Battery and method of making the battery

• US 5,114,804 A
• Filed: 12/04/1990
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Moli Energy Limited
• Original Assignee: Moli Energy Limited
• Inventors: Brandt, Klaus, Stiles, James A. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US07/625,622
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 429/66, 429/94, 429/122, 429/188, 429/194, 429/206, 29/623.5
• US Class Current: 429/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

An electrode apparatus is disclosed including an electrode which forms a porous, exterior, amalgamated deposit thereon; and means for applying a compressive load to the electrode such that the deposit, when formed, is compressed so as to enhance stripping from the outer surface of said amalgamated deposit. Also a battery, a method of making a battery and a method of operating a battery including such an electrode apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A reversible battery cell comprising a cathode capable of providing a substantially uniform current density for said battery cell;

an anode comprising a lithium metal substrate;

a non-aqueous electrolyte; and

means for substantially continuously applying a compressive load to said anode during both the charging and the discharging of said reversible battery cell under charging conditions of current density inhibiting the formation of dendrites, said compressive load being sufficient to inhibit the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated grains when lithium metal is deposited on said lithium metal substrate of said anode and thereby to produce a substantially non-porous deposit structure providing enhanced reversibility for the anode.

2. A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said means for substantially continuously applying said compressive load comprises means for applying a compressive load of at least about 50 psi to said anode.

3. A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said means for substantially continuously applying a compressive load applies a compressive load of from abut 50 to about 500 psi.

4. A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said anode consists essentially of lithium metal.

5. A battery cell according to claim 4, wherein said lithium metal deposit comprises close-packed grains having columns with their axis aligned substantially perpendicular to said substrate.

6. A battery cell according to claim 1 further comprising a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode.

7. A battery cell according to claim 6, wherein the separator is microporous polypropylene.

8. A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the cathode is a transition metal chalcogenide cathode.

9. A battery cell according to claim 8, wherein said cathode comprises MoS₂ as a cathode active material.

10. A battery cell according to claim 8, wherein the cathode active material is MoO₂ surface-treated MoS₂.

11. A battery cell according to claim 10, wherein the cathode active material is coated on a metallic foil.

12. A battery cell according to claim 11, wherein the metallic foil is aluminum.

13. A battery cell according to claim 9, wherein the cathode active material has been conditioned to "Phase II" Li_x MoS₂.

14. A battery cell according to claim 10, wherein the cathode active material has been conditioned to "Phase II" Li_x MoS₂.

15. A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte solvent comprises propylene carbonate.

16. A battery cell according to claim 15, wherein the electrolyte solute is selected from the group consisting of LiAsF₆ and LiC10₄.

17. A battery cell according to claim 6, wherein the cathode, anode and separator are substantially planar and wherein said means for substantially continuously applying a compressive load comprises means for sandwiching these elements between flat pressure plates.

18. A battery cell according to claim 6, wherein said means for substantially continuously applying a compressive load to said anode comprises means for tightly winding said cathode, anode, and separator in the form of a spiral.

19. A method of making a reversible battery cell for use in a battery, said method comprising the steps of:

constructing an electrolytic cell having a cathode and capable of providing a uniform current density for said battery, an anode comprising a lithium metal substrate, and a non-aqueous electrolyte; and

substantially continuously applying a compressive load to said anode during both the charging and discharging of said reversible battery cell under charging conditions of current density inhibiting the formation of dendrites sufficient to inhibit the formation of a porous deposit or exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated grains when lithium metal is deposited on said lithium metal substrate of said anode and thereby produce a substantially non-porous deposit structure providing enhanced reversibility for the anode.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of applying a compressive load to said anode comprises applying a compressive load of at least about 50 psi to said anode.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said step of applying a compressive load comprises applying a compressive load of between about 50 to about 500 psi.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said anode consists essentially of lithium metal, and wherein said current density is less than about 1.67 mA/cm².

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said lithium metal deposit comprises close-packed grains having columns with their axis aligned substantially perpendicular to said substrate, and wherein said current density is less than about 0.67 mA/cm².

24. A method according to claim 19, including disposing a separator between the anode and cathode.

25. A method according to claim 19, wherein the cathode is a transition metal chalcogenide cathode.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said cathode comprises MoS₂ as a cathode active material.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the cathode active material is MoO₂ surface-treated MoS₂.

28. A method according to claim 24, wherein a cathode active material is coated on a metallic foil.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the metallic foil is aluminum.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein the cathode active material is conditioned to "Phase II" Li_x MoS₂.

31. A method according to claim 27, wherein the cathode active material is conditioned to "Phase II" Li_x MoS₂.

32. A method according to claim 24, wherein the cathode, anode and separator are substantially planar and wherein the compressive load is applied by sandwiching these elements between flat pressure plates.

33. A method according to claim 24, wherein the cathode, anode, and separator are tightly wound in the form of a spiral.

34. A reversible battery cell comprising a cathode capable of providing a substantially uniform current density for said battery cell, an anode consisting essentially of lithium metal, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and means for applying a compressive load to said anode, said means for applying a compressive load being effective to continuously maintain said compressive load at least during the recharging of said reversible battery cell at a level of at least about 50 psi, and under charging conditions of current density inhibiting the formation of dendrites, said compressive load being sufficient to inhibit the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated grains when lithium metal is deposited on said anode and thereby to produce a substantially non-porous deposit structure providing enhanced reversibility for said anode.

35. A reversible battery cell according to claim 34, wherein said means for applying said compressive load is effective to continuously maintain said compressive load at least during said recharging of said reversible battery cell at a level of between about 50 and 500 psi.

36. A battery cell according to claim 34, wherein said lithium metal deposit comprises close-packed grains having columns with their axis aligned substantially perpendicular to said substrate.

37. A battery cell according to claim 34, further comprising a separator disposed between said anode and said cathode.

38. A battery cell according to claim 37, wherein said separator comprises microporous polypropylene.

39. A battery cell according to claim 34, wherein said cathode comprises a transition metal chalcogenide cathode.

40. A battery cell according to claim 39, wherein said cathode comprises MoS₂ as a cathode active material.

41. A battery cell according to claim 39, wherein said cathode active material is MoO₂ surface-treated MoS₂.

42. A battery cell according to claim 41, wherein said cathode active material is coated on a metallic foil.

43. A battery cell according to claim 42, wherein said metallic foil comprises aluminum.

44. A battery cell according to claim 40, wherein said cathode active material has been conditioned to "Phase II" Li_x MoS₂.

45. A battery cell according to claim 41, wherein said cathode active material has ben conditioned to "Phase II" Li_x MoS₂.

46. A battery cell according to claim 34, wherein said electrolyte solvent comprises propylene carbonate.

47. A battery cell according to claim 46, wherein said electrolyte solute is selected from the group consisting of LiAsF₆ and LiC10₄.

48. A battery cell according to claim 37, wherein said cathode, anode and separator are substantially planar and wherein said compressive load is applied by sandwiching these elements between flat pressure plates.

49. A battery cell according to claim 37, wherein said cathode, anode and separator are tightly wound in the form of a spiral.