Battery structures, self-organizing structures and related methods

• US 8,241,789 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Chiang, Yet-Ming, Moorehead, William Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S
• Application Number:
  US12/891,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20110045346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/221
• 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 electrode for a rechargeable battery, comprising

an electrode in electrical communication with a current collector, the electrode comprising sintered particles of an electroactive material,

wherein the electrode is a sintered body that is substantially free of binder and has an open porosity;

and wherein the electrode has a pore volume fraction in the range of from about 10% to about 80%.

2. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the electroactive material comprises lithium.

3. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the current collector is selected from Cu and Al, mixtures and alloys thereof.

4. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the sintered particles comprise a lithium intercalating material.

5. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the sintered particles comprise at least one of LiCoO₂ and, LiCoO₂ doped with Mg, LiNiO₂, or LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiMnO₂ doped with Al, Li(Fe,Mn)PO₄, LiFePO₄, LiFePO₄ doped with one or more of Mg, Al, Ti, Nb, Ta, Zr, 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-methoxyanaline), poly(3-octylthiophene), and poly(vinylidene fluoride).

6. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the sintered particles comprise one or more of Li(Mg_0.05Co_0.95)O₂, LiCoO₂, LiMn₂O₄, Li(Ni,Mn)O₂, Li(Co,Ni)O₂, Li(Co,Ni,Mn)O₂, Li(Fe,Mn)PO₄, LiFePO₄, and LiFePO₄ that is doped with Nb, Zr, or Ti.

7. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the pore volume fraction is in the range of 20% to 50%.

8. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the pore volume fraction is in the range of 30% to 45%.

9. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the porosity is substantially uniform throughout the electrode.

10. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the sintered particles have a porosity gradient throughout the electrode.

11. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the porosity decreases in the direction of the electrical substrate.

12. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the sintered particles have a gradient in electrical conductivity.

13. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the electrical conductivity increases in the direction of the electrically conductive substrate.

14. The electrode of claim 1, further comprising a conductive additive.

15. The electrode of claim 14, wherein the conductive additive comprises carbon.

16. An electrode, comprising:

an electrode in electrical communication with a current collector, the electrode comprising sintered particles of an electroactive material,

wherein the electrode is substantially free of binder and has an open porosity.