High Energy Composite Cathodes for Lithium Ion Batteries

• US 20100124702A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Physical Sciences Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Physical Sciences Incorporated
• Inventors: White, Kevin C.
• Application Number:
  US12/272,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20100124702A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1391 of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/621 Binders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery cathode includes carbon particulates, micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate), and a polymer binder. The carbon particulates and the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) are disposed within the polymer binder.

Claims

1. A battery cathode comprising:

carbon particulates;

micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate); and

a polymer binder, the carbon particulates and the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) being disposed within the polymer binder.

2. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) include at most 400 ppm of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate).

3. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) include between 150 ppm and 300 ppm poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate).

4. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) comprise between about 75 weight percent and about 90 weight percent of the total weight.

5. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the carbon particulates comprise between about 7 weight percent and about 15 weight percent of the total weight.

6. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the polymer binder comprises between about 3 weight percent and 10 weight percent of the total weight.

7. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the carbon particulates are selected from the group consisting of acetylene black particles, graphite flakes, and combinations thereof.

8. The battery cathode of claim 1, wherein the polymer binder is polyvinylidene fluoride.

9. A battery cathode comprising:

carbon particulates;

micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with a conducting polymer to form a bi-layer ribbon structure having a bi-layer spacing of about 13.5 to about 15 Angstroms; and

a polymer binder, the carbon particulates and the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with the conducting polymer being disposed within the polymer binder.

10. A method of making a cathode composite, the method comprising:

forming a xerogel of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide;

processing the xerogel to form micron-sized particles of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide;

mixing the micron-sized particles of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide with carbon particulates and a polymer binder to form the cathode composite.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein forming a xerogel of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide comprises:

mixing poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) in monomer form and water to form a water solution;

adding vanadium(V)oxytrialkoxides to the water solution to form a hydrogel of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide; and

removing excess water to form the xerogel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrogel has a bi-layer ribbon structure with a bi-layer spacing of about 9 Angstroms to about 13 Angstroms.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) is formed in the bi-layer ribbon structure of the hydrogel.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the vanadium(V)oxytrialkoxides includes triisopropoxy vanadium oxide.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the xerogel contains at most 400 ppm of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate).

16. The method of claim 10, wherein processing the xerogel comprises milling the xerogel.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein milling is used to produce particles having an average size of about 5 to about 10 microns.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

applying an adhesion layer to an aluminum foil current collector;

depositing a slurry on the adhesion layer, the slurry including (i) the carbon particulates;

(ii) the micron-sized particles of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide; and

(iii) the polymer binder; and

drying the slurry to form a battery cathode.

19. A battery comprising:

a cathode including a layer formed from a composite material including (i) particulates of carbon, (ii) micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate), and (iii) a polymer binder

an anode including lithium ions; and

a porous separator and an electrolytic solution disposed between the cathode and the anode.

20. The battery of claim 19, wherein the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) have an average size of about 5 to 10 microns.

21. The battery of claim 19, wherein the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) contain at most 400 ppm of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate).

22. The battery of claim 19, wherein the micron-sized particles of vanadium pentoxide modified with poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) comprise between about 75 weight percent and about 90 weight percent of the composite material.

23. The battery of claim 22, wherein the carbon particulates comprise between about 7 weight percent and about 15 weight percent of the composite material and the polymer binder comprises between about 3 weight percent and 10 weight percent of the composite material.

24. A method of making composite particulates, the method comprising:

forming a xerogel of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide; and

milling the xerogel to form micron-sized particulates of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein forming a xerogel of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide comprises:

mixing poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) in monomer form and water to form a water solution;

adding vanadium(V)oxytrialkoxides to the water solution to form a hydrogel of poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) modified vanadium pentoxide; and

removing excess water to form the xerogel.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the hydrogel has a bi-layer ribbon structure with a bi-layer spacing of about 9 Angstroms to about 13 Angstroms.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of the poly(pyrrole propanesulphonate) is formed in the bi-layer ribbon structure of the hydrogel.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the vanadium(V)oxytrialkoxides includes triisopropoxy vanadium oxide.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein milling the xerogel comprises milling the xerogel with an attritor mill to produce particulates having an average size of about 5 to about 10 microns.