Structured electrolyte for micro-battery

• US 20060154141A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Gaillard, Frederic, Salot, Raphael, Danel, Jean-Sebastien, Laurent, Jean-Yves
• Granted Patent: US 7,939,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/149
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0068 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0094 in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0423 Physical vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0428 Chemical vapour deposition
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

In order to increase the capacity of an “all-solid” type micro-battery, the layer of electrolyte is structured: transversing cavities are created in the flat layer, advantageously at the level of patches of collector material, then filled by anode or cathode material.

Claims

1. Energy storage device comprising at least a cathode element, an anode element and an electrolyte layer which comprises a first and a second surface, and cavities crossing through it between the first and second surfaces, the electrode elements being localised in the cavities.

2. Device according to claim 1 wherein the cavities extend substantially normal to the first and the second surface.

3. Device according to claim 1 wherein the cavities are of rectangular or round section, or arranged in honeycomb pattern, in the first and second surfaces.

4. Device according to claim 1 wherein the cavities are strips crossing the support between two opposite edges.

5. Device according to claim 1 wherein the ratio between the developed surface and the second surface of the electrolyte layer is greater than or equal to 5.

6. Device according to claim 1 wherein the cavities comprising the anode and cathode elements are alternated.

7. Device according to claim 1 wherein the cavities comprise a collector material at the level of the first surface.

8. Device according to claim 7 wherein the collector material of some cavities comprises a catalyst on the face opposite to the first surface.

9. Device according to claim 8 wherein the electrode elements in the cavities where the catalyst is present are composed of nanotubes or nanowires.

10. Device according to claim 1 wherein the anode elements are composed of carbon or silicon.

11. Device according to claim 1 wherein the electrode elements extend between the first and the second surface and fill the cavities.

12. Device according to claim 11 further comprising an encapsulation layer at the second surface.

13. Device according to claim 1 wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a lithium oxynitride, preferably phosphate based.

14. Method for manufacturing an energy storage device comprising:

putting in place a support having a first surface, depositing an electrolyte layer on the first surface of said support and having a second surface opposite to the first surface, structuring the electrolyte layer in such a way as to create cavities between the first and second surfaces, filling the cavities by an anode and/or cathode material.

15. Method according to claim 14 wherein filling the cavities comprises filling of some cavities by a first material among the anode and cathode materials, and then filling other cavities by the second material among the anode and cathode materials.

16. Method according to claim 14 wherein filling the cavities comprises depositing a first material among the anode and cathode materials in the cavities, and then further comprising:

creating other cavities in the electrolyte layer between the first and the second surface, followed by depositing the second material among the anode and cathode materials in the other cavities.

17. Method according to claim 14 wherein putting in place the support comprises providing a substrate, depositing a current collector material on said substrate, the first surface of support being composed of patches of collector material spaced out by the substrate.

18. Method according to claim 17 wherein the cavities of the layer of electrolyte are located at the level of the patches of collector material.

19. Method according to claim 18 wherein the patches of collector material are coated with catalyst prior to filling.

20. Method according to claim 19 wherein filling the cavities containing the catalyst is achieved by growth of carbon nanotubes or silicon nanowires.

21. Method according to claim 14 comprising etching the electrolyte and filling the etched zones by a collector material.

22. Method according to claim 14 comprising etching at least one electrode filling a cavity between the first and the second surface.

23. Method according to claim 22 wherein the etching is filled with collector material.

24. Method according to claim 14 further comprising levelling off the surface of the manufactured component opposite to the first surface.

25. Method according to claim 24 further comprising the encapsulation of the levelled off component.