Solid-state synthesis for the fabrication of a layered anode material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12034144-B2
Application number	US-202117486378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2021
Priority date	Sep 27, 2021
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A method for forming a prelithiated, layered anode material includes contacting an ionic compound and a lithium precursor in an environment having a temperature ranging from about 200° C. to about 900° C. The ionic compound is a three-dimensional layered material represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B). The lithium precursor is selected from the group consisting of: LiH, LiC, LiOH, LiCl, and combinations thereof. The contacting of the ionic compound and the lithium precursor in the environment causes removal of cations from the ionic compound to create openings in interlayer spaces or voids in the three-dimensional layered material thereby defining a two-dimensional layered material and also causes introduction of lithium ions from the lithium precursor into the interlayer spaces or voids to form the prelithiated, layered anode material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a prelithiated, layered anode material, the method comprising:
contacting an ionic compound and a lithium precursor in an environment having a temperature greater than or equal to about 200° C. to less than or equal to about 900° C., wherein the ionic compound is a three-dimensional layered material represented by MX 2 , where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B), the ionic compound comprises alternating layers of M and X, and the contacting of the ionic compound and the lithium precursor in the environment causes removal of M from the ionic compound to create openings in interlayer spaces or voids in the three-dimensional layered material thereby defining a two-dimensional layered material and introduction of lithium ions from the lithium precursor into the interlayer spaces or voids to form the prelithiated, layered anode material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium precursor is selected from the group consisting of: LiH, LiC, LiOH, LiCl, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the ionic compound to the lithium precursor is greater than or equal to about 1:1 to less than or equal to about 5:1.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
surface treating one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the surface treating of the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material comprises:
contacting the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material with a carbon dioxide to form one or more lithium carbonate layers on the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the surface treating of the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material comprises:
contacting the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material with a chemical bath to form one or more coatings on the one or more surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material, wherein the chemical bath comprises an electrolyte.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
separating the prelithiated, layered anode material and the remaining cationic material including the cations using a density separation process, wherein the prelithiated, layered anode material has a first density and the remaining cationic material has a second density, the first density being less than the second density, and wherein the density separation process comprises:
contacting the prelithiated, layered anode material with an anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents having a third density that is between the first density and the second density, wherein upon stirring of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents the prelithiated, layered anode material can be collected at a top surface of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents and the remaining cationic material can be collected at a bottom surface of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environment comprises one or more inert gases.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environment comprises carbon dioxide.

10. A method for forming a prelithiated, layered anode material, the method comprising:
ball milling an ionic compound and a lithium precursor to form an admixture, wherein the ionic compound is a three-dimensional layered material represented by MX 2 , where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B), and the lithium precursor is selected from the group consisting of LiH, LiC, LiOH, LiCl, and combinations thereof; and
heating the admixture to a high temperature greater than or equal to about 200° C. to less than or equal to about 900° C., wherein the high temperature causes cations to move from the ionic compound to create openings in interlayer spaces or voids in the three-dimensional layered material thereby defining a two-dimensional layered material and the high temperature introduces lithium ions from the lithium precursor into the interlayer spaces or voids to form the prelithiated, layered anode material.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of the ionic compound to the lithium precursor is greater than or equal to about 1:1 to less than or equal to about 5:1.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
contacting the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material with carbon dioxide to form one or more lithium carbonate layers on the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
contacting the one or more exposed surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material with a chemical bath to form one or more coatings on the one or more surfaces of the prelithiated, layered anode material, wherein the chemical bath comprises an electrolyte.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
separating the prelithiated, layered anode material and a remaining cationic material including the cations using a density separation process, wherein the prelithiated, layered anode material has a first density and the remaining cationic material has a second density, the first density being less than the second density, and wherein the density separation process comprises:
contacting the prelithiated, layered anode material with an anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents having a third density that is between the first density and the second density, wherein upon stirring of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents the prelithiated, layered anode material can be collected at a top surface of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents and the remaining cationic material can be collected at a bottom surface of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents.

15. A method for forming a prelithiated, layered anode material, the method comprising:
contacting an ionic compound and a lithium precursor in an environment having a temperature greater than or equal to about 200° C. to less than or equal to about 900° C., wherein the ionic compound is a three-dimensional layered material represented by MX 2 , where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B), and the contacting of the ionic compound and the lithium precursor in the environment causes removal of cations from the ionic compound to create openings in interlayer spaces or voids in the three-dimensional layered material thereby defining a two-dimensional layered material and causes introduction of lithium ions from the lithium precursor into the interlayer spaces or voids to form the prelithiated, layered anode material; and
separating the prelithiated, layered anode material and the remaining cationic material including the cations using a density separation process, wherein the prelithiated, layered anode material has a first density and the remaining cationic material has a second density, the first density being less than the second density, and wherein the density separation process comprises:
contacting the prelithiated, layered anode material with an anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents having a third density that is between the first density and the second density, wherein upon stirring of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents the prelithiated, layered anode material can be collected at a top surface of the anhydrous solvent or mixture of solvents and the remaining cationic material can be

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Yu Paul Taichiang
• Mao Leng
• Cain Jeffrey David
• Bobel Andrew Clay

Classifications

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/505

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy · CPC title

• H01M4/525

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy · CPC title

• H01M50/414

  Synthetic resins, e.g. thermoplastics or thermosetting resins · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title