Lithium-ion battery

• US 7,662,509 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Howard, William G., Scott, Erik R., Schmidt, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RHEE, JANE J
• Application Number:
  US10/978,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20060093871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 429/121, 429/9, 429/7, 429/224, 429/231.1, 429/231.2, 429/231.3, 429/231.5, 429/223
• US Class Current: 429/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery includes a positive electrode having a current collector and a first active material and a negative electrode having a current collector and a second active material. The battery also includes an auxiliary electrode having a current collector and a third active material. The auxiliary electrode is configured for selective electrical connection to one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The first active material, second active material, and third active material are configured to allow doping and undoping of lithium ions. The third active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.

Claims

1. A battery comprising:

a positive electrode comprising a current collector and a first active material;

a negative electrode comprising a current collector and a second active material; and

an auxiliary electrode comprising a current collector and a third active material, the auxiliary electrode configured for selective electrical connection to the negative electrode;

wherein the first active material, second active material, and third active material are configured to allow doping and undoping of lithium ions;

wherein the third active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material;

wherein the third active material comprises electrochemically active lithium; and

wherein the third active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiMn₂O₄, Li_xVO₂, LiM_xMn<sub>(2−

x)</sub>O₄ (where M is a metal), and combinations thereof and further comprising another source of lithium.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode is provided such that it is electrically isolated from the positive electrode and the negative electrode within the battery.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary electrode is configured to be selectively electrically connected to and disconnected from the negative electrode using a mechanism provided external to the battery.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode is configured to be selectively electrically connected to and disconnected from the negative electrode using a diode.

5. The battery of claim 2, wherein the battery is configured to electrically connect the auxiliary electrode to the negative electrode when the potential of the negative electrode exceeds the potential of the auxiliary electrode by a predetermined value.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode is configured to be selectively electrically connected to and disconnected from the negative electrode using a switch.

7. The battery of claim 6, wherein the switch is configured to selectively electrically connect the auxiliary electrode when the difference in voltage between the positive electrode and the negative electrode falls below a predetermined value.

8. The battery of claim 6, wherein the switch is configured to selectively electrically disconnect the auxiliary electrode when the difference in voltage between the positive electrode and the negative electrode exceeds a predetermined value.

9. The battery of claim 1, further comprising a source of lithium in electrical contact with the auxiliary electrode.

10. The battery of claim 9, wherein the source of lithium comprises at least one of a lithium patch and powdered lithium.

11. The battery of claim 1, wherein the second active material comprises a lithium titanate material.

12. The battery of claim 1, further comprising a source of lithium in electrical contact with the negative electrode.

13. The battery of claim 12, wherein the source of lithium comprises at least one of a lithium patch and powdered lithium.

14. The battery of claim 13, wherein the source of lithium is configured to provide a lithium capacity for the negative electrode sufficient to at least compensate for irreversible loss of capacity of the negative electrode.

15. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, a material having the form LiCo_xNi₍₁₋

x)O₂, a material having the form LiCo_xMn_yNi_zO₂, and a material having the form LiNi_xCo_yAl_zO₂.

16. The battery of claim 1, further comprising a polymeric separator provided intermediate the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

17. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery has a capacity between approximately 10 mAh and 1000 mAh.

47. The battery of claim 1, wherein the third active material comprises LiMn₂O₄.

48. The battery of claim 1, wherein the third active material comprises Li_xVO₂.

49. The battery of claim 1, wherein the third active material comprises LiM_xMn₍₂₋

x)O₄ (where M is a metal).

18. A lithium-ion battery comprising:

a first electrode including a first current collector and a first active material provided on the first current collector;

a second electrode including a second current collector and a second active material provided on the second current collector; and

a third electrode including a third current collector and a third active material provided on the third current collector;

wherein the third electrode is configured for selective electrical coupling to and decoupling from the second electrode;

wherein the second electrode is a negative electrode;

wherein the third active material exhibits charge and discharge capacity below a corrosion potential of the second current collector and above a decomposition potential of the first active material;

wherein the first electrode is a positive electrode;

wherein the third active material comprises electrochemically active lithium; and

wherein the third active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiMn₂O₄, Li_xVO₂, LiM_xMn<sub>(2−

x)</sub>O₄ (where M is a metal), and combinations thereof.

19. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the third electrode is provided such that it is electrically isolated from the first electrode and the second electrode within the battery.

20. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, further comprising a source of lithium in electrical contact with the third electrode.

21. The lithium-ion battery of claim 20, wherein the source of lithium comprises at least one of a lithium patch and powdered lithium.

22. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the first active material comprises lithium.

23. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, further comprising a source of lithium provided in electrical contact with the second electrode.

24. The lithium-ion battery of claim 23, wherein the source of lithium comprises at least one of a lithium patch and powdered lithium.

25. The lithium-ion battery of claim 24, wherein the source of lithium is configured to provide a lithium capacity for the first electrode sufficient to at least compensate for irreversible loss of capacity of the first electrode.

26. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the first active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, a material having the form LiCo_xNi₍₁₋

x)O₂, a material having the form LiCo_xMn_yNi_zO₂, and a material having the form LiNi_xCo_yAl_zO₂.

27. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the third electrode is configured to be selectively electrically connected to and disconnected from the second electrode using a mechanism provided external to the battery.

28. The lithium-ion battery of claim 27, wherein the mechanism is selected from a switch and a diode.

29. The lithium-ion battery of claim 27, wherein the mechanism is a switch and the switch is configured to electrically connect the third electrode to the second electrode when a voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode falls below a predetermined value.

30. The lithium-ion battery of claim 27, wherein the mechanism is a switch and the switch is configured to electrically disconnect the third electrode from the second electrode when a voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode exceeds a predetermined value.

31. The lithium-ion battery of claim 28, wherein the mechanism is a diode and the diode is configured to electrically connect the third electrode to the second electrode when the potential of the second electrode exceeds the potential of the third electrode by predetermined value.

32. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the lithium-ion battery has a capacity between approximately 10 mAh and 1000 mAh.

50. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the third active material comprises LiMn₂O₄.

51. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the third active material comprises Li_xVO₂.

52. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the third active material comprises LiM_xMn₍₂₋

x)O₄ (where M is a metal).

33. A lithium-ion battery comprising:

a positive electrode comprising a positive current collector and an active material provided on at least one side of the positive current collector;

a negative electrode having a negative current collector and a primary active material provided on at least one side of the negative current collector; and

an auxiliary electrode having a current collector and an auxiliary active material provided on at least one side of the current collector of the auxiliary electrode, the auxiliary electrode configured to be selectively coupled to the negative electrode when a predetermined condition is present;

wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode have a zero voltage crossing potential below the corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above the decomposition potential of the active material provided on the positive current collector;

wherein the auxiliary active material comprises lithium and provides charging and discharging capacity for the positive electrode below a corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above a decomposition potential of the primary active material provided on the positive current collector; and

wherein the auxiliary active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiMn₂O₄, Li_xVO₂, LiM_xMn<sub>(2−

x)</sub>O₄ (where M is a metal), and combinations thereof.

34. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the active material provided on the positive current collector comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, a material having the form LiCo_xNi₍₁₋

x)O₂, a material having the form LiCo_xMn_yNi_zO₂, and a material having the form LiNi_xCo_yAl_zO₂.

35. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, further comprising a source of lithium in electrical contact with the auxiliary electrode.

36. The lithium-ion battery of claim 35, wherein the source of lithium comprises at least one of a lithium patch and powdered lithium.

37. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the auxiliary electrode is provided such that it is electrically isolated from the positive electrode and the negative electrode within the battery.

38. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the auxiliary electrode is configured to be selectively electrically connected to and disconnected from the negative electrode using a mechanism provided external to the battery.

39. The lithium-ion battery of claim 38, wherein the mechanism is selected from a switch and a diode.

40. The lithium-ion battery of claim 38, wherein the mechanism is a switch and the switch is configured to electrically connect the auxiliary electrode to the negative electrode when a voltage difference between the positive electrode and the negative electrode falls below a predetermined value.

41. The lithium-ion battery of claim 38, wherein the mechanism is a switch and the switch is configured to electrically disconnect the auxiliary electrode from the negative electrode when a voltage difference between the positive electrode and the negative electrode exceeds a predetermined value.

42. The lithium-ion battery of claim 39, wherein the mechanism is a diode and the diode is configured to electrically connect the auxiliary electrode to the negative electrode when the potential of the negative electrode exceeds the potential of the auxiliary electrode by a predetermined value.

43. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the negative current collector comprises copper.

44. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the negative current collector comprises titanium.

45. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the lithium-ion battery has a capacity between approximately 10 mAh and 1000 mAh.

46. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the lithium-ion battery has a capacity of approximately 150 mAh.

53. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the auxiliary active material comprises LiMn₂O₄.

54. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the auxiliary active material comprises Li_xVO₂.

55. The lithium-ion battery of claim 33, wherein the auxiliary active material comprises LiM_xMn₍₂₋

x)O₄ (where M is a metal).