Methods and devices for electrochemical relithiation of lithium-ion batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12199252-B2
Application number	US-202318529818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2023
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

Among other things, the present disclosure relates to re-purposing used lithium-ion batteries. The present disclosure includes treating an electrode using a solvent prior to electrochemically relithiating the electrode. In some embodiments, the relithiation may be done using a roll-to-roll device, wherein the electrode may be secured on a first pin and a second pin, then it may be unwound and submerged in an electrolyte solution. Lithium ions may be inserted into the electrode using a voltage. The layer of lithium may provide lithium ions to the electrode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for repurposing a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising, in order:
removing at least a portion of the cathode of the lithium-ion battery;
mixing the portion of the cathode with a ketone;
separating the ketone from the portion of the cathode;
recasting the portion of the cathode; and
relithiating the cathode; wherein:
the ketone comprises at least one of acetone, benzophenone, or acetophenone.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the removing comprises at least one of scraping, cutting, pulling, grating, or detaching the cathode from the lithium-ion battery.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium-ion battery comprises a coin cell or pouch cell.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing comprises at least one of sonicating, stirring, or soaking the portion of the cathode in the ketone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the lithium-ion battery comprises a layer of foil, and
the recasting comprises at least one of placing or attaching the cathode on the layer of foil.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium-ion battery comprises a wound or jelly roll design.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the relithiating comprises at least one of hydrothermal, hydrothermal-ultrasonic, solid-phase sintering, ionothermal, or electrochemical relithiation.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rinsing the cathode; wherein:
the rinsing is performed after the relithiation.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the rinsing comprises using an electrolytic solvent to remove a salt from the cathode.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the electrolytic solvent comprises at least one of diethyl carbonate (DEC), ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), or ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC).

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the salt comprises crystallized lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6 ).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the separating comprises drying the portion of the cathode.

Assignees

• Alliance Sustainable Energy

Inventors

• Smith Kandler Alan
• SANTHANAGOPALAN Shriram
• Sunderlin Nathaniel Alexander
• COLCLASURE Andrew Michael
• Ban Chunmei
• Li Xuemin
• Netter Judy C
• Finegan Donal Patrick
• Fink Kaitlin Elizabeth
• Coyle Jaclyn Elizabeth

Classifications

• H01M10/0587

  of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators · CPC title

• H01M4/139

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/049

  Manufacturing of an active layer by chemical means · CPC title

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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