Electrodes configured to reduce occurrences of short circuits and/or lithium plating in batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985361-B2
Application number	US-201916540716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2019
Priority date	Dec 22, 2010
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

An example method of reducing short circuits from occurring in a battery can include providing a current collector coated with a safety layer. The method can include providing an electrochemically active material film on the safety layer such that the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode. The method can also include adhering the electrochemically active material film to the current collector via the safety layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer disposed on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material film disposed on the safety layer, wherein the safety layer extends over an area of the current collector that the electrochemically active material film extends over and beyond, and wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises a carbon phase that holds the film together.

2. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer is configured to adhere the electrochemically active material film to the current collector.

3. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises an anode film, and wherein the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in a lithium ion battery.

4. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.

5. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon.

6. The electrode of claim 5 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the film.

7. The electrode of claim 6 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the film.

8. The electrode of claim 7 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the film.

9. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises a monolithic self-supporting film.

10. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises porosity that is substantially free of material forming the safety layer.

11. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material film penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.

12. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.

13. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.

14. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.

15. The electrode of claim 14 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.

16. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer disposed on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material film disposed on the safety layer, wherein the safety layer extends over an area of the current collector that the electrochemically active material film extends over and beyond, and wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises:
a carbon phase that holds the film together; and
silicon particles distributed within the carbon phase.

17. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer is configured to adhere the electrochemically active material film to the current collector.

18. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises an anode film, and wherein the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in a lithium ion battery.

19. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.

20. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon.

21. The electrode of claim 20 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the film.

22. The electrode of claim 21 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the film.

23. The electrode of claim 22 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the film.

24. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises a monolithic self-supporting film.

25. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the carbon phase comprises hard carbon.

26. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises porosity that is substantially free of material forming the safety layer.

27. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material film penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.

28. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.

29. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.

30. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.

31. The electrode of claim 30 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.

32. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer disposed on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material film disposed on the safety layer, wherein:
the safety layer extends over an area of the current collector that the electrochemically active material film extends over and beyond;
the electrochemically active material film comprises a carbon phase that holds the film together; and
the carbon phase comprises hard carbon.

33. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer is configured to adhere the electrochemically active material film to the current collector.

34. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises an anode film, and wherein the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in a lithium ion battery.

35. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.

36. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon.

37. The electrode of claim 36 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the film.

38. The electrode of claim 37 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the film.

39. The electrode of claim 38 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the film.

40. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises a monolithic self-supporting film.

41. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material film comprises porosity that is substantially free of material forming the safety layer.

42. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material film penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.

43. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially

Assignees

• Enevate Corp

Inventors

• Bonhomme Frederic C
• Pierce Steve

Classifications

• H01M4/622

  being polymers · CPC title

• H01M2004/021

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

• H01M4/667

  in the form of layers, e.g. coatings · CPC title

• H01M4/1395

  of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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