PRECURSOR FORMULATION FOR BATTERY ACTIVE MATERIALS SYNTHESIS

• US 20120288617A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Yang, Lu, Wang, Miaojun, Zeng, Dongli
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/58
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/185 Preparing mixtures of oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/48 of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight

Abstract

Compositions and methods of forming battery active materials are provided. A solution of battery active metal cations and reactive anions may be blended with a fuel to yield a precursor mixture usable for synthesizing a battery active material for deposition onto a substrate. The battery active metal cations include lithium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, vanadium, and the like. Reactive anions include nitrate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, maleate, azide, amide, and other lower carboxylates. Suitable fuels, which may be water miscible, may include amino compounds. Alcohols and sugars may be added to adjust carbon content and fuel combustion characteristics. An exothermic reaction is performed to convert the metals into battery active oxides.

Claims

1. A chemical composition, comprising:

an water miscible solution of battery active metal cations and reactive anions; and

a water miscible organic material.

2. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the battery active metal cations form battery active metal oxides.

3. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the water miscible organic material comprises one or more nitrogen containing compounds.

4. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the reactive anions comprise one or more anions from the group consisting of nitrate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, azide, amide, and combinations or derivatives thereof.

5. The chemical composition of claim 1, further comprising a fuel.

6. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the water miscible organic compound is an amino compound.

7. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the water miscible organic material is a compound selected from the group consisting of urea, glycine, hexamethylene tetramine, carbohydrazide, oxalic acid dihydrazide, malonic acid dihydrazide, maleic hydrazide, diformyl hydrazide, tetraformal trisazine, and combinations and derivatives thereof.

8. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the water miscible solution comprises metal nitrates and the water miscible organic material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of urea, glycine, hexamethylene tetramine, carbohydrazide, oxalic acid dihydrazide, malonic acid dihydrazide, maleic hydrazide, diformyl hydrazide, tetraformal trisazine, and combinations and derivatives thereof.

9. The chemical composition of claim 8, wherein the water miscible solution comprises one or more metals from the group consisting of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and iron.

10. The chemical composition of claim 4, further comprising a water miscible fuel.

11. The chemical composition of claim 10, wherein the water miscible organic material is an alcohol.

12. The chemical composition of claim 4, comprising more than one reactive anion.

13. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the water miscible organic material is between about 0.1 weight percent and about 10 weight percent of the chemical composition.

14. The chemical composition of claim 5, wherein the water miscible organic material is between about 0.1 weight percent and about 10 weight percent of the chemical composition, and the water miscible fuel is between about 0.1 weight percent and about 5 weight percent of the chemical composition.

15. The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the water miscible solution is a blend of two or more standard molar solutions.

16. The chemical composition of claim 15, wherein the water miscible organic material comprises an amino compound and an alcohol.

17. A method of forming an electrochemical material, comprising:

forming a solution of electrochemical precursors by blending a plurality of standard molar solutions, each standard molar solution consisting of an electrochemical precursor salt dissolved in a water miscible solvent;

blending the solution with a water miscible material comprising an amino compound to form a precursor blend; and

reacting the precursor blend by adding energy to the precursor blend, forming an electrochemical powder.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each standard molar solution has the same molarity.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each electrochemical precursor salt is a nitrate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, azide, or amide.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein each electrochemical precursor salt is a nitrate.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the water miscible material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of urea, glycine, hexamethylene tetramine, carbohydrazide, oxalic acid dihydrazide, malonic acid dihydrazide, maleic hydrazide, diformyl hydrazide, tetraformal trisazine, and combinations and derivatives thereof.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each electrochemical precursor salt is a nitrate.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein adding energy to the precursor blend comprises adding thermal energy, microwave energy, or both to the precursor blend.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein adding energy to the precursor blend comprises performing a flame spray process that converts the precursor blend to a powder of electrochemical material.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein adding energy to the precursor blend comprises irradiating the precursor blend with microwaves.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising depositing the electrochemical powder on a conductive substrate.