Particle based electrodes and methods of making same

• US 7,791,860 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Technologies Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Hermann, Vincent, Mitchell, Porter, Nanjundiah, Chenniah, Zhong, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha; Nguyen T
• Application Number:
  US10/817,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 361/502, 361503-504, 361508-512, 361516-519, 361523-529, 361302-305, 361/301.1, 361/301.2, 29/250.1, 29/250.3
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/40 Fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/42 Powders or particles, e.g. composition thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/86 specially adapted for electrodes carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/043 involving compressing or compaction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1393 of electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/621 Binders
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A coated electrode is provided for use in energy storage devices. The coated electrode comprises a dry fibrillized polymer that is fibrillized with no processing additives.

Claims

1. A blend of dry particles fibrillized for use in the manufacture of a coated electrode, comprising:

a mixture of dry fibrillized dry carbon and dry binder particles.

2. The particles of claim 1, wherein the dry binder particles comprise a polymer, and wherein the dry carbon particles comprise activated and conductive carbon.

3. The particles of claim 2, wherein the binder comprises particles subjected to high shear forces.

4. The particles of claim 3, wherein the high shear forces are applied by gas at more than about 60 PSI.

5. The particles of claim 3, wherein the binder comprises milled polymer particles.

6. The particles of claim 3, wherein the binder comprises jet milled polymer particles.

7. The particles of claim 3, wherein the binder comprises hammer milled polymer particles.

8. The particles of claim 2, wherein the binder comprises fluoropolymer particles.

9. The particles of claim 8, wherein the binder comprises PTFE.

10. The particles of claim 8, wherein the electrode is an energy storage device electrode.

11. The particles of claim 10, wherein the energy storage device is a capacitor.

12. An electrode, comprising;

a dry blend of dry carbon particles and dry binder particles subjected to high shear forces.

13. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the blend comprises approximately 50% to 99% activated carbon.

14. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the blend comprises approximately 0% to 25% conductive carbon.

15. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the blend comprises approximately 0.5% to 20% fluoropolymer.

16. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the blend comprises approximately 80% to 95% activated carbon, approximately 0% to 15% conductive carbon, and approximately 3% to 15% fluoropolymer.

17. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the electrode is a capacitor electrode.

18. The electrode of claim 17, wherein the electrode is a double-layer capacitor electrode.

19. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the electrode is a battery electrode.

20. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the electrode is a fuel-cell electrode.

21. The electrode of claim 12, further comprising a current collector, wherein the binder and carbon particles are in the form of a coated dried slurry, wherein the slurry is coupled to the current collector.

22. A capacitor product, comprising;

a dry fibrillized blend of dry particles subjected to high shear forces, the particles including binder and carbon particles; and

one or more current collector, wherein the blend of dry particles are disposed onto the one or more current collector as a coating.

23. The product of claim 22, wherein between the one or more current collector and the dry particles is disposed a bonding layer.

24. The product of claim 22, wherein the one or more current collector comprises aluminum.

25. The product of claim 24, further comprising a housing, wherein the one or more current collector is shaped as a roll, wherein the roll is disposed within the housing.

26. The product of claim 25, wherein within the housing is disposed an electrolyte.

27. The product of claim 26, wherein the electrolyte comprises acetonitrile.

28. The product of claim 22, wherein the capacitor is rated to operate at a voltage of no more than about 3.0 volts.

29. An energy storage device, comprising:

dry fibrillized electrode means for providing coated electrode functionality in an energy storage device.

30. A capacitor, the capacitor comprising:

a housing;

a cover;

a collector, the collector disposed in the housing, the collector comprising two ends, a first end coupled to the housing, a second end coupled to the cover;

a dried electrode slurry, the dried electrode slurry disposed as a coating onto the collector, the dried electrode slurry comprising a dry fibrillized blend of dry carbon and dry polymer, the dry fibrillized blend comprising of essentially no processing additive; and

an electrolyte, the electrolyte disposed in the housing.

31. The capacitor of claim 30, wherein the capacitor comprises a capacitance of greater than 1 Farad.