LITHIATED AND PASSIVATED LITHIUM ION BATTERY ANODES

• US 20160218351A1
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Inventors: HAGAMAN, Edward W., GILL, Lance W., SACCI, Robert L., DUDNEY, Nancy J., VEITH, Gabriel M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,263,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0445 Forming after manufacture of the electrode, e.g. first charge, cycling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/133 Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/139 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/366 as layered products
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/62 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/622 being polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An electrode material includes a lithium active material composition. The lithium active material composition includes lithium and an active anode material. The lithium active material composition is coated with a lithium ion conducting passivating material, such that the electrode material is lithiated and pre-passivated. An electrode and a battery are also disclosed. Methods of making an electrode material, electrode and battery that are lithiated and pre-passivated are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An electrode material, comprising a lithium active material composition, the lithium active material composition comprising lithium and an active anode material, the lithium active material composition being coated with a lithium ion conducting passivating material, the electrode material being lithiated and pre-passivated.

2. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Sn, SnO, Sb, Mo—

Sb, Cu—

Sb, Cu—

Sn, and TiO₂.

3. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of graphite and amorphous carbon.

4. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the lithium active material composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of LiC₆, LiC₁₂, LiC₁₈, LiC₃N₄, Li_xSi where 0<

x<

4, LiTi₂C₃, Li_xSn, and Li_xSb.

5. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the lithium ion conducting passivating material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate and vinylene carbonate.

6. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the passivating coating is less than 100 nm thick.

7. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the passivating coating comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of lithium carbonate, lithium fluoride, polycarbonates such as polyethylene oxides, poly carbonates, and copolymers thereof;

and lithium alkyl carbonate salts such as lithium alkyl carbonates including lithium alkyl dicarbonate, dilithium butylene dicarbonate, and all their fluorinated counter parts sulfones, cyanides, acetonitrile, glymes (di, tri, tetraglyme) dioxolane and NMP.

8. The electrode material of claim 1, further comprising an outer reflective coating over the passivating coating.

9. The electrode material of claim 8, wherein the reflecting coating comprises gold.

10. The electrode material of claim 1, wherein the lithium ion conducting passivating material has a transference number of from 0.7 to 1.0.

11. An electrode, comprising:

an electrode material, comprising a lithium active material composition, the lithium active material composition being coated with a lithium ion conducting passivating material; and

,

a binder for binding the electrode material together to form a lithiated and pre-passivated electrode.

12. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the binder is UV curable.

13. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the binder comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM).

14. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the active material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Sn, SnO, and TiO₂.

15. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the lithium active material composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of LiC₆, LiC₁₂, LiC₁₈, LiC₃N₄, Li_xSi where 0<

x<

4 and LiTi₂C₃.

16. The electrode of claim 11, further comprising an outer reflective coating over the passivating coating.

17. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the lithium ion conducting passivating material has a transference number of from 0.7 to 1.0.

18. A battery, comprising:

a lithiated and pre-passivated anode comprising an electrode material, comprising a lithium active material composition, the lithium active material composition being coated with a lithium ion conducting passivating material, the anode further comprising a binder and a current collector;

a cathode;

a separator; and

an electrolyte.

19. A method of making an electrode material, comprising the steps of:

reacting Li with an active anode material to form a lithium active material composition;

coating the lithium active material composition with a lithium ion conducting passivating material to provide a lithiated and pre-passivated electrode material.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying an outer reflective coating over the passivating coating.

21. A method of making an electrode, comprising the steps of:

reacting Li with an active anode material to form a lithium active material composition;

coating the lithium active material composition with a lithium ion conducting passivating material to provide an electrode material;

mixing the electrode material with a binder;

applying the binder and electrode material to a current collector; and

,

curing the binder to adhere the electrode material together and to the current collector to form a lithiated and pre-passivated electrode.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the binder is cured by the application of UV light.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein a solvent for the binder is included in the mixing step, and further comprising the step of evaporating the solvent prior to the step of curing the binder.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the binder comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM), carboxymethylcellulose, chlorinated PVDF, and polytetrafluoroethylene.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the solvent is at least one selected from the group consisting of organic carbonate, ketone, ester, ether and furan.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the solvent is at least one selected from the group consisting of cyclohexane, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, propylene carbonate, and tetrahydrofuran.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the lithium ion conducting passivating material has a transference number of from 0.7 to 1.0.

28. A method of making a battery, comprising the steps of:

reacting Li with an active anode material to form a lithium active material composition;

coating the lithium active material composition with a lithium ion conducting passivating material to provide an electrode material;

mixing the electrode material with a binder;

applying the binder and electrode material to a current collector; and

,

curing the binder to adhere the electrode material together and to the current collector to form a lithiated and pre-passivated anode; and

,

assembling the lithiated and pre-passivated anode with a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte to form a lithiated and pre-passivated battery.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of operating the battery without solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formation cycles.

30. A method of forming an anode, comprising the steps of:

reacting Li with an active anode material to form a lithium active material composition;

mixing the lithium active material composition with a binder; and

,

curing the binder to form an electrode material.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of applying a coating of a lithium ion conducting passivating material to the electrode material.