Conductive carbons for lithium ion batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10135071-B2
Application number	US-201414895994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2014
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed herein are cathode formulations comprising a lithium ion-based electroactive material and a carbon black having a BET surface area ranging from 130 to 700 m 2 /g and a ratio of STSA/BET ranging from 0.5 to 1. Also disclosed are cathodes comprising the cathode formulations, electro-chemical cells comprising the cathodes, and methods of making the cathode formulations and cathodes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cathode formulation comprising:
a lithium ion-based electroactive material; and
carbon black having a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 130 to 700 m 2 /g, a ratio of statistical thickness surface area (STSA)/BET ranging from 0.5 to 1, and a surface energy less than or equal to 10 mJ/m 2 ,
wherein the carbon black has a crystallinity (I G /I D ) of at least 35%, as determined by Raman spectroscopy.

2. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black has an oil absorption number (OAN) ranging from 100 to 250 mL/100 g.

3. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black is present in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the formulation.

4. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-based electroactive material has a D 50 ranging from 1 μm to 10 μm.

5. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-based electroactive material is present in the cathode formulation in an amount of at least 80% by weight, relative to the total weight of the cathode formulation.

6. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black is present in the cathode formulation in an amount ranging from 3% to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the cathode formulation.

7. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-based electroactive material is selected from:
LiMPO 4 , wherein M represents one or more metals selected from Fe, Mn, Co, and Ni;
LiM′O 2 , wherein M′ represents one or more metals selected from Ni, Mn, Co, Al, Mg, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Zr, Ga, and Si;
Li(M″) 2 O 4 , wherein M″ represents one or more metals selected from Ni, Mn, Co, Al, Mg, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Zr, Ga, and Si; and
Li 1+x (Ni y Co 1−y−z Mn z )1- x O 2 , wherein x ranges from 0 to 1, y ranges from 0 to 1 and z ranges from 0 to 1.

8. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-based electroactive material is selected from at least one of LiNiO 2 ; LiNi x Al y O 2 where x varies from 0.8-0.99, y varies from 0.01-0.2, and x+y=1; LiCoO 2 ; LiMn 2 O 4 ; Li 2 MnO 3 ; LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ; LiFe x Mn y Co z PO 4 where x varies from 0.01-1, y varies from 0.01-1, z varies from 0.01-0.2, and x+y+z=1; LiNi 1−x−y Mn x Co y O 2 , wherein x ranges from 0.01 to 0.99 and y ranges from 0.01 to 0.99; and layer-layer compositions containing an Li 2 MnO 3 phase or a LiMn 2 O 3 phase.

9. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-based electroactive material is selected from at least one of Li 2 MnO 3 ; LiNi 1−x−y Mn x Co y O 2 wherein x ranges from 0.01 to 0.99 and y ranges from 0.01 to 0.99; LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ; Li 1+x (Ni y Co 1−y−z Mn z ) 1−x O 2 , wherein x ranges from 0 to 1, y ranges from 0 to 1 and z ranges from 0 to 1; and layer-layer compositions containing at least one of an Li 2 MnO 3 phase and an LiMn 2 O 3 phase.

10. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the carbon black is homogeneously interspersed with the lithium-ion based electroactive material.

11. The cathode formulation of claim 1 , wherein the surface area ratio of carbon black to lithium ion-based electroactive material ranges from 1 to 5.

12. A cathode paste containing particles comprising a lithium ion-based electroactive material and a carbon black, wherein the paste further comprises:
a binder; and
a solvent,
wherein the carbon black has a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 130 to 700 m 2 /g, a ratio of statistical thickness surface area (STSA)/BET ranging from 0.5 to 1, and a surface energy less than or equal to 10 mJ/m 2 , wherein the carbon black has a crystallinity (I G /I D ) of at least 35% as determined by Raman spectroscopy.

13. A method of making a cathode, comprising:
combining particles comprising carbon black, a lithium ion-based electroactive material, and a binder in the presence of a solvent to produce a paste;
depositing the paste onto a substrate; and
forming the cathode,
wherein the carbon black has a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 130 to 700 m 2 /g, a ratio of statistical thickness surface area (STSA)/BET ranging from 0.5 to 1, and a surface energy less than or equal to 10 mJ/m 2 , wherein the carbon black has a crystallinity (I G /I D ) of at least 35% as determined by Raman spectroscopy.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the forming comprises removing the solvent.

Assignees

• Cabot Corp

Inventors

• Blizanac Berislav
• Dupasquier Aurelien L
• Oljaca Miodrag

Classifications

• H01M4/625 Primary

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/525

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy · CPC title

• H01M4/505

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy · CPC title

• H01M4/131

  Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title