Method of fabricating an electrode structure having a continuous porous network nanostructure by electrochemical cycling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11075370-B2
Application number	US-201715703493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2017
Priority date	Apr 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

The invention provides process for producing a stable Si or Ge electrode structure comprising cycling a Si or Ge nanowire electrode until a structure of the Si nanowires form a continuous porous network of Si or Ge ligaments.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for producing a lithium-ion battery comprising the steps of:
providing an electrode structure comprising a substrate coated with an array of Si, Ge, or Sn nanowires;
providing an electrode formulation comprising a component to stabilize a solid electrolyte interphase layer in contact with the electrode structure, wherein the component of the electrolyte formulation that stabilizes the solid electrolyte interphase layer comprises vinylene carbonate; and
electrically cycling the Si or Ge or Sn electrode structure until a nanostructure forms of a continuous porous network of Si or Ge or Sn ligaments.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises continually lithiating and delithiating the Si or Ge or Sn electrode structure to form the continuous porous network of Si or Ge or Sn ligaments.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of electrically cycling the Si or Ge or Sn electrode structure is performed for at least 100 cycles.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of electrically cycling the Si or Ge or Sn electrode structure is performed at a rate of C/2.

5. A process for producing a lithium-ion battery comprising the steps of:
providing an electrode structure comprising a substrate coated with an array of Si, Ge, or Sn nanowires;
providing an electrode formulation comprising a component to stabilize a solid electrolyte interphase layer in contact with the electrode structure; and
electrically cycling the Si or Ge or Sn electrode structure until a nanostructure forms of a continuous porous network of Si or Ge or Sn ligaments.

Assignees

• Univ Limerick

Inventors

• Ryan Kevin M
• Kennedy Tadhg
• Mullane Emma

Classifications

• C23C16/28

  Deposition of only one other non-metal element · CPC title

• C23C16/0227

  by cleaning or etching · CPC title

• H01M4/045

  Electrochemical coating; Electrochemical impregnation · CPC title

• H01M4/134 Primary

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/662

  Alloys (collectors of lead alloys H01M4/685) · CPC title