INTERFACIAL ENGINEERING FOR STABLE LITHIUM METAL ANODES

• US 20160013462A1
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Cui, Yi, Zheng, Guangyuan, Chu, Steven, Yan, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 10,256,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 4/666 in the form of mixed materials H01M4/668 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/70 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery includes 1) an anode, 2) a cathode, and 3) an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. The anode includes a current collector and an interfacial layer disposed over the current collector, and the interfacial layer includes an array of interconnected, protruding regions that define spaces.

Claims

1. A battery comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode,

wherein the anode includes a current collector and an interfacial layer disposed over the current collector, and the interfacial layer includes an array of interconnected, protruding regions that define spaces.

2. The battery of claim 1, further comprising an anode material, and the spaces defined by the protruding regions accommodate the anode material.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein the interfacial layer is configured as a barrier to separate the anode material from the electrolyte.

4. The battery of claim 2, wherein the anode material is lithium metal.

5. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one of the protruding regions has an aspect ratio greater than 3.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one of the protruding regions includes a wall having a thickness in the range of 0.5 nm to 100 nm.

7. The battery of claim 1, wherein the interfacial layer is formed of at least one material selected from carbon, layered materials, metal carbides, non-metal carbides, metal nitrides, non-metal nitrides, metal silicides, non-metal silicides, and metal alloys.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein the interfacial layer is formed of at least one material having a Young'"'"'s modulus of at least 50 GPa.

9. The battery of claim 1, further comprising seeds disposed within the spaces, and the seeds are configured to promote deposition of an anode material.

10. A battery comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode,

wherein the anode includes a current collector and an interfacial layer disposed over the current collector, and the interfacial layer includes an array of encapsulating structures that define interior spaces.

11. The battery of claim 10, further comprising an anode material, and the encapsulating structures accommodate the anode material within the interior spaces.

12. The battery of claim 11, wherein the anode material is lithium metal.

13. The battery of claim 10, wherein at least one of the encapsulating structures includes a wall having a thickness in the range of 0.5 nm to 100 nm.

14. The battery of claim 10, wherein the interfacial layer is formed of at least one material selected from carbon, layered materials, metal carbides, non-metal carbides, metal nitrides, non-metal nitrides, metal silicides, non-metal silicides, and metal alloys.

15. The battery of claim 10, wherein the interfacial layer is formed of at least one material having a Young'"'"'s modulus of at least 50 GPa.

16. The battery of claim 10, further comprising seeds disposed within the interior spaces, and the seeds are configured to promote deposition of an anode material.

17. A battery electrode comprising:

a current collector;

an interfacial layer disposed over the current collector; and

an electrode material disposed between the current collector and the interfacial layer,

wherein the interfacial layer includes a layered material.

18. The battery electrode of claim 17, wherein the electrode material is lithium metal.

19. The battery electrode of claim 17, wherein the layered material is selected from boron nitride, graphene, layered metal oxides, and layered metal chalcogenides.

20. The battery electrode of claim 17, wherein the interfacial layer has a thickness of 1 to 50 layers of the layered material.