ENHANCED PACKING OF ENERGY STORAGE PARTICLES

• US 20120081838A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF SE
• Original Assignee: EnerG2 Technologies, Incorporated
• Inventors: Costantino, Henry R., Scott, William D., Feaver, Aaron M., Goodwin, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 8,654,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/04 mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/00 Hybrid capacitors, i.e. capacitors having different positive and negative electrodes; Electric double-layer [EDL] capacitors; Processes for the manufacture thereof or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/24 characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/30 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/32 Carbon-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/38 Carbon pastes or blends; Binders or additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/42 Powders or particles, e.g. composition thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/60 characterised by the solvent
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/62 characterised by the solute, e.g. salts, anions or cations therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/035 Liquid electrolytes, e.g. impregnating materials H01G11/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/042 characterised by the material H01G11/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/145 Liquid electrolytic capacitors H01G11/00 takes precedence
• 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 10/0569 characterised by the solvents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/364 as mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/386 Silicon or alloys based on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 : Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

The present application is generally directed to energy storage materials such as activated carbon comprising enhanced particle packing properties and devices containing the same. The energy storage materials find utility in any number of devices, for example, in electric double layer capacitance devices and batteries. Methods for making the energy storage materials are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An energy storage material comprising a plurality of energy storage particles, wherein the plurality of energy storage particles comprises a particle size distribution such that the equation of a plot of the cumulative finer volume distribution vs. particle size comprises a correlation coefficient of 0.96 or greater relative to the modified Andreassen equation for the particle size distribution, and wherein the modified Andreassen equation comprises a q value of 0.3.

2. The energy storage material of claim 1, wherein the energy storage particles are a carbon material.

3. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the correlation coefficient is 0.97 or greater.

4. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the correlation coefficient is 0.99 or greater.

5. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a packing ratio of 0.97 or greater when formed into an electrode.

6. The energy storage material of claim 5, wherein the carbon material comprises a packing ratio of 1.0 or greater when formed into an electrode.

7. The energy storage material of claim 6, wherein the carbon material comprises a packing ratio of 1.1 or greater when formed into an electrode.

8. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the particle size distribution comprises particle sizes ranging from 0.01 μ

m to 20 μ

m.

9. The energy storage material of claim 8, wherein the particle size distribution comprises particle sizes ranging from 0.03 μ

m to 17 μ

m.

10. The energy storage material of claim 9, wherein the particle size distribution comprises particle sizes from 0.04 μ

m to 12 μ

m.

11. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material is prepared by blending two or more different carbon samples, each carbon sample comprising a different particle size distribution.

12. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material is activated, and the carbon material comprises a plurality of activated carbon particles.

13. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a plurality of activated carbon particles and a plurality of carbon black particles.

14. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a total impurity content of less than 500 ppm of elements having atomic numbers ranging from 11 to 92 as measured by proton induced x-ray emission.

15. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a BET specific surface area of 1500 m²/g or greater.

16. The energy storage material of claim 15, wherein the carbon material comprises a BET specific surface area of 2000 m²/g or greater.

17. The energy storage material of claim 16, wherein the carbon material comprises a BET specific surface area of 2400 m²/g or greater.

18. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a pore volume of at least 0.7 cc/g.

20. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a pore volume of at least 1.0 cc/g.

21. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a pore volume of at least 1.3 cc/g.

22. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a pore volume of at least 1.5 cc/g.

23. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a pore volume of at least 1.8 cc/g.

24. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a pore volume of at least 2.0 cc/g.

25. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a trimodal particle size distribution.

26. The energy storage material of claim 25, wherein the trimodal particle size distribution comprises particle size maxima at about 0.1 to about 0.2 μ

m, about 0.9 to about 1.0 μ

m and about 9 to about 10 μ

m.

27. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a calendaring ratio of at least 40%.

28. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a calendaring ratio of at least 50%.

29. The energy storage material of claim 2, wherein the carbon material comprises a calendaring ratio of at least 60%.

19. (canceled)

30. A device comprising a carbon material, wherein the carbon material comprises a plurality of carbon particles, the plurality of carbon particles comprising a particle size distribution such that the equation of a plot of the cumulative finer volume distribution vs. particle size comprises a correlation coefficient of 0.96 or greater relative to the modified Andreassen equation for the particle size distribution, and wherein the modified Andreassen equation comprises a q value of 0.3.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the device is an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) device comprising;

a) a positive electrode and a negative electrode, wherein each of the positive and negative electrodes comprise the carbon material;

b) an inert porous separator; and

c) an electrolyte;

wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are separated by the inert porous separator.

32. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 10.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

33. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 10.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

34. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 15.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

35. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 20.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

36. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 21.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

37. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 22.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

38. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a volumetric capacitance of 23.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

39. The EDLC device of claim 31, wherein the EDLC device comprises a gravimetric capacitance of 104 F/g or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

40-57. -57. (canceled)

58. An electrode comprising a carbon material and a binder, wherein the carbon material comprises a plurality of carbon particles, the plurality of carbon particles comprising a particle size distribution such that the equation of a plot of the cumulative finer volume distribution vs. particle size comprises a correlation coefficient of 0.96 or greater relative to the modified Andreassen equation for the particle size distribution, and wherein the modified Andreassen equation comprises a q value of 0.3.

59-60. -60. (canceled)

61. A method for preparing a carbon material comprising a plurality of carbon particles, the plurality of carbon particles comprising a particle size distribution such that the equation of a plot of the cumulative finer volume distribution vs. particle size comprises a correlation coefficient of 0.96 or greater relative to the modified Andreassen equation for the particle size distribution, and wherein the modified Andreassen equation comprises a q value of 0.3, the method comprising:

a) providing two or more carbon samples, each carbon sample comprising a unique particle size distribution; and

b) blending the two or more carbon samples at a predetermined ratio to obtain the carbon material.

62-66. -66. (canceled)

67. An energy storage material comprising a plurality of energy storage particles, wherein the plurality of energy storage particles comprises a packing ratio of 0.97 or greater when formed into an electrode.

68-69. -69. (canceled)

70. An electrode consisting essentially of a binder and an amorphous carbon material having a surface area of at least 1,500 M²/g.

71. (canceled)

72. A carbon based electrode having a volumetric capacitance of 15.0 F/cc or greater as measured by constant current discharge from 2.7 V to 0.1 V with a 5 second time constant employing a 1.8 M solution of tetraethylammonium-tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile electrolyte and a current density of 0.5 A/g.

73. A carbon material having a calendaring ratio of at least 40% when combined with a binder and formed into an electrode.

74. A carbon material comprising a plurality of carbon particles, wherein the carbon particles comprise a trimodal particle size distribution having first, second and third particle size maxima, wherein the first particle size maximum is at about 0.1 to about 0.2 μ

m, the second particle size maximum is at about 0.9 to about 1.0 μ

m and the third particle size maximum is at about 9 to about 10 μ

m.

75. An electrode having a thickness D μ

m and comprising a carbon material comprising a plurality of carbon particles, wherein the carbon particles have a packing ratio of at least 0.97 when combined with a binder and formed into an electrode, and the plurality of carbon particles comprises a trimodal particle size distribution comprised of a first collection of particles having a mean particle size A μ

m, a second collection of particles having a mean particle size B μ

m and a third collection of particles having a mean particle size C μ

m, wherein A;

B and B;

C are each between about 100;

1 and 2;

1 and D;

A is between about 2;

1 and 100;

1.