LITHIUM ANODES FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS

• US 20080213672A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sion Power Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sion Power Corporation
• Inventors: Skotheim, Terje A., Affinito, John, Sheehan, Christopher J., Mikhaylik, Yurly V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 10/056 characterised by the materials used as electrolytes, e.g. mixed inorganic/organic electrolytes
• 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 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0421 involving vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0426 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/136 Electrodes based on inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1395 of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/366 as layered products
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/387 Tin or alloys based on tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/581 Chalcogenides or intercalation compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5815 : Sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/625 : Carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/628 : Inhibitors, e.g. gassing inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 : Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/14 : Cells with non-aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/18 : with solid electrolyte
• 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

Provided is an anode for use in electrochemical cells, wherein the anode active layer has a first layer comprising lithium metal and a multi-layer structure comprising single ion conducting layers and polymer layers in contact with the first layer comprising lithium metal or in contact with an intermediate protective layer, such as a temporary protective metal layer, on the surface of the lithium-containing first layer. Another aspect of the invention provides an anode active layer formed by the in-situ deposition of lithium vapor and a reactive gas. The anodes of the current invention are particularly useful in electrochemical cells comprising sulfur-containing cathode active materials, such as elemental sulfur.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode; and

an anode comprising;

lithium as an active anode species, and

a structure comprising a single-ion conductive inorganic material and a polymer which form a composite layer.

2. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the composite layer is impermeable to liquids.

3. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the single-ion conductive inorganic material has a metal ion conductivity greater than 10⁻

7 ohm<sup>−

1</sup> cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

4. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the anode is formed by condensing lithium vapor onto a substrate in presence of a gaseous material to co-deposit a lithium anode active layer.

5. An electrochemical cell as in claim 4, wherein the gaseous material is selected from one or more of the group consisting of carbon dioxide, acetylene, nitrogen, ethylene, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, alkyl phosphate esters, alkyl sulfite esters, and alkyl sulfate esters.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the gaseous material is carbon dioxide.

7. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises sulfur as an active cathode species.

8. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the polymer is in the form of a polymer layer that is positioned adjacent a layer of the single-ion conductive inorganic material.

9. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the layer of single-ion conductive inorganic material is porous.

10. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the layer of single-ion conductive material is non-electronically conductive.

11. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises an acrylate.

12. An electrochemical cell as in claim 11, wherein the acrylate is selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylates, glycol acrylates, and polyglycol acrylates.

13. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the single ion conducting material comprises a glass conductive to lithium ions.

14. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the composite layer comprises a multilayer comprising alternating single-ion conductive inorganic material layer(s) and polymer layer(s).

15. An electrochemical cell as in claim 1, wherein the multilayer comprises four or more layers.

16. An electrochemical cell as in claim 8, wherein the polymer layer is deposited onto the single-ion conductive inorganic material by a flash evaporation process.

17. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode;

an anode comprising lithium as an active anode species; and

an intermediary structure positioned between the anode and the cathode, the intermediary structure comprising a single-ion conductive inorganic material and a polymer which form a composite layer.

18. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode;

an anode comprising lithium as an active anode species; and

an intermediary structure positioned between the anode and the cathode, the intermediary structure comprising a porous, single-ion conductive inorganic material layer and a polymer.

19. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode; and

an anode comprising;

lithium as an active anode species, and

a structure comprising a porous single-ion conductive inorganic material layer and a polymer.

20. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode;

an anode; and

an intermediary structure positioned between the anode and the cathode, the intermediary structure comprising;

a porous, single-ion conductive inorganic material layer; and

a material filling at least a portion of the pores of the single-ion conductive inorganic material layer.

21. An electrochemical cell as in claim 20, wherein the material filling at least a portion of the pores of the single-ion conductive inorganic material comprises a polymer.

22. An electrochemical cell as in claim 20, wherein the material filling at least a portion of the pores of the single-ion conductive inorganic material comprises a metal.

23. An electrochemical cell as in claim 21, wherein the polymer is deposited onto the porous, single-ion conductive inorganic material layer by a flash evaporation process.

24. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode;

an anode comprising;

lithium as an active anode species;

a porous, single-ion conductive inorganic material layer; and

a material filling at least a portion of the pores of the single-ion conductive inorganic material layer.