METHOD

• US 20100190057A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexeon Limited
• Original Assignee: Nexeon Limited
• Inventors: Green, Mino
• Granted Patent: US 9,012,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/219
• 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 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0492 Chemical attack of the support material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1395 of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/386 Silicon or alloys based on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/387 Tin or alloys based on tin
• 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 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/662 Alloys collectors of lead alloys H01M4/685
• 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 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A composite electrode includes an active component directly bonded to a current collector. The direct bonding provides a low resistance contact between the current collector and the active material. The active component can be provided as fibres of silicon. The fibres can be free or attached to a support.

Claims

1. An electrode comprising an active component directly bonded to a current collector.

2. The electrode as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bonding is via a compound formed between the active component and the current collector.

4. The electrode as claimed in claim 1 wherein the current collector comprises one or more of copper, nickel, aluminium, iron, iridium, gold, silver or titanium.

5. The electrode as claimed in claim 1 wherein the active component comprises silicon-comprising fibres.

6. The electrode as claimed in claim 5 in which the fibres are single crystal fibres.

7. The electrode as claimed in claim 5 in which the fibres are deposited in a felt.

8. The electrode as claimed in claim 5 in which the fibres are deposited in a composite.

9. The electrode as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least some of the fibres extend from silicon-comprising particles.

10. The electrode as claimed in claim 1 in which the electrode is an anode.

11. A method of fabricating a electrode as claimed in claim 1 comprising contacting an active component with a current collector and heating to the reaction temperature of the active component and current collector.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the active component and the current collector are heated to above the reaction temperature.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the active component and the current collector are contacted under an excess pressure of 5 pounds per square inch or above.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the formation of the compound is carried out in an inert atmosphere.

15. A method of fabricating an electrode as claimed in claim 1 comprising contacting a silicon comprising active component with a copper current collector and heating to or above the silicon-copper alloy temperature.

16. A method of fabricating a lithium rechargeable cell comprising the steps of creating an anode as claimed in claim 11 and adding a cathode and an electrolyte.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising adding a separator between cathode and the anode.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising providing a casing around the cell.

19. An electrochemical cell containing an anode as claimed in claim 1.

20. The electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 19 in which the cathode comprises a lithium-containing compound capable of releasing and reabsorbing lithium ions as its active material.

21. The electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 19 in which the cathode comprises lithium-based metal oxide or phosphate as its active material preferably LiCoO₂ or LiMn_xNi_xCo_1-2xO₂ or LiFePO₄.

23. A cell comprising an anode as claimed in claim 1 and a cathode.

24. A cell as claimed in claim 23 in which the cathode comprises lithium-based material.

25. A cell as claimed in claim 24 in which the cathode comprises lithium cobalt dioxide-based material.

26. A device powered by a cell as claimed in claim 23.

3. The electrode as claimed in 1 wherein the active component comprises one or more of silicon, aluminium, tin, lead, bismuth, antimony and silver.

22. A lithium rechargeable cell anode comprising an active component directly bonded to a current collector

27-32. -32. (canceled)