High energy density secondary lithium batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10930969-B2
Application number	US-201916253688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2019
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A lithium ion battery includes a positive electrode comprising carbon fibers, a binder composition with conductive carbon, and a lithium rich composition. The lithium rich composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Li 1+x (My Mz II Mw III )O 2 where x+y+z+w= 1 , and where M, M II and M III are interchangeably manganese, nickel and cobalt, and LiM* 2-x M x * II O 4 , where M* and M* II are manganese and nickel, respectively, with x= 0.5 . A negative electrode comprises carbon fibers having bound thereto silicon nanoparticles, and a mesophase pitch derived carbon binder between the silicon nanoparticles and the carbon fibers. An electrolyte is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. Methods of making positive and negative electrodes are also disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of making a positive electrode, comprising the steps of:
providing carbon fiber, a binder composition comprising conductive carbon, and a lithium rich composition, the lithium rich composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of Li 1+x (M y M z II M w III )O 2 where x+y+z+w=1, and where M, M II and M III are interchangeably manganese, nickel and cobalt, and LiM* 2-x M x * II O 4 , where M* and M* II are manganese and nickel, respectively, with x=0.5;
creating a homogenous slurry with at least the binder composition, the lithium rich composition and a solvent; and
thermally treating the slurry and the carbon fiber at a temperature between 500-700° C. to bind the binder composition, lithium rich composition, and carbon fiber together and form a composite electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder composition comprises mesophase pitch.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon fiber is carbon nanofiber, and the binder composition comprises a polymer binder and conductive carbon particles, and the slurry includes the carbon nanofiber, polymer binder and conductive carbon particles, and the slurry is coated onto a metal current collector and then thermally treated.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder composition comprises mesophase pitch and the carbon fiber is provided as a mat, and a slurry of the mesophase pitch and lithium rich composition is coated onto the mat, and then thermally treated such that the mesophase pitch is conductive.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder composition comprises a polymer binder and conductive carbon particles, and the carbon fiber is carbon nanofiber.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the lithium rich composition is 85-90%, the binder composition is 5-7%, and the carbon fibers are 0.5-1% by weight of the electrode.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is N-vinyl pyrolidonne.

8. A method of making a battery, comprising the steps of:
(a) making a positive electrode, comprising the steps of
providing carbon fiber, a binder composition comprising conductive carbon, and a lithium rich composition, the lithium rich composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of Li 1+x (M y M z II M w III )O 2 where x+y+z+w=1, and where M, M II and M III are interchangeably manganese, nickel and cobalt, and LiM* 2-x M x * II O 4 , where M* and M* II are manganese and nickel, respectively, with x=0.5;
creating a homogenous slurry with at least the binder composition, the lithium rich composition and a solvent; and
thermally treating the slurry and the carbon fiber at a temperature between 500-700° C. to bind the binder composition, lithium rich composition, and carbon fiber together and form a composite electrode;
(b) making a negative electrode, comprising the steps of
providing the following constituents:
(i) silicon nanoparticles;
(ii) a mesophase petroleum pitch;
(iii) a solvent;

creating a homogenous slurry of the constituents (i)-(iii);
coating the slurry onto the surface of a carbon fiber matrix; and
thermally treating the slurry to carbonize the pitch and form a composite electrode; and,
(c) interposing an electrolyte between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Nanda Jagjit
• Dudney Nancy J
• Narula Chaitanya Kumar
• Pannala Sreekanth
• Unocic Raymond Robert
• Martha Surendra Kumar

Classifications

• H01M4/587

  for inserting or intercalating light metals · CPC title

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M2004/021

  Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area · CPC title

• H01M10/0525 Primary

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/131

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