Electroactive materials for metal-ion batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11715824-B2
Application number	US-202117190024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2021
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 μm; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise:
a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores, wherein
the micropores and mesopores have a total pore volume as measured by gas adsorption of P 1 cm 3 /g, wherein P 1 has a value of at least 0.6 and no more than 2,
the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm (φ 10 ) is at least 0.75, based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores, and
the porous carbon framework has a D 50 particle size of less than 20 μm; and

a plurality of nanoscale elemental silicon domains located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework;

wherein the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is in the range from [1×P 1 to 1.9×P 1 ]:1.

2. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein pores having a pore diameter in the range of 10-50 nm constitute up to 10% of the total volume of micropores and mesopores of the porous carbon framework.

3. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon framework has a volume fraction of pores having a diameter no more than 5 nm (φ 5 ) of at least 0.7.

4. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon framework comprises macropores having a diameter in the range from greater than 50 nm to 100 nm having a total volume P 2 cm 3 /g as measured by mercury porosimetry, wherein P 2 is no more than 0.2×P 1 .

5. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite particles have an average sphericity of at least 0.70.

6. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite particles have an average sphericity of at least 0.90.

7. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon framework is a hard carbon framework.

8. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon framework is derived from pyrolysis of a polymeric material.

9. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon framework is an activated porous carbon framework.

10. A particulate material according to claim 9 , wherein the activated porous carbon framework is activated by being contacted with one or more of oxygen, steam, CO, CO 2 and KOH at a temperature in the range of 600-1000° C.

11. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite particles have a conductive carbon coating formed thereon.

12. A particulate material according to claim 11 , wherein the conductive carbon coating is in the range of 2-30 nm in thickness.

13. A particulate material according to claim 1 , having a BET surface area in the range of 0.1-30 m 2 /g.

14. A particulate material according to claim 1 , having a BET surface area in the range of 1-25 m 2 /g.

15. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein P 1 has a value of at least 0.65 and no more than 1.8.

16. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is at least 1.1×P 1 .

17. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite particles have a D 50 particle diameter of at least 0.5 μm.

18. A particulate material according to claim 1 , wherein
P 1 has a value of at least 0.65 and no more than 1.8;
the volume fraction of micropores (φ a ) is in the range from from 0.55 to 0.8; and
the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is no more than the value given by [φ b +1.6]×P 1 , wherein φ b represents the volume fraction of mesopores, based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores.

19. An electrode comprising a current collector, and, in contact with the current collector, a composition comprising a particulate material according to claim 1 , and at least one other component selected from: (i) a binder; (ii) a conductive additive; and (iii) an additional particulate electroactive.

20. A rechargeable metal-ion battery comprising:
(i) an anode, wherein the anode comprises an electrode according to claim 19 ;
(ii) a cathode comprising a cathode active material capable of releasing and reabsorbing metal ions; and
(iii) an electrolyte between the anode and the cathode.

21. A particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise:
a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores, wherein
the micropores and mesopores have a total pore volume as measured by gas adsorption of P 1 cm 3 /g, wherein P 1 has a value of at least 0.6 and no more than 2,
the volume fraction of micropores (φ a ) is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9, based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores, and
the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm (φ 10 ) is at least 0.75, based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores; and

a plurality of nanoscale elemental silicon domains located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework;

wherein the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is in the range from [1×P 1 to 1.9×P 1 ]:1.

22. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the composite particles have an average sphericity of at least 0.70.

23. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the composite particles have an average sphericity of at least 0.90.

24. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the porous carbon framework is a hard carbon framework.

25. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the porous carbon framework is derived from pyrolysis of a polymeric material.

26. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the porous carbon framework is an activated porous carbon framework, the activated porous carbon framework being activated by being contacted with one or more of oxygen, steam, CO, CO 2 and KOH at a temperature in the range of 600-1000° C.

27. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the composite particles have a conductive carbon coating formed thereon, the conductive carbon coating being in the range of 2-30 nm in thickness.

28. A particulate material according to claim 21 , having a BET surface area in the range of 0.1-30 m 2 /g.

29. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is at least 1.1×P 1 .

30. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein the composite particles have a D 50 particle diameter in the range from 0.5 to 20 μm.

31. A particulate material according to claim 21 , wherein
P 1 has a value of at least 0.65 and no more than 1.8;
the volume fraction of micropores (φ a ) is in the range from from 0.55 to 0.8; and
the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is no more than the value given by [φ b +1.6]×P 1 , wherein φ b represents the volume fraction of mesopores, based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores.

32. An electrode comprising a particulate material according to claim 21 in electrical contact with a current collector.

33. A recha

Assignees

• Nexeon Ltd

Inventors

• Mason Charles
• Taylor Richard
• Friend Christopher Michael

Classifications

• H01M2004/021

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

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/133

  Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/366 Primary

  as layered products · CPC title