ELECTRODES, LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES, AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME

• US 20150162603A1
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sila Nanotechnologies Inc., Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Sila Nanotechnologies Inc., Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Yushin, Gleb, MAGAZYNSKYY, Oleksandr, DIXON, Patrick, HERTZBERG, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,673,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/64 Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/18 the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/24 the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• 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 4/133 Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/137 Electrodes based on electro-active polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1393 of electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1395 of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/366 as layered products
• 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 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/602 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/625 Carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less

Abstract

Described herein are improved composite anodes and lithium-ion batteries made therefrom. Further described are methods of making and using the improved anodes and batteries. In general, the anodes include a porous composite having a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites. At least one of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites is formed from a dendritic particle, which is a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of an electrically conducting material and a plurality of discrete non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on a surface of the dendritic particle. At least one nanocomposite of the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites has at least a portion of its dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

Claims

1. A porous composite comprising a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites, wherein each of the nanocomposites comprises:

a dendritic particle comprising a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof; and

a coating of electrically conductive material deposited on a surface of the dendritic particle,

wherein each of the nanocomposites has at least a portion of the dendritic particle in electrical communication with at least a portion of a dendritic particle of an adjacent nanocomposite in the plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites.

2. The porous composite of claim 1, further comprising a lithium-ion permeable layer disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the agglomerated nanocomposites, wherein the lithium-ion permeable layer forms a total pore volume within the porous composite that has a range of about 1.5 to about 10 times the volume occupied by the non-carbon Group 4A element in the porous composite.

3. The porous composite of claim 2, wherein the lithium-ion permeable layer comprises carbon.

4. The porous composite of claim 2, wherein the lithium-ion permeable layer comprises a polymer.

5. The porous composite of claim 2, wherein the lithium-ion permeable layer is a composite comprising more than one layer of different materials.

6. The porous composite of claim 2, further comprising additional pores formed in a space between the coating and the lithium-ion permeable layer.

7. The porous composite of claim 6, wherein the additional pores are associated with a thermal decomposition of a polymer precursor.

8. The porous composite of claim 2, further comprising lithium as an active material interspersed among the nanocomposites.

9. The porous composite of claim 2, wherein at least a fraction of the total pore volume is formed such that it is inaccessible to electrolyte solvent during operation of a battery comprising the porous composite as part of a battery electrode.

10. The porous composite of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises carbon.

11. The porous composite of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises a polymer.

12. The porous composite of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles have an average longest dimension of about 5 nanometers to about 250 nanometers.

13. The porous composite of claim 1, wherein the non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof comprises about 15 weight percent to about 90 weight percent of the nanocomposite.

14. The porous composite of claim 1, wherein the random-ordering of the assembly of nanoparticles is associated with a thermal decomposition of a gaseous precursor.

15. A porous composite comprising a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites, wherein each of the nanocomposites comprises:

a plurality of dendritic particles, wherein the dendritic particles comprise a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of carbon;

a plurality of discrete, non-porous nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof disposed on an outer surface of the dendritic particle;

an electrically conductive material joining the nanocomposites together, wherein at least a portion of the nanocomposites are in electrical communication with each other through the electrically conductive material; and

a lithium-ion permeable layer disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the joined nanocomposites and forming a total pore volume within the porous composite that has a range of about 1.5 to about 20 times the volume occupied by all of the nanoparticles in the porous composite,

wherein a space between the electrically conductive material and the lithium-ion permeable layer contains additional pores.

16. The porous composite of claim 15, wherein the additional pores are associated with a thermal decomposition of a polymer precursor.

17. A lithium-ion battery electrode, comprising:

a conductive metal substrate; and

a porous composite dispersed in a binder coupled to the conductive metal substrate, wherein the porous composite comprises;

a plurality of agglomerated nanocomposites, wherein each of the nanocomposites comprises one or more dendritic particles, wherein the dendritic particles comprise a three-dimensional, randomly-ordered assembly of nanoparticles of a non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof;

an electrically conductive material joining the nanocomposites together, wherein at least a portion of the nanocomposites are in electrical communication with each other through the electrically conductive material; and

a lithium-ion permeable layer disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the joined nanocomposites and forming a total pore volume within the porous composite that has a range of about 1.5 to about 10 times the volume occupied by the non-carbon Group 4A element or mixture thereof in the porous composite.

18. The lithium-ion battery electrode of claim 17, wherein at least a fraction of the total pore volume is formed such that it is inaccessible to electrolyte solvent during operation of a lithium-ion battery comprising the lithium-ion battery electrode.