HARD CARBON MATERIALS

• US 20130252082A1
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BASF SE
• Original Assignee: EnerG2 Technologies, Incorporated (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Thompkins, Leah A., Feaver, Aaron M., Costantino, Henry R., Sakshaug, Avery
• Application Number:
  US13/740,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252082A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/188
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/05 Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/06 with one of the electrodes allowing ions to be reversibly doped thereinto, e.g. lithium ion capacitors [LIC]
• 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 11/42 Powders or particles, e.g. composition thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/50 specially adapted for lithium-ion capacitors, e.g. for lithium-doping or for intercalation
• 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 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/133 Electrodes based on 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

Abstract

The present application is directed to hard carbon materials. The hard carbon materials find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, in lithium ion batteries. Methods for making the disclosed carbon materials are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A carbon material comprising a surface area of greater than 50 m²/g and a specific lithium uptake capacity of greater than 1.4:

6.

2. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the specific surface area is greater than 100 m²/g.

3. The carbon material of claim 2, wherein the specific surface area is greater than 200 m²/g.

4. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises from 1% to 6% nitrogen by weight relative to total weight of all components in the carbon material.

5. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises from 6% to 20% nitrogen by weight relative to total weight of all components in the carbon material.

6. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a total pore volume from 0.1 to 0.6 cm³/g.

7. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a tap density from 0.3 to 0.9 g/cm³.

8. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a nitrogen content from 1% to 20%, a total pore volume from 0.1 to 0.6 cm³/g and a tap density from 0.3 to 1.0 g/cm³.

9. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the first cycle efficiency of a lithium based energy storage device is greater than 70% when the carbon material is incorporated into an electrode of the lithium based energy storage device.

10. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the first cycle efficiency of a lithium based energy storage device is greater than 80% when the carbon material is incorporated into an electrode of the lithium based energy storage device.

11. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the first cycle efficiency of a lithium based energy storage device is greater than 90% when the carbon material is incorporated into an electrode of the lithium based energy storage device.

12. The carbon material of claim 8, wherein the first cycle efficiency of a lithium based energy storage device is greater than 70% when the carbon material is incorporated into an electrode of the lithium based energy storage device.

13. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein 50% of the total pore volume comprises pores less than 100 nm in diameter.

14. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein 50% of the total pore volume comprises pores less than 1 nm in diameter.

15. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the total concentration of all elements having an atomic number from 11 to 92 is below 200 ppm as measured by proton induced X-ray emission.

16. The carbon material of claim 12, wherein 50% of the total pore volume comprises pores less than 1 nm and wherein the total concentration of all elements having an atomic number from 11 to 92 is below 200 ppm as measured by proton induced X-ray emission.

17. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises an electrochemical modifier.

18. The carbon material of claim 17, wherein the electrochemical modifier is selected from iron, tin, silicon, nickel, aluminum and manganese.

19. The carbon material of claim 18, wherein the electrochemical modifier comprises silicon.

20. The carbon material of claim 18, wherein the electrochemical modifier comprises tin.

21. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises Al₂O₃.

22. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises organic functionality as determined by FTIR analysis.

23. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises less than 10% crystallinity.

24. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises an L_a ranging from 20 nm to 30 nm as determined by RAMAN spectroscopy analysis.

25. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises an R ranging from 0.60 to 0.90 as determined by RAMAN spectroscopy analysis.

26. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a total of less than 200 ppm of all elements having atomic numbers ranging from 11 to 92, excluding any intentionally added electrochemical modifier, as measured by proton induced x-ray emission.

27. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a pyrolyzed polymer cryogel.

28. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material has a ratio of intercalation storage to pore storage ranging from 2:

1 to 1;

2.

29. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the lithium content and lithium location within the carbon structure can be measured with a FIB and SEM.

30. The carbon material of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a lithium plating potential between −

5 mV and −

15 mV versus lithium metal.

31. An electrode comprising a binder and a carbon material according to claim 1.

62. The carbon material of claim 17, wherein the electrochemical modifier comprises phosphorous.

32. An electrical energy storage device comprising:

a) at least one anode comprising a hard carbon material;

b) at least one cathode comprising a metal oxide; and

c) an electrolyte comprising lithium ions;

wherein the electrical energy storage device has a first cycle efficiency of at least 70% and a reversible capacity of at least 200 mAh/g with respect to the mass of the hard carbon material present in the device.

33-61. -61. (canceled)