Lithium-containing coatings for cathode materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12119484-B2
Application number	US-202117548031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2021
Priority date	Dec 10, 2021
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

A positive electrode including a plurality of electroactive particles defining an electroactive layer is provided. A first lithium-containing coating is disposed on one or more surfaces of the electroactive layer. The first lithium-containing coating covers between about 30% and about 50% of a total exposed surface area of the electroactive layer. A second lithium-containing coating encompasses at least one electroactive particle of the plurality of electroactive particles. The second lithium-containing coating covers between about 95% and about 100% of the at least one electroactive particle. The first and second lithium-containing coatings each have a thickness between about 0.2 nm and about 5 nm. The positive electrode further includes an electrolyte additive that aids in the formation of a first passivation layer on exposed surfaces of the first lithium-containing coating, and a second passivation layer on exposed surfaces of the second lithium-containing coating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positive electrode comprising:
a positive electroactive material comprising a plurality of positive electroactive material particles and defining an electroactive material layer;
a first lithium-containing coating disposed on one or more surfaces of the electroactive material layer, the first lithium-containing coating consisting essentially of a single continuous layer coating, the first lithium-containing coating having a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.2 nanometers to less than or equal to about 5 nanometers and an ionic conductivity greater than or equal to about 10 −7 S/cm to less than or equal to about 10 −3 S/cm, the first lithium-containing coating covering greater than or equal to about 30% to less than or equal to about 50% of a total surface area of the electroactive material layer; and
a second lithium-containing coating surrounding at least one positive electroactive material particle of the plurality of positive electroactive material particles, the second lithium-containing coating having a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.2 nanometers to less than or equal to about 5 nanometers and covering greater than or equal to about 95% to less than or equal to about 100% of a total exposed surface area of the at least one positive electroactive material particle.

2. The positive electrode of claim 1 , wherein the positive electroactive material is selected from the group consisting of: NCM 111, NCM 532, NCM 622, NCM 712, NCM 811, NCMA, NCA, LNMO, and combinations thereof, and
the first and second lithium-containing coatings each comprise a lithium-containing material independently selected from the group consisting of: lithium phosphates, lithium alumina, lithium niobates, lithium silicates, lithium alumina fluoride, lithium fluoride, lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON), and combinations thereof.

3. The positive electrode of claim 1 , further comprising:
greater than 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 1 wt. % of an electrolyte additive, wherein the electrolyte additive is represented by Li[B((OCH 2 ) x CF 3 ) 4 ], where 1≤x≤6.

4. The positive electrode of claim 1 , further comprising an electrolyte additive, wherein the electrolyte additive comprises:

and combinations thereof.

5. The positive electrode of claim 3 , further comprising:
a passivation layer defined by the electrolyte additive disposed on one or more exposed surfaces of the first lithium-containing coating, the passivation layer having a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.2 nanometers to less than or equal to about 5 nanometers and covering greater than or equal to about 0.1% to less than or equal to about 50% of a total exposed surface area of the first lithium-containing coating.

6. The positive electrode of claim 1 , wherein the first lithium-containing coating is prepared using one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process or a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, wherein a coating precursor comprises one or more binary or ternary compounds, one or more lithium-source precursors, and one or more oxidizers.

7. The positive electrode of claim 6 , wherein the one or more binary or ternary compounds are selected from the group consisting of:
lithium phosphates, lithium alumina, lithium niobates, lithium silicates, lithium alumina fluoride, lithium fluoride, lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON), and combinations thereof;
the one or more lithium-source precursors are selected from the group consisting of: lithium tert-butoxide (LiOtBu), lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amid e (LiHMDS), lithium 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate (Lithd), lithium amides, and combinations thereof; and
the one or more oxidizers are selected from the group consisting of: trimethyl phosphate ((MeO) 3 PO) (TMPO), H 2 O, TiF 4 , NH 4 F, O 3 , O 2 , and combinations thereof.

8. The positive electrode of claim 7 , wherein the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process or the plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process has a deposition temperature of greater than or equal to about 100° C. to less than or equal to about 250° C.

9. The positive electrode of claim 6 , wherein the second lithium-containing coating is prepared using one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, wherein a coating precursor comprises one or more binary or ternary compounds, one or more lithium-source precursors, and one or more oxidizers.

10. A positive electrode comprising:
a plurality of positive electroactive material particles defining an electroactive material layer;
a first lithium-containing coating surrounding at least one positive electroactive material particle of the plurality of positive electroactive material particles, the at least one lithium-containing coating having a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.2 nanometers to less than or equal to about 5 nanometers and an ionic conductivity greater than or equal to about 10 −7 S/cm to less than or equal to about 10 −3 S/cm; and
a second lithium-containing coating disposed on the electroactive material layer, the second lithium-containing coating consisting essentially of a single continuous layer coating, the second lithium-containing coating having a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.2 nanometers to less than or equal to about 5 nanometers and covering greater than or equal to about 30% to less than or equal to about 50% of a total exposed surface area of the electroactive material layer.

11. The positive electrode of claim 10 , wherein the positive electroactive material is selected from the group consisting of: NCM 111, NCM 532, NCM 622, NCM 712, NCM 811, NCMA, NCA, LNMO, and combinations thereof, and
wherein the first and second lithium-containing coatings each comprise a lithium-containing material independently selected from the group consisting of: lithium phosphates, lithium alumina, lithium niobates, lithium silicates, lithium alumina fluoride, lithium fluoride, lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON), and combinations thereof.

12. The positive electrode of claim 10 , wherein the first lithium-containing coating covers greater than or equal to about 95% to less than or equal to about 100% of a total exposed surface area of the at least one positive electroactive material particle.

13. The positive electrode of claim 10 , further comprising: greater than 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 1 wt. % of an electrolyte additive, wherein the electrolyte additive is represented by Li[B((OCH 2 ) x CF 3 ) 4 ], where 1≤x≤6.

14. The positive electrode of claim 13 , further comprising:
a passivation layer defined by the electrolyte additive disposed on one or more exposed surfaces of the first lithium-containing coating, the passivation layer having a thickness greater than or equal to about 0.2 nanometers to less than or equal to about 5 nanometers and covering greater than or equal to about 30% to less than or equal to about 50% of a total exposed surface area of the first lithium-containing coating.

15. The positive electrode of claim 10 , wherein the first lithium-containing coating is prepared using one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process, wherein a coating precursor comprises:
one or more binary or ternary compounds selected from the group consisting of: lithium phosphates, lithium alumina, lithium niobates, lithium silicates, lithium alumina fluoride, lithium fluoride, lithium pho

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Wang Biqiong
• He Meinan
• Dailly Anne M
• Beckner Matthew
• Cai Mei

Classifications

• H01M4/505 Primary

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

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/131

  Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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