with lithium salts and participating in ionic conduction.

3. The lithium ink of claim 2, wherein the high temperature polymer binder comprises a polyimide, a polybenzimidazole or a polyamide-imide.

4. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the high temperature polymer binder comprises a high temperature polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyphenylene oxides, polyarylates, polyester-imides, polyester-amide-imides, poly(benzoxazoles), polysulfones, polyether sulfones, polysulfonamides, poly(quinoxaline), poly(para-phenylenes), poly(aryl ethers) substituted with a pyridyl group, poly(aryl ether sulfones), polyepoxides and combinations thereof.

5. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the high temperature polymer has a glass transition temperature of at least 150°

C.

6. The lithium ink of claim 3, wherein the polyimide comprises a pre-imidized, amorphous, thermoplastic polyimide powder that is soluble in a polar solvent.

7. The lithium ink of claim 1, further comprising at least one electronically conductive material other than lithium metal powder.

8. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the lithium powder has an average particle size of no more than about 50 microns.

9. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the lithium powder has an average particle size of no more than about 1 micron.

10. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the ink has a viscosity from about 0.01 to 100 Pa-sec at 25°

C.

11. The lithium ink of claim 3, comprising about 20 to 70 percent lithium powder, about 15 to 40 percent conductive material and about 10 to 25 percent polyimide binder on a dry weight basis.

12. The lithium ink of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises gamma-butyrolactone.

27. A method of printing an anode for a lithium battery comprising:

formulating an ink according to claim 1,

printing the ink on a current collector.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the printing is ink jet printing.

13. A lithium ink for use in printing an electrode for a lithium battery, the ink comprising lithium metal powder, a polymer binder, a lithium salt and a solvent.

14. An anode comprising:

(a) an anode current collector; and

(b) an electrode layer disposed on the anode current collector, the electrode layer comprising lithium powder and a high temperature polymer binder.

15. The anode of claim 14, wherein the high temperature polymer binder comprises a polyimide.

16. The anode of claim 14 wherein the electrode layer has an average thickness of no more than 30 microns.

17. The anode of claim 14, wherein the electrode layer further comprises at least one lithium salt.

18. A battery comprising:

(a) the anode of claim 14;

(b) a cathode; and

(c) an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode.

19. The battery of claim 18, wherein the electrolyte comprises a polyimide solid polymer electrolyte.

20. The battery of claim 19, wherein the electrolyte comprise about 40 weight percent solvent or less.

21. The battery of claim 18, wherein the electrolyte is optically clear.

22. The battery of claim 18, wherein the cathode comprises:

(a) a cathode current collector; and

(b) an electrode layer disposed on the cathode current collector, the electrode layer comprising a polyimide, an electronic conductive filler and a metal oxide.

23. The battery of claim 18, wherein the anode, cathode, and electrolyte each comprise pre-imidized, amorphous, thermoplastic polyimide that is soluble in a polar solvent.

29. A radiofrequency identification device, a Smart Card or a wearable medical device powered by the battery of claim 18.

24. A lithium metal battery comprising:

(a) a cathode;

(b) an anode comprising a printed electrode layer comprising lithium metal powder and a polymer binder; and

(c) a polymer electrolyte sandwiched between the cathode and the anode.

25. The battery of claim 24, wherein the electrode layer is printed on a current collector.

26. The battery of claim 24, wherein the electrode layer is printed using a printing method selected from the group consisting of screen-printing, offset litho printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing.

30. A lithium salt-based ink for use in printing an anode for a lithium ion battery, the ink comprising an intercalation carbon material, a conductivity enhancing carbon material, a lithium salt, a high temperature polymer binder, and a solvent.

31. The lithium salt-based ink of claim 30, wherein the high temperature polymer binder is capable of complexing with lithium salts and participating in ionic conduction, and the intercalation carbon material comprises mesocarbon microbeads.

32. The lithium salt-based ink of claim 30 wherein the binder comprises a polyimide.

33. The lithium salt-based ink of claim 30 wherein the binder comprises a soluble polyimide.

34. An anode comprising:

(a) an anode current collector; and

(b) an electrode layer printed on the anode current collector, the electrode layer comprising the ink of claim 30, wherein the solvent has been substantially removed.

35. A battery comprising:

(a) the anode of claim 34;

(b) a cathode; and

(c) an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode.

36. A device powered by the battery of claim 35, the device selected from the group consisting of sensors, medical devices, military devices, security devices, music, audio and broadcast devices, computing devices, financial transaction devices, transportation devices and measuring and metering devices.