Nanostructured Electrode for a Microbattery

• US 20080044732A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 02/21/2008
• 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: Rouviere, Emmanuelle, Gaillard, Frederic, Salot, Raphael, Martin, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,829,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/322
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• 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 10/0562 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 4/133 Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1393 of electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1395 of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• 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 new anode configuration (20) is proposed for a lithium microbattery (10). The anode (20) preferably consists of nanotubes or of nanowires (24) such that the empty space (26) left between the different components (24) provides compensation for the inherent swelling upon discharging the microbattery (10). With the absence of stresses on the electrolyte (18), the lifetime of the battery (10) may be increased.

Claims

1. A power storage device comprising at least one first electrode, consisting of a plurality of electrode components defining gaps between them, a second electrode and an electrolyte t localized between both electrodes, characterized in that the electrolyte is solid, and held above the gaps by electrode components.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the volume occupied by the electrode components is less than 50%, preferably of the order of 20% of the volume defined by the first electrode.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is positioned on a surface of a collector substrate.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the electrode components form a network of protrusions which protrude from the surface of the collector substrate.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the protrusions have a surface included in a circle with a diameter between 5 and 50 nm and are spaced apart by 50 to 100 nm.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the protrusions extend over 200 nm to 5 μ

m perpendicularly to the surface of the collector substrate.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is the anode.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the electrode components are carbon or silicon nanotubes or nanowires.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode and the electrolyte each consist of a material layer.

10. The device according to claim 1 which is a lithium microbattery.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the electrolyte is a lithium oxynitride.

12. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an encapsulation layer which insulates the electrodes and the electrolyte from the outside environment.

14. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode is positioned on a surface of a collector substrate.

15. The device according to claim 5, wherein the protrusions extend over 200 nm to 5 μ

m perpendicularly to the surface of the collector substrate.

16. The device according to claim 6, wherein the first electrode is the anode.

17. The device according to claim 8, wherein the second electrode and the electrolyte each consist of a material layer.

13. The use of a component consisting of nanowires or nanotubes on an electrically conducting substrate in the making of a lithium battery electrode, for which the electrolyte is solid and in the form of a layer.