Non-aqueous electrochemical cells

• US 7,524,581 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Issaev, Nikolai N., Pozin, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiner; Laura S
• Application Number:
  US11/875,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 429/224, 429/221, 429/231.95, 429/231.1, 429/245, 429/338, 429/337, 429/330, 429/333, 429/331, 429/188, 429/207
• US Class Current: 429/224
• 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 10/0568 characterised by the solutes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0037 Mixture of solvents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/06 Electrodes for primary cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/502 for non-aqueous cells H01M4/505 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/16 with organic electrolyte H01M6/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/166 by the solute
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

Electrochemical cells are disclosed. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell includes a cathode having less than about 2,000 ppm of water, an anode, and an electrolyte having a first lithium salt and LiPF₆.

Claims

1. A primary electrochemical cell, comprising:

a cathode comprising a cathode active material consisting of manganese oxide and/or iron disulfide, the cathode having less than about 2,000 ppm of water;

a cathode current collector comprising aluminum;

an anode comprising lithium; and

an electrolyte comprising lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate LiPF₆, and a third lithium salt, the electrolyte not including a perchlorate salt.

2. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode has less than 1,500 ppm of water.

3. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode has less than 1,000 ppm of water.

4. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode has less than 500 ppm of water.

5. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises, in mole fraction, from 20% to 80% of lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate and from 20% to 80% of LiPF₆.

6. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane, butylene carbonate, and dioxolane.

7. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte further comprises propylene carbonate and dimethoxyethane.

8. The cell of claim 7, wherein the electrolyte comprises from about 30% to about 90% by weight of dimethoxyethane.

9. The cell of claim 7, wherein the electrolyte further comprises ethylene carbonate.

10. The cell of claim 9, wherein the electrolyte comprises, by weight, from about 5% to about 30% of ethylene carbonate, and from about 30% to about 90% dimethoxyethane.

11. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte further comprises ethylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, and dimethoxyethane.

12. The cell of claim 11, wherein the electrolyte comprises, by weight, from about 5% to about 30% of ethylene carbonate, and from about 30% to about 90% of dimethoxyethane.

13. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises dioxolane.

14. The cell of claim 1, wherein the lithium salts in the electrolyte consist of lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate LiPF₆ and the third lithium salt.

15. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte further comprises dimethoxyethane and dioxolane.

16. A method, comprising:

discharging, only once, a primary electrochemical cell comprising a cathode comprising manganese oxide and/or iron disulfide, the cathode having less than about 2,000 ppm of water,

a cathode current collector comprising aluminum,

an anode comprising lithium, and

an electrolyte comprising lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate LiPF₆, and a third lithium salt, the electrolyte not including a perchlorate salt; and

disposing the cell without recharging the cell.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the lithium salts in the electrolyte consist of lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate LiPF₆, and the third lithium salt.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the cathode has less than 1,000 ppm of water.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the cathode has less than 500 ppm of water.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the electrolyte further comprises dimethoxyethane and dioxolane.

21. A method of making a primary electrochemical cell, comprising

(a) providing a cathode including a current collector comprising aluminum and a cathode active material consisting of manganese dioxide and/or iron disulfide, the cathode having less than 2,000 ppm of water;

(b) providing an anode comprising lithium;

(c) placing the cathode and the anode into a casing; and

(d) adding an electrolyte comprising lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, LiPF₆, and a third lithium salt, but not a perchlorate salt to the casing.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cathode has less than 1000 ppm of water.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the cathode has less than 500 ppm water.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane, butylene carbonate, and dioxolane.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte further comprises propylene carbonate and dimethoxyethane.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte further comprises ethylene carbonate.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte comprises, by weight, from about 5% to about 30% of ethylene carbonate, and from about 30% to about 90% dimethoxyethane.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte further comprises ethylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, and dimethoxyethane.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte comprises dioxolane.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising, after steps (a)-(d), discharging the cell only once and then discarding the cell.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte further comprises dimethoxyethane and dioxolane.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the lithium salts in the electrolyte consist of lithium trifluoromethane sulfonate, LiPF₆, and the third lithium salt.