Methods for making anodes for germanium-containing lithium-ion devices

• US 9,583,761 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StoreDot Ltd.
• Original Assignee: StoreDot Ltd.
• Inventors: Burshtain, Doron, Costi, Ronny, Ophir, Carmit, Aronov, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKHTAR, KIRAN QURAISHI
• Application Number:
  US15/264,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20170005330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 167 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/08 Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/50 specially adapted for lithium-ion capacitors, e.g. for lithium-doping or for intercalation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/52 Separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/56 Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/58 Liquid electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/74 Terminals, e.g. extensions of current collectors
• 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 10/0569 characterised by the solvents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• 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 4/136 Electrodes based on inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/364 as mixtures
• 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 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/622 : being polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/623 : fluorinated polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/625 : Carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/417 : Polyolefins
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Methods for making anodes for lithium ion devices are provided. The methods include milling germanium powder, carbon, and boron carbide powder to form a nano-particle mixture having a particle size of 20 to 100 nm; adding an emulsion of tungsten carbide nano-particles having a particle size of 20 to 60 nm to the mixture to form an active material; and adding a polymeric binder to the active material to form the anode, wherein the weight percentage of the germanium in the anode is between 5 to 80 weight % of the total weight of the anode, the weight percentage of boron in the anode is between 2 to 20 weight % of the total weight of the anode and the weight percentage of tungsten in the anode is between 5 to 20 weight % of the total weight of the anode.

Claims

1. A method for making an anode for lithium ion devices, the method comprising:

milling germanium powder, carbon, and boron carbide powder to form a nano-particle mixture having a particle size of 20 to 100 nm;

adding an emulsion of tungsten carbide nano-particles having a particle size of 20 to 60 nm to the mixture to form an active material; and

adding a polymeric binder to the active material to form the anode,

wherein the weight percentage of the germanium in the anode is between 5 to 80 weight % of the total weight of the anode, the weight percentage of boron in the anode is between 2 to 20 weight % of the total weight of the anode and the weight percentage of tungsten in the anode is between 5 to 20 weight % of the total weight of the anode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises carbon at a weight percentage of between 0.5 to 5 weight % of the total weight of the anode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active material further comprising silicon and a weight ratio of germanium to silicon in the active material is at least 4 to 1.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight percentage of the germanium is between 60 to 75 weight % of the total weight of the anode material and the weight percentage of the boron in the anode is between 3 to 6 weight % of the total weight of the anode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight percentage of the tungsten in the anode is between 7 to 11 weight % of the total weight of the anode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the anode further comprises:

adding one or more conductive materials, wherein the weight percentage of the conductive materials is between 5 to 10 weight % of the total weight of the anode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric binder is the anode is between 0.01 to 5 weight percentage of the total weight of the anode.