Negative-electrode active material for rechargeable lithium battery

• US 9,413,000 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Cho, Jaephil, Choo, Jae-Bum, Han, Byung-Hee, Kim, Hyun-Jung, Kim, Ki-Tae, Kim, Je-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo, Gregg
• Application Number:
  US14/144,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20140110634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 4/133 Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/366 as layered products
• 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 4/40 Alloys based on alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/48 of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
• 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: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a negative-electrode active material for rechargeable lithium battery, wherein the negative-electrode active material comprises a core comprising material capable of doping and dedoping lithium; and, a carbon layer formed on the surface of the core, wherein the carbon layer has a three dimensional porous structure comprising nanopores regularly ordered on the carbon layer with a pore wall of specific thickness placed therebetween. In some embodiments, the method comprises modifying a material capable of doping and dedoping lithium with an organic functional group, mixing the modified material with an inorganic oxide, heating the mixture, and removing the inorganic oxide to form the negative-electrode active material.

Claims

1. A method for preparing negative-electrode active material for rechargeable lithium battery, comprising:

modifying a material capable of doping and dedoping lithium with an organic functional groups;

mixing the modified material with an inorganic oxide;

heating the mixture; and

removing the inorganic oxide to form a negative-electrode active material having a core comprising the material capable of doping and dedoping lithium, and a carbon layer disposed on the surface of the core, wherein the carbon layer having a three dimensional porous structure comprising nanopores having average diameter of 100 nm to 300 nm, regularly ordered on the carbon layer with a pore wall having thickness of 40 nm to 150 nm placed therebetween.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step comprises:

heating the mixture to form a composite comprising the core and the carbon layer disposed on the surface of the core, wherein particles of the inorganic oxide are disposed in the carbon layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic functional group is represented by C_nH_m (wherein, n and m are integer of 1 or more).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic functional group is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic organic group having carbon number of from 1 to 30, cycloaliphatic organic group having carbon number of from 3 to 30, and aromatic organic group having carbon number of from 6 to 30.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide comprise one or more kinds of inactive inorganic oxide, selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, titania, ceria and zirconia.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide is added in an amount of 10 to 80 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the material capable of doping and dedoping lithium modified with the organic functional group.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material capable of doping and dedoping lithium modified with the organic functional group is in the form of viscous gel.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of heating is conducted under vacuum or inert atmosphere.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating is conducted at a temperature ranging from 700°

C. to 1200°

C.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the removal of the inorganic oxide is conducted using basic or acidic material.