Lithium-sulfur battery electrolyte compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12249690-B2
Application number	US-202217578240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2022
Priority date	Jul 23, 2021
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A lithium-sulfur battery including an anode, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte dispersed throughout the lithium-sulfur battery is provided. The anode may output lithium ions. The cathode may be positioned opposite to the anode and have an overall porosity as defined by multiple non-hollow carbon spherical (NHCS) particles joined together to form tubular NHCS particle agglomerate. Pores may be associated with the overall porosity of the cathode and interspersed uniformly throughout the NHCS particles. In some aspects, each pore having a diameter between 1 nm and 10 nm; and each tubular NCHS agglomerate has a length between 5 micrometers (μm) and 35 μm. Interconnected channels defined in shape by the NHCS particles may be joined to each other and the pores, where some interconnected channels may be pre-loaded with an elemental sulfur and retain polysulfides (PS). Retention of the polysulfides may be based on some NHCS particles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lithium-sulfur battery comprising:
an anode;
a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, the cathode having an overall porosity between 40% and 70% and comprising:
a plurality of non-hollow carbon spherical (NHCS) particles joined together forming a plurality of tubular NHCS particle agglomerates, each NCHS particle having a diameter between 30 nanometers (nm) and 60 nm and comprising:
a first region adjacent to a center of a respective NHCS particle, the first region having a first density of carbonaceous materials;
a second region adjacent to a surface a respective NHCS particle, the second region encapsulating the first region and formed from a second density of carbonaceous materials lower than the first density of carbonaceous materials, the first region and the second region in fluid communication with each other; and
a plurality of interconnected channels defined in shape by adjacent NHCS particles, at least some interconnected channels configured to be pre-loaded with an elemental sulfur and retain polysulfides (PS) based on one or more of the first density of carbonaceous materials or the second density of carbonaceous materials;

an electrolyte interspersed throughout the cathode and contacting the anode; and
a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode.

2. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 58:28:13 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and tetra ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

3. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and tetrahydrofuran (THF); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

4. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

5. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and tetramethyl urea (TMU); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

6. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and toluene; and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

7. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and dimethyl formamide (DMF); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

8. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and methoxyperfluorobutane (MPB); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

9. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and trifluoroethyl ether (TFE); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

10. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TrigDME); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

11. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

12. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) formed from approximately 114.83 grams of powdered LiTFSI dissolved in 1 liter of a liquid solvent mixture having a 50:25:25 volume ratio of dimethoxyethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS); and
an additive including 26 grams of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) added to the 0.4 molar (M) solution of LiTFSI to achieve a dilution level of 2 percent by weight of lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ).

13. The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises:
a 0.4 molar (M) so

Assignees

• Lyten Inc

Inventors

• Bugga Ratnakumar
• Long Jared Christopher
• Bell Jeffrey
• Vanheusden Karel

Classifications

• H01M10/0568

  characterised by the solutes · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M2004/021

  Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M10/0569

  characterised by the solvents · CPC title