Thin-film batteries with soft and hard electrolyte layers and method
First Claim
1. A method of forming a battery cell having a composite electrolyte structure comprising:
- a) providing a positive electrode component;
b) providing a negative electrode component;
c) depositing a first electrolyte layer having randomly spaced defects therein on the negative electrode component;
d) depositing a second electrolyte layer having randomly spaced defects therein on a positive electrode component;
e) providing a third electrolyte material that comprises a polymer or a gel that is soft compared to the first and second electrolyte layers;
f) laminating the first electrolyte layer on the negative electrode to the second electrolyte layer on the positive electrode using the third soft electrolyte material to at least partially fill and fix the defects in at least one of the first and second electrolyte layers to form the composite electrolyte structure of the battery cell.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for making thin-film batteries having composite multi-layered electrolytes with soft electrolyte between hard electrolyte covering the negative and/or positive electrode, and the resulting batteries. In some embodiments, foil-core cathode sheets each having a cathode material (e.g., LiCoO2) covered by a hard electrolyte on both sides, and foil-core anode sheets having an anode material (e.g., lithium metal) covered by a hard electrolyte on both sides, are laminated using a soft (e.g., polymer gel) electrolyte sandwiched between alternating cathode and anode sheets. A hard glass-like electrolyte layer obtains a smooth hard positive-electrode lithium-metal layer upon charging, but when very thin, have randomly spaced pinholes/defects. When the hard layers are formed on both the positive and negative electrodes, one electrode'"'"'s dendrite-short-causing defects on are not aligned with the other electrode'"'"'s defects. The soft electrolyte layer both conducts ions across the gap between hard electrolyte layers and fills pinholes.
278 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method of forming a battery cell having a composite electrolyte structure comprising:
-
a) providing a positive electrode component; b) providing a negative electrode component; c) depositing a first electrolyte layer having randomly spaced defects therein on the negative electrode component; d) depositing a second electrolyte layer having randomly spaced defects therein on a positive electrode component; e) providing a third electrolyte material that comprises a polymer or a gel that is soft compared to the first and second electrolyte layers; f) laminating the first electrolyte layer on the negative electrode to the second electrolyte layer on the positive electrode using the third soft electrolyte material to at least partially fill and fix the defects in at least one of the first and second electrolyte layers to form the composite electrolyte structure of the battery cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification