Internally enclosed support system for batteries, fabrication techniques and applications for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12009531-B1
Application number	US-202318216340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2023
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

Electrochemical cells and batteries including a polymeric support system in lieu of a conventional, metal-based structures. The polymer support system provides mechanical strength and mechanical flexibility to the electrochemical cells in a manner that is advantageously greater than what is provided by conventional structures, in spite of the fact that the polymer support system contributes far less to the overall weight of the electrochemical cells. The polymer support system may be present in an interior volume of an electrochemical cell, e.g., in the form of a continuous polymeric network penetrating various components of the electrochemical cell. The penetrating structures may include the anode and cathode current collectors, and any/all components therebetween. Additionally or alternatively, the polymer support system may include various forms of external support structures, chemical anchors, coatings and/or casings of the electrochemical cell. Additional advantageous characteristics include improved recyclability and increased longevity of the electrochemical cells.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
an anode;
a cathode;
a porous separator, directly ionically coupled or indirectly ionically coupled to the anode and the cathode; and
a plurality of precursors of a polymer support system present in an interior volume of the anode, an interior volume of the porous separator, and an interior volume of the cathode; and
wherein the plurality of precursors of the polymer support system are arranged in one or more continuous pathways extending from the anode to the cathode.

2. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of precursors of the polymer support system is selected from the group consisting of:
one or more polymeric precursors;
one or more initiators;
one or more binders;
one or more terminators;
one or more crosslinkers;
one or more carbonaceous materials;
one or more scavenging materials;
one or more thermosetting materials;
one or more solvent systems;
one or more phase change materials;
one or more lithium ion transporting compounds; and
combinations thereof.

3. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more polymeric precursors are precursors of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: polytrimethylene terephthalate, polyethersulfone, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin copolymers, polystyrene, polystyrene copolymers, polythene, polyvinyl halides, polyvinyl alcohols, polytetrafluoroethylene (TEFLON(R)), polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyesters, polyvinylchloride, fluoropolymers, polyamides, polyamide-imides, polyether imides, polyphenylene sulfides, polysulfones, polyacetals, polycarbonates, polyphenylene oxides, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, epoxies, alkyds, melamines, phenolics, ureas, vinyl esters, hybridized crosslinking polymers, cyanate esters, polyurethanes, acrylonitric butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN); ethylene vinyl alcohol, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polyvinyl cinnamate, polyisoprene, polyimides, styrenic block copolymers, bitumen, nitrile rubber, polycarbonate, polyetherimide (PEI), poly(pheylene sulfide) (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketones (PEK), and combinations thereof.

4. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more initiators are selected from the group consisting of: moisture-based initiators, exothermic initiators, endothermic initiators, radical-generating compounds, sources of electromagnetic radiation, and combinations thereof.

5. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more binders are selected from the group consisting of: polyacrylate, polyacrylate, polyacrylamide (PAM), cyanoacrylates, aliphatic amines, polyamides, amidoamines, cyclophatic amines, aromatic amines, vinyltrimethoxysilane, and combinations thereof.

6. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more crosslinkers are selected from the group consisting of: amine-based chemicals, polycarbamides, polyamides, dicyandiamide, cycloalpahtic amines, boron trifluoride, amidoamines, aliphatic amines, tetraglycidyldiaminodiphenylmethane, diethyltoluene diamine, aromatic amine curing agents, and combinations thereof.

7. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more carbonaceous materials are selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, graphite, pyrolytic graphite, graphene (preferably three-dimensional graphene (3DG), graphene nanoparticles, and/or graphene platelets), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), carbon nanotubes, carbon nano-onions (CNOs), necked CNOs, carbon nanospheres, fullerenes, hybrid fullerenes, and combinations thereof.

8. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more scavenging materials are selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene (PP), polyacrylate polyols, phenolic antioxidants, n-octyltriethoxysilane, n-propyltriethoxysilane, trimethylsilyl)isothiocyanate (TMSNCS), aminosilan-based compounds, copper-containing compounds, zinc-containing compounds, iron-containing compounds, polyacrylates, volcanic ash, talc, mica, alumina, silica, cellulose-based materials, metallic reducing agents, metal halides, ascorbic acid, sodium bicarbonate, and combinations thereof.

9. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more thermosetting materials are selected from the group consisting of: epoxies, phenocarboxylic acids (phenolic), bismaleimides, cyanates, esters, polybenzoxazines, crosslinking polymers, photopolymers, carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

10. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more solvent systems comprise one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: dimethyl siloxane (DMSO), tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA) and/or dimethyl formamide (DMF), 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), tetrahydrofuran (THF), triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME), 2-methyl-2-oxazoline (MOZ), 1,3-Dioxolane (DOL), 3,3-dimethyloxetane (DMO), 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EOZ), e-caprolactone (CL), and combinations thereof.

11. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein the one or more lithium ion transporting compounds are selected from the group consisting of: palladium (II) oxide, lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO 2 ), lithium lanthanides, diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (DPIHFP), lithium borohydride (LiBH 4 ) lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) (LiC 2 F 6 NO 4 S 2 ), lithium thiophosphates, NASICON, Li 1.3 Al 0.3 Ti 1.7 (PO 4 ) 3 (LATP)), perovskite, Li 0.5 La 0.5 TiO 3 , (LLTO), lithium azide (Li 3 N), argyrodite (Li 6 PS 5 Cl), and combinations thereof.

12. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , comprising an anode current collector electrically coupled to the anode, and a cathode current collector electrically coupled to the cathode.

13. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 12 , wherein the plurality of precursors of the polymer support system are also present in an interior volume of the anode current collector.

14. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 12 , wherein the plurality of precursors of the polymer support system are also present in an interior volume of the cathode current collector.

15. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 12 , wherein at least some of the one or more continuous pathways extend from the anode current collector to the cathode current collector.

16. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is arranged in a jelly-roll configuration and contained within an enclosure.

17. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of precursors of the polymer support system are also present within interstitial spaces between rolled layers of the electrochemical cell.

18. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of precursors are present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % of a total weight of the electrochemical cell to about 20 wt % of a total weight of the electrochemical cell.

19. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein the polymer support system comprises one or more continuous, interpenetrating pathways present in an interior volume of the electrochemical cell and oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the anode, the cathode, and the separator.

20. The electrochemical cell as recited in cl

Assignees

• Lyten Inc

Inventors

• Baucom Jesse
• Favors Zach
• Anzelmo Bryce H
• Rhodes Kevin

Classifications

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M50/121 Primary

  Organic material · CPC title

• H01M4/666 Primary

  in the form of mixed materials (H01M4/668 takes precedence) · CPC title