Self organizing battery structure method

• US 8,088,512 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gozdz, Antoni S., Holman, Richard K., Loxley, Andrew L., Wilkins, Ronnie
• Primary Examiner(s): DOVE, TRACY MAE
• Application Number:
  US12/140,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20080311470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 429/122, 429/189, 429/231.95, 429/249, 429/221
• US Class Current: 429/189
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/06 with one of the electrodes allowing ions to be reversibly doped thereinto, e.g. lithium ion capacitors [LIC]
• 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 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/386 Silicon or alloys based on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/387 Tin or alloys based on tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/405 Alloys based on lithium
• 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 4/505 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

An electrochemical device includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector, a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector and a crosslinked solid polymer in contact with the first and second electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a network of electrically connected particles comprising an electroactive material, and the particles of one electrode exert a repelling force on the other electrode when the first and second electrodes are combined with an uncrosslinked precursor to the solid polymer.

Claims

1. A method of preparing an electronic device comprising:

combining a plurality of first particles, a plurality of second particles and a crosslinkable polymer precursor to a solid polymer electrolyte, said first and second particles selected to exert a repelling force on each other when combined with said crosslinkable polymer precursor;

wherein the first particles have a refractive index n₁, the second particles have a refractive index n₃, the polymer precursor has a refractive index n₂, and n₁<

n₂<

n₃;

segregating at least a portion of the first particles into a first spatial region that is essentially free of the second particles to form a network of electrically connected first particles to form a first electrode;

segregating at least a portion of the second particles into a second spatial region that is essentially free of the first particles to form a network of electrically connected second particles to form a second electrode,

wherein the polymer precursor is in communication with both the first and second electrodes; and

crosslinking the polymer precursor to form a solid polymer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor is selected from the group consisting of methacrylate and acrylate of polyethylene glycol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor comprises a crosslinkable poly(oxymethylene), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene oxide), their mixtures, or their copolymers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor comprises a hydroxy-terminated poly(ethylene glycol).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable with polyisocyanates, polyphenolics, melamine or melamine formaldehyde condensates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor is vinyl terminated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to 10000 cP.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to 1000 cP.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to 100 cP.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the first electrode is present at a % wt. solids in the range of about 10-80.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the second electrode is present at a % wt. solids in the range of about 10-80.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable upon application of a crosslinking agent.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable upon application of heat.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable upon application of visible or uv energy, x-ray, e-beam or gamma ray.

15. A method of preparing an electrochemical device comprising:

applying a composition comprising a plurality of first particles and a crosslinkable polymer precursor to a solid polymer onto a first electrode surface, said first particles selected to exert a repelling force against the first electrode surface when combined with said polymer precursor;

segregating at least a portion of the first particles into a first spatial region that is essentially isolated from the first electrode surface to form a second electrode;

wherein the polymer precursor is in communication with both the first and second electrodes; and

crosslinking the polymer precursor to form a solid polymer; and

wherein the first particles have a refractive index n₁, the first electrode surface has a refractive index n₃, the polymer precursor has a refractive index n₂, and n₁<

n₂<

n₃ or n₁>

n₂>

n₃.