Separators for lithium-containing electrochemical cells and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10950836-B2
Application number	US-201815878653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2018
Priority date	Jan 24, 2018
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A porous separator for a lithium-containing electrochemical cell is provided herein. The porous separator includes a porous substrate and an active layer comprising lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles. Methods of manufacturing the porous separator and lithium-containing electrochemical cells including the porous separator are also provided herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A porous separator for a lithium-containing electrochemical cell comprising:
a porous substrate having a first side and an opposing second side; and
an active layer comprising a mixture of lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles and a polymeric binder, wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles have:
(i) an average pore size diameter of less than or equal to about 1 nm;
(ii) an average particle diameter of less than or equal to about 20 μm;
(iii) lithium cations present in an amount greater than or equal to about 90 at. % of extra-framework cations in the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles; and
(iv) less than or equal to about 5 at. % of one or more of the following cations: Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca + , H + , and NH 4 + ;
wherein the active layer is present on both the first and second sides of the porous substrate, and the active layer has a thickness of less than or equal to about 20 μm.

2. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles are present in the active layer in an amount of about 40 to about 95 wt. %.

3. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles have one or more of the following:
(i) an average pore size diameter of about 0.01 nm to about 1 nm;
(ii) an average particle diameter of about 10 nm to about 20 μm; and
(iv) a SiO 2 :Al 2 O 3 ratio of about 10 to about 50.

4. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles have pore openings defined by 8-member rings, 9-membered rings, 10-membered rings, 12-membered rings or a combination thereof.

5. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles comprise a zeolite material having a framework type selected from the group consisting of NAT, EDI, THO, ANA, YUG, GOO, MON, HEU, STI, BRE, FAU, MFI, LTL, LTA, and a combination thereof.

6. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles comprise a zeolite material selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite Y, zeolite L, ZSM-5, and a combination thereof.

7. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles comprise less than or equal to about 1 at. % of one or more of Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca + , H + and NH 4 + cations.

8. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the active layer has a thickness of about 50 nm to about 20 μm.

9. The porous separator of claim 1 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles are formed from precursor zeolite particles comprising H + and NH 4 + cations in an amount greater than one or more cations selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , and Ca + .

10. A lithium-containing electrochemical cell comprising:
a negative electrode layer;
a positive electrode layer spaced apart from the negative electrode layer:
a porous separator disposed between confronting surfaces of the negative electrode layer and the positive electrode layer, wherein the porous separator comprises:
a porous substrate having a first side and an opposing second side; and
an active layer comprising a mixture of lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles and a polymeric binder, wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles have:
(i) an average pore size diameter of less than or equal to about 1 nm;
(ii) an average particle diameter of less than or equal to about 20 μm;
(iii) lithium cations present in an amount greater than or equal to about 95 at. % of extra-framework cations in the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles; and
(iv) less than or equal to about 1 at. % of one or more of the following cations: Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca + , H + , and NH 4 + ;
wherein the active layer is present on both the first and second sides of the porous substrate, and the active layer has a thickness of less than or equal to about 20 μm; and

a liquid electrolyte infiltrating the negative electrode layer, the positive electrode layer, and the porous separator.

11. The lithium-containing electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the positive electrode layer comprises sulfur.

12. The lithium-containing electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles are present in the active layer in an amount of about 40 to about 95 wt. %.

13. The lithium-containing electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles are formed from precursor zeolite particles comprising H + and NH 4 + cations in an amount greater than one or more cations selected from the group consisting of Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , and Ca + .

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Xiao Xingcheng
• Cai Mei
• Qi Gongshin

Classifications

• H01M4/131 Primary

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

• H01M50/417

  Polyolefins · CPC title

• H01M50/491

  Porosity · CPC title

• H01M50/489

  Separators, membranes, diaphragms or spacing elements inside the cells, characterised by their physical properties, e.g. swelling degree, hydrophilicity or shut down properties · CPC title

• H01M50/431

  Inorganic material · CPC title