Anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11728468-B2
Application number	US-202016845693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2020
Priority date	Nov 5, 2019
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a metal used for the current collector, and/or a lamination process that adheres the active material to the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 μm thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a battery, the method comprising:
forming a battery comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, the anode comprising a copper current collector and an active material on the current collector, the active material having a silicon content of 50% or more by weight; and
configuring an expansion of the anode during operation,
wherein the copper current collector comprises copper-based material;
wherein the expansion of the anode during operation is controlled or adjusted based on a selection of the copper-based material used for the current collector to ensure that the anode expands less in one of the x-y directions and the z-direction while expanding more in a different one of the x-y directions and the z-direction, and
wherein the selection of the copper-based material comprises selecting among a plurality of different types or options for the copper-based material.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anode expands less in lateral directions and expands more in a z-direction with a more rigid material as compared to a less rigid material, wherein the vertical direction is with respect to a top surface of the anode.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a more rigid current collector comprises nickel.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a more rigid current collector comprises copper coated with carbon.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein expansion of the anode in lateral directions is less than 0.5% for copper coated with carbon.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a copper foil.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising applying the active material to the copper current collector using flat pressing, and wherein expansion of the anode in lateral directions is less than 4% when the active material is flat pressed on the copper current collector.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising applying the active material to the copper current collector using roll pressing, and wherein expansion of the anode in lateral directions is less than 2% when the active material is roll pressed on the copper current collector.

Assignees

• Enevate Corp

Inventors

• Canton Giulia
• Park Benjamin
• Bonhomme Fred
• Lee David J
• Browne Ian

Classifications

• H01M4/134 Primary

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/0435

  Rolling or calendering · CPC title

• H01M4/1395

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

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/745

  Expanded metal · CPC title