Methods of forming battery electrodes

• US 5,735,912 A
• Filed: 05/14/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Communications, Inc. (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lake, Rickie C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US08/645,614
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 429/162, 429/127, 429/192, 429/218, 429/623.1, 429/124, 29/623.5, 29/623.4
• US Class Current: 29/623.5
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/08 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/381 Alkaline or alkaline earth metals elements H01M4/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/66 Selection of materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/666 in the form of mixed materials H01M4/668 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/667 in the form of layers, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/668 Composites of electroconductive material and synthetic resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/75 Wires, rods or strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/548 on opposite sides of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/555 Window-shaped terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/16 with organic electrolyte H01M6/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/181 with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• 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 29/49108 : Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 : including adhesively bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 : including coating or impregnating

Abstract

In one aspect, a method of making a battery includes fusing an alkali metal onto a patterned conductive layer. In another aspect, a method of forming a battery includes: a) providing a cathode base which comprises: a first nonconductive surface; a first conductive layer superjacent the first nonconductive surface; the first conductive layer comprising a first area; and a cathode layer superjacent the first conductive layer leaving at least a portion of the first area exposed; b) providing an anode base which comprises: a second nonconductive surface; a second conductive layer superjacent the first nonconductive surface, the second conductive layer comprising a second area; and an anode layer superjacent the second conductive layer leaving at least a portion of the second area exposed, the anode layer comprising an alkali metal; and c) aligning and coupling the anode layer of the anode base with the cathode layer of the cathode base, wherein the aligning and coupling leaves at least a portion of the first area and at least a portion of the second area exposed for electrical connection. The invention also encompasses batteries formed by such methods.

Claims

1. A method of making a battery electrode comprising fusing an alkali metal onto a previously patterned conductive polymer ink, the conductive polymer ink comprising metal flecks dispersed in a polymeric material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the previously patterned conductive polymer ink is printed onto an insulative sheet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal is lithium.

4. A method of making a battery electrode comprising fusing an alkali metal onto a previously patterned conductive polymer ink, wherein the previously patterned conductive polymer ink is metal-plated prior to fusing the alkali metal onto the conductive polymer ink.

5. A method of making a battery anode, comprising the following steps:

providing a nonconductive substrate;

printing a conductive layer in a pattern on the nonconductive substrate, the printing comprising a printing process selected from the group consisting of stencil printing, screen printing and pad printing; and

fusing an alkali metal onto the patterned conductive layer to form said battery anode.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the conductive layer comprises a conductive polymer ink.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the conductive layer comprises a conductive polymer ink comprising metal flecks dispersed in a polymeric material.

8. A method of making a battery anode, comprising the following steps:

providing a nonconductive substrate;

providing a conductive layer in a pattern on the nonconductive substrate;

fusing an alkali metal onto the patterned conductive layer to form said battery anode; and

wherein the nonconductive substrate comprises a plurality of slots, wherein the pattern of the conductive layer comprises a plurality of substantially identical repeating units, wherein each substantially identical repeating unit of the plurality of substantially identical repeating units is aligned in a one-to-one correspondence with an individual slot of the plurality of slots.

9. A method of making a battery anode, comprising the following steps:

providing a nonconductive substrate;

providing a conductive layer in a pattern on the nonconductive substrate, the conductive layer comprising a metallic layer; and

fusing an alkali metal onto the patterned conductive layer to form said battery anode.

10. A method of making a battery anode, comprising the following steps:

providing a nonconductive substrate;

providing a conductive layer in a pattern on the nonconductive substrate, wherein the conductive layer comprises a metallic layer, and wherein the metallic layer is formed into a desired pattern by etching the metallic layer; and

fusing an alkali metal onto the patterned conductive layer to form said battery anode.

11. A method of making a battery anode, comprising the following steps:

providing a nonconductive substrate;

providing a conductive layer in a pattern on the nonconductive substrate, wherein the conductive layer comprises a metallic layer, wherein the metallic layer is provided by a process selected from the group consisting of sputter deposition, vapor deposition and adhesive adherence, and wherein, after the metallic layer is provided, the metallic layer is formed into a desired pattern by etching the metallic layer; and

fusing an alkali metal onto the patterned conductive layer to form said battery anode.

12. A method of making a battery anode, comprising the following steps:

providing a nonconductive substrate;

providing a conductive layer in a pattern on the nonconductive substrate, wherein the conductive layer comprises a conductive polymer ink with a metal-plated surface; and

fusing an alkali metal onto the patterned conductive layer to form said battery anode.

13. A method of making a battery electrode comprising fusing an alkali metal onto a patterned conductive layer, a portion of the conductive layer being masked during the fusing, the mask being removed after the fusing to expose a portion of the patterned conductive layer.

14. A method of making a battery electrode comprising fusing an alkali metal onto only a portion of a patterned conductive layer to form an alkali metal layer over said portion and to leave another portion of the patterned conductive layer not covered by the alkali metal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the conductive layer comprises a conductive polymer.