METHOD FOR HIGH VOLUME MANUFACTURE OF ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS USING PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

• US 20110217578A1
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sakti3, Inc
• Original Assignee: Sakti3, Inc
• Inventors: Wang, Chia-Wei, Sastry, Ann Marie, Albano, Fabio
• Application Number:
  US13/103,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217578A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/94
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/562 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0587 of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0421 involving vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/139 Processes of manufacture
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatuses and methods for fabricating electrochemical cells. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a single chamber configurable to deposit different materials on a substrate spooled between two reels. In one embodiment, the substrate is moved in the same direction around the reels, with conditions within the chamber periodically changed to result in the continuous build-up of deposited material over time. Another embodiment employs alternating a direction of movement of the substrate around the reels, with conditions in the chamber differing with each change in direction to result in the sequential build-up of deposited material over time. The chamber is equipped with different sources of energy and materials to allow the deposition of the different layers of the electrochemical cell.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A composition comprising:

a substrate material configured to be wound between reels, the substrate material comprising copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), stainless steel, or other suitable conductive alloy in the form of a thin foil and bearing,

a first electrode material comprising at least one of lithium metal (Li), lithium titanium oxide (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂), graphite (C), or meso-carbon structures;

an electrolyte material overlying the first electrode material and comprising at least one of lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LIPON) or a lithium salt mixed with poly-ethylene oxide (PEO), poly-vinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or a combination of PEO and PVDF; and

a second electrode material overlying the electrolyte material and comprising at least one of a layered metal oxide material, a layered spinel material, or a layered olivine material.

46. The composition of claim 45 wherein the meso-carbon structures comprise at least one of microbeads or other microstructures.

48. The composition of claim 45 wherein the layered oxide material comprises LiCoO₂, the layered spinel material comprises LiMn₂O₄, or the layered olivine material comprises LiFePO₄, Li(Ni_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3)O₂, LiNi_xCo_yAl_(1-x-y)O₂ (NCA), or LiNi_xMn_yCo_(1-x-y)O₂ (NCM).

50. The composition of claim 45 further comprising an electrically conducting lead connecting the plurality of discrete cells.

51. The composition of claim 45 wherein the first electrode material, the electrolyte material, and the second electrode material are formed as part of a vertical stack of a plurality of cells.

47. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

52. A solid state battery device comprising a composition, the device comprising:

a roll comprising a substrate collected from a deposition apparatus, the substrate being configured on a non-conductive material;

a first current collector formed overlying the substrate;

a first electrode layer that is capable of an electrochemical reaction with ions formed overlying current collector;

an electrolyte material formed overlying the cathode that is capable of ionic diffusion, the electrolyte material being a solid state material;

a second electrode layer formed overlying the electrolyte material; and

a second current collector formed overlying the second electrode layer; and

wherein the electrolyte material comprising at least one of lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LIPON) or a lithium salt mixed with poly-ethylene oxide (PEO), poly-vinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or a combination of PEO and PVDF and configured as the solid state material.

53. The device of claim 52 wherein the substrate, first current collector, the first electrode, the electrolyte material, and the second electrode layer form a resulting electrochemical cell.

54. The device of claim 53 wherein the first electrode layer comprises at least one of lithium metal (Li), lithium titanium oxide (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂), graphite (C), or meso-carbon structures.

55. The device of claim 52 further comprising an electrically conducting lead connecting the plurality of discrete cells.

56. The device of claim 52 wherein the first electrode material, the electrolyte material, and the second electrode material are formed as part of a vertical stack of a plurality of cells.

57. A solid state battery cell, the composition comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode layer overlying substrate, the first electrode layer comprising at least one of lithium metal (Li), lithium titanium oxide (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂), graphite (C), or meso-carbon structures;

a first current collector formed within a vicinity of the first electrode layer;

an electrolyte material formed overlying the cathode that is capable of ionic diffusion, the electrolyte material being configured as a solid state material;

a second electrode layer formed overlying the electrolyte material; and

a second current collector formed within a vicinity of the second electrode layer.

58. The cell of claim 57 wherein the substrate, first electrode layer, the first current collector, the electrolyte material, the second electrode layer, and the second current collector are configured as a roll.

59. The cell of claim 57 wherein the first electrode layer is the lithium titanium oxide (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂) or the meso-carbon structures.

60. The cell of claim 57 wherein the first electrode layer is the lithium metal.

61. The cell of claim 57 wherein the electrolyte material comprising at least one of lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LIPON) or a lithium salt mixed with poly-ethylene oxide (PEO), poly-vinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or a combination of PEO and PVDF and configured as the solid state material.

62. The cell of claim 57 wherein the first electrode layer comprises the lithium metal;

and the electrolyte material comprises a lithium phosphorus oxynitride.

63. The cell of claim 57 wherein the substrate is made of a non-conductive material.

64. The cell of claim 57 wherein the substrate is made of a conductive material.

65. The cell of claim 57 wherein the first or second electrode layer comprises at least one of a layered metal oxide material, a layered spinel material, or a layered olivine material.

66. The cell of claim 57 wherein the first electrode layer, the electrolyte material, and the second electrode layer are formed as part of a vertical stack of a plurality of cells.