Electrode materials for electrochemical cells and method of making same

• US 5,647,963 A
• Filed: 12/20/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amperex Technology Limited (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anani, Anaba A., Zhang, Jinshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Bruce F.
• Application Number:
  US08/575,653
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 429/218, 429/122, 204/294
• US Class Current: 204/294
• 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: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• 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: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A method for preparing a carbon material for use as an electrode, such as the anode (30) of an electrochemical cell (10). The carbon is fabricated in a heating process from a plurality multifunctional organic monomers selected from first and second groups of monomers. Electrodes so fabricated may be incorporated into electrochemical cells (10) as the anode (20) thereof.

Claims

1. An electrode for an electrochemical cell, said electrode consisting of a carbon material, said carbon material being characterized by an X-ray diffraction pattern in which the d-spacing of the (002) plane is between 3.89 Å

and 4.20 Å

.

2. An electrode as in claim 1, wherein said electrode is an anode.

3. An electrode as in claim 1, wherein said electrode is further characterized in that the ratio of the peak intensity at (002) to that at (100) is between 1 and 5.

4. An electrode as in claim 3, wherein the ratio is between about 2.25 and 2.75.

5. An electrode as in claim 1, further including a modifying element incorporated into the carbon material.

6. An electrode as in claim 5, wherein said modifying element is selected from the group consisting of B, Sn, N, Ti, Si, Al, V, and combinations thereof.

7. An electrode as in claim 1, wherein said carbon material is substantially amorphous.

8. An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode consisting essentially of a carbon material, said carbon material being characterized by an X-ray diffraction pattern in which the d-spacing of the (002) plane is between 389 Å

and 4.20 Å

.

9. An electrochemical cell as in claim 8, wherein said electrode is further characterized in that the ratio of the peak intensity at (002) to that at (100) is between 1 and 5.

10. An electrochemical cell as in claim 9, wherein the ratio is between about 2.25 and 2.75.

11. An electrochemical cell as in claim 8, further including a modifying element incorporated into the carbon material.

12. An electrochemical cell as in claim 11, wherein said modifying element is selected from the group consisting of B, Sn, N, Ti, Al, V, Si, and combinations thereof.

13. An electrochemical cell as in claim 8, wherein said cathode is fabricated of a lithiated transition metal oxide material.

14. An electrochemical cell as in claim 8, wherein said electrolyte comprises a polymer support structure having an electrolyte active species dispersed therein.

15. An electrochemical cell as in claim 8, wherein said carbon material is substantially amorphous.

16. An electrode for an electrochemical cell, said electrode consisting essentially of a carbon material, said carbon material being characterized by an X-ray diffraction pattern in which the ratio of the peak intensity at (002) to that at (100) is between about 2.25 and 2.75.

17. An electrode as in claim 16, wherein said electrode is an anode.

18. An electrode as in claim 16, wherein said electrode is further characterized in that the spacing of the (002) plane is between 3.89 Å

and 4.20 Å

.

19. An electrode as in claim 16, further including a modifying element incorporated into the carbon material.

20. An electrode as in claim 19, wherein said modifying element is selected from the group consisting of B, Sn, N, Si, Ti, Al, V, and combinations thereof.

21. An electrode as in claim 16, wherein said carbon material is substantially amorphous.

22. An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode fabricated of a lithiated nickel oxide, an anode fabricated of a carbon material characterized by an X-ray diffraction pattern in which the d-spacing of the (002) plane is between 3.89 Å

and 4.20 Å

, and an electrolyte disposed between said anode and said cathode.

23. An electrochemical cell as in claim 22, wherein said lithiated nickel oxide is LiNiO₂.

24. An electrochemical cell as in claim 22, wherein said electrode is further characterized in that the ratio of the peak intensity at (002) to that at (100) is between 1 and 5.

25. An electrochemical cell as in claim 24, wherein the ratio is between about 2.25 and 2.75.

26. An electrochemical cell as in claim 22, further including a modifying element incorporated into the carbon material.

27. An electrochemical cell as in claim 26, wherein said modifying element is selected from the group consisting of B, Sn, N, Ti, Si, Al, V, and combinations thereof.

28. An electrochemical cell as in claim 22, wherein said carbon material is substantially amorphous.