Battery with protective packaging

• US 8,679,674 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Front Edge Technology, Inc
• Inventors: Liang, Jiuh-Ming, Nieh, Kai-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Ben
• Application Number:
  US12/963,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20110076550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 429/175, 429/185, 429/135, 429/148, 429/162, 429/167, 429/169, 429/177, 429/186, 429/246, 429/247
• US Class Current: 429/175
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/11 having a chip structure, e.g. micro-sized batteries integrated on chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/147 Lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/148 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/193 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A battery comprises at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface. A thermoplastic material covers the surface of the battery cell, the thermoplastic material comprising a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day). A cap covers the thermoplastic material.

Claims

1. A battery comprising:

(a) at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) a thermoplastic material on the surface of the battery cell, the thermoplastic material comprising a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) a cap covering the thermoplastic material, the cap being positioned over the battery cell to maintain a separation gap with the battery cell.

2. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day).

3. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

4. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises poly(vinylidene chloride), thermoplastic polyurethanes, parylene, latex or mixtures thereof.

5. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a thickness of less than 50 microns.

6. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the battery cell comprises edges, and comprising an external coating covering at least a portion of the edges of the battery cell.

7. A battery according to claim 6 wherein the external coating is composed of poly(vinylidene chloride).

8. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the battery cell comprises lithium.

9. A battery according to claim 1 comprising a wrap around seal comprising metal foil.

10. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the cap extends flat across the entire width and length of the battery cell.

11. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the separation gap is at least partially filled with the thermoplastic material.

12. A battery fabrication process comprising:

(a) fabricating at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) selecting a thermoplastic material comprising a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) forming a protective package around the battery cell by laminating the surface of the battery cell to the thermoplastic material and a cap, the cap being positioned over the battery cell to maintain a separation gap with the surface of the battery cell.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein (c) comprises laminating the thermoplastic material to the cap to form a laminated thermoplastic cap, and thereafter, laminating the laminated thermoplastic cap to the battery cell.

14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises PVDC, polyurethane, parylene, latex or mixtures thereof.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein (c) comprises coating the cap with a liquid layer of thermoplastic material to form a laminated thermoplastic cap, and thereafter, laminating the laminated thermoplastic cap to the battery cell.

16. A method according to claim 12 wherein (c) comprises coating the battery cell with a liquid thermoplastic material to form a thermoplastic coated battery cell, and thereafter, laminating the cap to the thermoplastic coated battery cell.

17. A method according to claim 12 comprising providing a cap that extends flat across the entire width and length of the battery cell.

18. A battery according to claim 12 comprising at least partially filling the separation gap with a thermoplastic material.

19. A method according to claim 12 wherein (a) comprises fabricating a battery cell comprising lithium.

20. A battery comprising:

(a) at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) a first polymer layer on the surface of the battery cell, the first polymer comprising a thermoset polymer, and a second polymer layer on the first polymer layer, the second polymer comprising a thermoplastic polymer, the first and second polymer layers each comprising a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability through the thickness of the polymer layer that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) a cap covering the first and second polymer layers, the cap being positioned over the battery cell to maintain a separation gap with the surface of the battery cell.

21. A battery according to claim 20 wherein the total water permeability of the first and second polymer layers is less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day).

22. A battery according to claim 20 wherein the first polymer layer comprises polyethylene (PE) and the second polymer layer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

23. A battery according to claim 20 wherein the first polymer comprises thermoset polyurethane and the second polymer comprises PVDC.

24. A battery according to claim 23 wherein the thermoset polyurethane comprises an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

25. A battery according to claim 20 wherein the battery cell comprises lithium.

26. A battery according to claim 20 comprising a wrap around seal comprising metal foil.

27. A method according to claim 20 wherein (b) comprises selecting a thermoplastic polymer having an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

28. A method according to claim 20 wherein (b) comprises selecting a thermoplastic polymer comprising poly(vinylidene chloride), polyurethane, parylene, latex, or mixtures thereof.

29. A battery fabrication process comprising:

(a) fabricating at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) applying a liquid polymer layer to, the surface of the battery cell to form a polymer layer comprising;

(i) a nitrogen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) an oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(iii) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) laminating a cap to the polymer layer on the surface of the battery cell.

30. A process according to claim 29 wherein the polymer layer comprises PVDC, parylene, latex or polyurethane.

31. A process according to claim 29 wherein the cap comprises a metal foil.

32. A process according to claim 29 wherein (c) further comprises providing a thermoset polymer between the surface of the battery cell and the laminated cap.

33. A process according to claim 32 wherein the thermoset polymer comprises thermoset polyurethane having an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

34. A process according to claim 29 wherein in (b) the polymer layer comprises a thermoset polymer.

35. A process according to claim 34 wherein the thermoset polymer comprises thermoset polyurethane having an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

36. A method according to claim 29 wherein (b) comprises selecting a polymer layer comprising a thermoplastic material.

37. A method according to claim 36 comprising selecting a thermoplastic material having a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day).

38. A battery fabrication process comprising:

(a) fabricating at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) selecting a cap;

(c) forming a polymer coated battery cell by coating a surface of the battery cell with a thermoset polymer comprising;

(i) a nitrogen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) an oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(iii) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day); and

(d) laminating the cap to the thermoset polymer coated battery cell, the cap being positioned over the battery cell to maintain a separation gap with the surface of the battery cell.

39. A process according to claim 38 wherein the cap comprises a metal foil.

40. A battery comprising:

(a) at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) a thermoset material on the surface of the battery cell, the thermoset material comprising a thermoset polyurethane having;

(i) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) an elastic modulus of less than 2 GPa; and

(iii) a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability of less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) a cap covering the surface of the thermoset material, the cap being positioned over the battery cell to maintain a separation gap with the battery cell.

41. A battery according to claim 40 wherein the thermoset polyurethane comprises an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

42. A battery according to claim 40 wherein the cap is composed of a metal foil, ceramic or mica.

43. A battery according to claim 40 further comprising a thermoplastic polymer about a periphery of the battery cell.

44. A battery according to claim 40 wherein the battery cell comprises lithium.

45. A battery according to claim 40 comprising a wrap around seal comprising metal foil.

46. A battery comprising:

(a) a substrate comprising a first surface comprising a first battery cell having a surface with a central portion and a peripheral portion;

(b) a first polymer covering the central portion of the surface;

(c) a second polymer covering the peripheral portion of the surface, the second polymer being a different polymer than the first polymer; and

(d) a cap covering the exposed surface of the first and second polymers.

47. A battery according to claim 46 wherein the first polymer comprises an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

48. A battery according to claim 47 wherein the second polymer comprises at least one of:

(i) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) a nitrogen permeability of less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(iii) an oxygen permeability of less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day).

49. A battery according to claim 46 wherein the first polymer comprises surlyn or polyurethane and the second polymer comprises epoxy or PVDC.

50. A battery according to claim 46 wherein the first polymer comprises thermoset polyurethane.

51. A battery according to claim 46 wherein the second polymer comprises PVDC.

52. A battery according to claim 46 comprising a wrap around seal comprising metalfoil.

53. A battery fabrication process comprising:

(a) fabricating at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte;

(b) selecting a thermoplastic material comprising a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) laminating the thermoplastic material to a cap to form a laminated thermoplastic cap, and thereafter, laminating the laminated thermoplastic cap to the battery cell.

54. A process according to claim 53 wherein (b) comprises selecting a thermoplastic material having at least one of the following properties:

(i) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa;

(iii) a thickness of less than 50 microns and

(iv) the thermoplastic material comprises poly(vinylidene chloride), thermoplastic polyurethanes, latex, or mixtures thereof.

55. A process according to claim 53 wherein in (c), the cap comprises metal, ceramic or polymer.

56. A process according to claim 53 wherein (a) comprises fabricating a battery cell comprising lithium.

57. A battery fabrication process comprising:

(a) fabricating at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte;

(b) selecting a thermoplastic material comprising a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) coating a cap with a liquid layer of thermoplastic material to form a laminated thermoplastic cap, and thereafter, laminating the laminated thermoplastic cap to the battery cell.

58. A process according to claim 57 wherein (b) comprises selecting a thermoplastic material having at least one of the following properties:

(i) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa;

(iii) a thickness of less than 50 microns; and

(iv) the thermoplastic material comprises poly(vinylidene chloride), thermoplastic polyurethanes, latex, or mixtures thereof.

59. A process according to claim 57 wherein in (c), the cap comprises metal, ceramic or polymer.

60. A process according to claim 57 wherein (a) comprises fabricating a battery cell comprising lithium.

61. A battery comprising:

(a) a substrate comprising a first surface comprising a battery cell having a central portion and a peripheral portion;

(b) a first polymer composed of thermoset polyurethane covering the central portion, the first polymer having an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa; and

(c) a second polymer composed of PVDC covering the peripheral portion, the second polymer having an oxygen permeability of less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day).

62. A battery according to claim 61 comprising a wrap around seal comprising metal foil.

63. A battery according to claim 61 comprising a cap composed of a metal, ceramic or mica.

64. A battery according to claim 61 wherein the battery cell comprises lithium.

65. A battery comprising:

(a) at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) a thermoplastic material on the surface of the battery cell, the thermoplastic material comprising;

(i) a nitrogen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day);

(ii) an oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day); and

(iii) a water permeability of less than 4 g*mm/(m²*day); and

(c) a cap covering the thermoplastic material, the cap being positioned over the battery cell to maintain a separation gap with the surface of the battery cell.

66. A battery according to claim 65 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises an elastic modulus of less than 1 GPa.

67. A battery according to claim 65 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises poly(vinylidene chloride), polyurethane, parylene, latex, or mixtures thereof.

68. A battery according to claim 65 wherein the battery cell comprises lithium.

69. A battery fabrication process comprising:

(a) fabricating at least one battery cell on a support, the battery cell comprising a plurality of electrodes about an electrolyte, and having a surface;

(b) selecting a polymer;

(c) selecting a cap; and

(d) forming a protective package around the battery cell by coating the cap with a liquid layer of the polymer to form a polymer coated cap, and laminating the polymer coated cap to the surface of the battery cell.

70. A method according to claim 69 wherein (b) comprises selecting a polymer comprising a thermoplastic material.

71. A method according to claim 70 comprising selecting a thermoplastic material having a nitrogen permeability or oxygen permeability that is less than 20 cm³*mm/(m²*day).

72. A method according to claim 70 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises PVDC, polyurethane, parylene, latex, or mixtures thereof.