Battery structures, self-organizing structures and related methods

• US 8,168,326 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Chiang, Yet-Ming, Moorehead, William D., Gozdz, Antoni S., Holman, Richard K., Loxley, Andrew L., Riley, Gilbert N. Jr., Viola, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S
• Application Number:
  US12/512,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20100003603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 429/304, 429/209, 429/210, 429/231.4, 204/288, 204/289, 361/502
• US Class Current: 429/209
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1555 Counter electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/02 using combined reduction-oxidation reactions, e.g. redox arrangement or solion
• 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: H01G 11/24 characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/26 characterised by their structure, e.g. multi-layered, porosity or surface features
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/28 arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/56 Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0472 Vertically superposed cells with vertically disposed plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/025 with shapes other than plane or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/808 Foamed, spongy materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/18 with solid electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 : Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 : including coating or impregnating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49224 : with coating

Abstract

An energy storage device includes a first electrode comprising a first material and a second electrode comprising a second material, at least a portion of the first and second materials forming an interpenetrating network when dispersed in an electrolyte, the electrolyte, the first material and the second material are selected so that the first and second materials exert a repelling force on each other when combined. 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 an ionically conductive medium in ionic contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein at least a portion of the first and second electrodes form an interpenetrating network and wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises an electrode structure providing two or more pathways to its current collector.

Claims

1. An electrochemical device, comprising:

a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector;

a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector; and

an ionically conductive medium in ionic contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein at least a portion of said first electrode and at least a portion of said second electrode form an interlocking or infused network; and

wherein separation of said first and second electrodes without a change in shape or connectivity of said first or second electrode is prevented by the topology of said interlocking or infused network.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein both electrodes comprise an electrode structure providing two or more pathways to its current collector.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes comprises an electrode structure having a branching structure wherein the cross-sectional area of electrode increases as one approaches the current collector.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes comprises an electrode structure having a branching structure wherein the cross-sectional area of electrode increases as one approaches the current collector.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are interlocking.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises sintered particles.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the sintered particles form a porous sintered body.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises an open-celled foam or sponge.

9. The device of claim 1, comprising an organized structure wherein the first and second electrodes are comprised of particles, and the particles of the first electrode and the particles of the second electrode exert a repelling force on each other when the particles of the first electrode and the particles of the second electrode are combined with the ionically conductive medium, or a precursor thereto.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the particles of the first electrode are self-attractive in the ionically conductive medium.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the particles of the second electrode are self-attractive in the ionically conductive medium.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the medium has an ionic conductivity of less than 10⁻

4 S/cm.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is an energy storage device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first electrode comprises a lithium intercalating material.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the second electrode comprises a lithium intercalating material.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the medium is selected to facilitate diffusion of lithium ions between the first and second electrodes.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the medium is at least one of poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene oxide), poly(styrene), poly(imide), poly(amine), poly(acrylonitrile), poly(vinylidene fluoride), methoxyethoxyethoxy phosphazine, diiodomethane, 1,3-diiodopropane, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethylpropylene urea, ethylene carbonate, diethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, propylene carbonate, a block copolymer lithium electrolyte doped with a lithium salt, glass with at least one of LiI, LiF, LiCl, Li₂O—

B₂O₃—

Bi₂O₃, Li₂O—

B₂O₃—

P₂O₅ and Li₂O—

B₂O₃—

PbO and a sol or gel of the oxides or hydroxides of Si, B, P, Ti, Zr, Pb, or Bi.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the first electrode comprises at least one of LiCoO₂ and, LiCoO₂ doped with Mg, LiNiO₂, or LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiMnO₂ doped with Al, LiFePO₄, LiFePO₄ doped with one or more of Mg, Al, Ti, Nb, Ta, or W, Li₂Fe₂(SO₄)₃, V₂O₅, V₆O₁₁, C, amorphous carbon, graphite, mesocarbon microbeads, Li, LiAl, Li₉Al₄, Li₃Al, Zn, LiZn, Ag, LiAg, Li₁₀Ag₃, B, Li₅B₄, Li₇B₆, Ge, Si, Li₁₂Si₇, Li₂₁Si₈, Li₁₃Si₄, Li₂₁Si₅, Sn, Li₅Sn₂, Li₁₃Sn₅, Li₇Sn₂, Li₂₂Sn₅, Sb, Li₂Sb, Li₃Sb, Bi, LiBi, Li₃Bi, SnO₂, SnO, MnO, Mn₂O₃, MnO₂, Mn₃O₄, CoO, NiO, FeO, LiFe₂O₄, TiO₂, LiTi₂O₄, glass with a Sn—

B—

P—

O compound and mesocarbon microbeads coated with at least one of poly(o-methoxyaniline), poly(3-octylthiophene), and poly(vinylidene fluoride).

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the second electrode comprises at least one of LiCoO₂ and, LiCoO₂ doped with Mg, LiNiO₂, or LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiMnO₂ doped with Al, LiFePO₄, LiFePO₄ doped with one or more of Mg, Al, Ti, Nb, Ta, or W, Li₂Fe₂(SO₄)₃, V₂O₅, V₆O₁₁, C, amorphous carbon, graphite, mesocarbon microbeads, Li, LiAl, Li₉Al₄, Li₃Al, Zn, LiZn, Ag, LiAg, Li₁₀Ag₃, B, Li₅B₄, Li₇B₆, Ge, Si, Li₁₂Si₇, Li₂₁Si₈, Li₁₃Si₄, Li₂₁Si₅, Sn, Li₅Sn₂, Li₁₃Sn₅, Li₇Sn₂, Li₂₂Sn₅, Sb, Li₂Sb, Li₃Sb, Bi, LiBi, Li₃Bi, SnO₂, SnO, MnO, Mn₂O₃, MnO₂, Mn₃O₄, CoO, NiO, FeO, LiFe₂O₄, TiO₂, LiTi₂O₄, glass with a Sn—

B—

P—

O compound and mesocarbon microbeads coated with at least one of poly(methoxyaniline), poly(3-octylthiophene), and poly(vinylidene fluoride).

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electronically conductive coating on one or both of said first and second current collectors.

21. The device of claim 2, wherein the medium has an ionic conductivity of less than 10⁻

4 S/cm.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has power density of greater than 300 W/kg and an energy density of greater than 450 W-h/l.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a cell having a power density of greater than 300 W/kg, an energy density of greater than 450 W-h/l, and a cell thickness of less than 0.1 mm, wherein the cell thickness includes the collectors.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a cell having a power density of greater than 300 W/kg, an energy density of greater than 550 W-h/l, and a cell thickness of less than 0.1 mm, wherein the cell thickness includes the collectors.

25. The device of claim 1, said interlocking network having a structure or composition such that the electronic conductivity at a location further from the ionically conductive medium is greater than the electronic conductivity at a location closer to the ionically conductive medium.

26. The device of claim 1, said interlocking network having a structure or composition such that the electronic conductivity of one electrode at a location further from the opposing current collector is greater than the electronic conductivity of same electrode at a location closer to the opposing current collector.

27. The device of claim 1, said interlocking network having a structure or composition such that the electronic conductivity of each electrode at a location further from the opposing current collector is greater than the electronic conductivity of each electrode at a location closer to the opposing current collector.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the device provides a graded change in electronic conductivity such that the electronic conductivity at a location further from the ionically conductive medium is greater than the electronic conductivity at a location closer to the ionically conductive medium.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the gradient is linear.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the gradient is due to structural variation in at least one electrode.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional lateral area of at least one electrode further from the ionically conductive medium is greater than a cross-sectional lateral area of the electrode closer to the ionically conductive medium.

32. The device of claim 28, wherein the gradient is due to compositional variation in at least one electrode.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has power density of greater than 300 W/kg and an energy density of greater than 550 W-h/l.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein the medium is a layer having a thickness of less than one micron at least one point.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the average thickness of the medium is less than 10 microns.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the average thickness of the medium is less than 5 microns.

37. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes of the device provide a mated surface that is at least 1.25 times the theoretical surface area of a smooth structure.

38. The device of claim 9, wherein the organized structure comprises a continuous network.

39. The device of claim 9, wherein the organized structure comprises a layered structure.

40. The device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first or second electrodes comprises an electronically-conductive material.

41. The device of claim 9, wherein the first electrode comprises electronically-conductive particles that are self-attractive in the medium.

42. The device of claim 9, wherein the second electrode comprises electronically-conductive particles that are self-attractive in the medium.

43. The device of claim 9, wherein the medium electronically insulates the first electrode from the second electrode.

44. The device of claim 9, wherein the medium is selected to facilitate diffusion of lithium ions between the first and second electrodes.

45. The device of claim 9, wherein a first Hamaker constant characterizing the interaction between the particles of the first electrode and the particles of the second electrode in the medium is negative.

46. The device of claim 9, wherein the medium has an ionic conductivity of less than 10⁻

4 S/cm.

47. The device of claim 9, wherein at least one of said first and second electrode particles comprises an electronically conductive coating.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein the coating is ionically conductive.

49. The device of claim 9, wherein the particles of the first electrode comprise at least one of LiCoO₂ and, LiCoO₂ doped with Mg, LiNiO₂, or LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiMnO₂ doped with Al, LiFePO₄, LiFePO₄ doped with one or more of Mg, Al, Ti, Nb, Ta, or W, Li₂Fe₂(SO₄)₃, V₂O₅, V₆O₁₁, C, amorphous carbon, graphite, mesocarbon microbeads, Li, LiAl, Li₉Al₄, Li₃Al, Zn, LiZn, Ag, LiAg, Li₁₀Ag₃, B, Li₅B₄, Li₇B₆, Ge, Si, Li₁₂Si₇, Li₂₁Si₈, Li₁₃Si₄, Li₂₁Si₅, Sn, Li₅Sn₂, Li₁₃Sn₅, Li₇Sn₂, Li₂₂Sn₅, Sb, Li₂Sb, Li₃Sb, Bi, LiBi, Li₃Bi, SnO₂, SnO, MnO, Mn₂O₃, MnO₂, Mn₃O₄, CoO, NiO, FeO, LiFe₂O₄, TiO₂, LiTi₂O₄, glass with a Sn—

B—

P—

O compound and mesocarbon microbeads coated with at least one of poly(o-methoxyaniline), poly(3-octylthiophene), and poly(vinylidene fluoride).

50. The device of claim 9, wherein the particles of the second electrode comprise at least one of LiCoO₂ and, LiCoO₂ doped with Mg, LiNiO₂, or LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiMnO₂ doped with Al, LiFePO₄, LiFePO₄ doped with one or more of Mg, Al, Ti, Nb, Ta, or W, Li₂Fe₂(SO₄)₃, V₂O₅, V₆O₁₁, C, amorphous carbon, graphite, mesocarbon microbeads, Li, LiAl, Li₉Al₄, Li₃Al;

Zn, LiZn, Ag, LiAg, Li₁₀Ag₃, B, Li₅B₄, Li₇B₆, Ge, Si, Li₁₂Si₇, Li₂₁Si₈, Li₁₃Si₄, Li₂₁Si₅, Sn, Li₅Sn₂, Li₁₃Sn₅, Li₇Sn₂, Li₂₂Sn₅, Sb, Li₂Sb, Li₃Sb, Bi, LiBi, Li₃Bi, SnO₂, SnO, MnO, Mn₂O₃, MnO₂, Mn₃O₄, CoO, NiO, FeO, LiFe₂O₄, TiO₂, LiTi₂O₄, glass with a Sn—

B—

P—

O compound and mesocarbon microbeads coated with at least one of poly(o-methoxyaniline), poly(3-octylthiophene), and poly(vinylidene fluoride).

51. The device of claim 9, wherein the medium is at least one of poly(ethylene oxide), poly(styrene), poly(acrylonitrile), poly(vinylidene fluoride), diiodomethane, 1,3-diiodopropane, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethylpropylene urea, ethylene carbonate, diethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, propylene carbonate, a block copolymer lithium electrolyte doped with a lithium salt, glass with at least one of LiI, LiF, LiCl, Li₂O—

B₂O₃—

Bi₂O₃, Li₂O—

B₂O₃—

P₂O₅ and Li₂O—

B₂O₃—

PbO and a sol or gel of the oxides or hydroxides of Ti, Zr, Pb, or Bi.

52. The device of claim 45, wherein a second Hamaker constant characterizing the interaction of the particles of the first electrode with themselves is positive.

53. The device of claim 45, wherein a third Hamaker constant characterizing the interaction of the particles of the second electrode with themselves is positive.

54. The device of claim 9, wherein the repelling force comprises van der Waals forces.

55. The device of claim 9, wherein the repelling force comprises electrostatic forces.

56. The device of claim 9, wherein the repelling force comprises molecular steric forces.

57. The device of claim 9, wherein the medium is selected to facilitate diffusion of intercalating ions between the first and second electrodes.

58. The device of claim 9, wherein the medium comprises a solid polymeric material.

59. The device of claim 9, wherein the first electrode is lithiated.

60. The device of claim 9, wherein the second electrode is lithiated.

61. The device of claim 9, wherein the particles of the second electrode include a coating that comprises a material that exerts a repelling force on the particles of the first electrode.

62. The device of claim 61, wherein the coating comprises at least one of poly(o-methoxyaniline), poly(3-octylthiophene), poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(ethylene oxide).

63. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode comprises a material that changes its color or optical transmission when oxidized or reduced.

64. The device of claim 1, wherein the first current collector is attractive to the first electrode and repelling to the second electrode, the second current collector is attractive to the second electrode and repelling to the first electrode, and each current collector is joined to the edges of the device while being electronically isolated from the other current collector.

65. The device of claim 63, wherein at least one electrode material is vanadium oxide, hydrated vanadium oxide, vanadium oxopolymer produced by partial hydrolysis of vanadium alkoxides, or a vanadium oxide-polymer blend or nanocomposite.

66. The device of claim 9, wherein the first electrode comprises a lithium intercalating material.

67. The device of claim 9, wherein the second electrode comprises a lithium intercalating material.

68. The device of claim 9, wherein the first electrode has a density that is less than the second electrode when the particles of the first and second electrodes are dispersed in the ionically conductive medium.

69. The device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes is deposited as thin film.

70. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are substantially electronically isolated from one another in the absence of a voltage difference externally applied between the first and second electrodes.