Systems and methods for minimizing and preventing dendrite formation in electrochemical cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12476288-B2
Application number	US-202519200210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2025
Priority date	Dec 16, 2022
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to electrochemical cells with dendrite prevention mechanisms. In some aspects, an electrochemical cell can include an anode disposed on an anode current collector, a cathode disposed on a cathode current collector, the cathode having a first thickness at a proximal end of the cathode and a second thickness at a distal end of the cathode, the second thickness greater than the first thickness, a first separator disposed on the anode, a second separator disposed on the cathode, an interlayer disposed between the first separator and the second separator, the interlayer including electroactive material and having a proximal end and a distal end, and a power source electrically connected to the proximal end of the cathode and the proximal end of the interlayer, the power source configured to maintain a voltage difference between the cathode and the interlayer below a threshold value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
an anode; a cathode; a first separator disposed on the anode; a second separator disposed on the cathode, the second separator including a first conductive material; an interlayer disposed at least partially between the first separator and the second separator, the interlayer including a second conductive material in contact with the first conductive material; and a tab coupled to the second separator.

2 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first separator or the second separator includes a ceramic.

3 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , further comprising a binder included in at least one of the first separator or the second separator.

4 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive material is disposed as a coating on the second separator.

5 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the tab is coupled to the second separator via a heat treatment.

6 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the tab includes a conductive polymer, the conductive polymer contacting the second separator.

7 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the tab is coupled to the second separator via at least one of welding or lamination.

8 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the tab is coupled to the second separator via ultrasonic welding.

9 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive material includes at least one of LFP, NMC, LMO, LMFP, gold, aluminum, or platinum.

10 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , further comprising:
an external power source electrically coupled to the anode and the second separator, the external power source configured to transfer charge between the anode and the second separator if a voltage measured between the anode and the second separator decreases below a threshold value.

11 . The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the external power source is electrically coupled to the second separator via the tab, the tab including a conductive polymer.

12 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the interlayer includes at least one of aluminum, gold, or platinum.

13 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive material is different from the second conductive material.

14 . A separator assembly, comprising:
a first separator; a second separator including a conductive material; a conductive layer disposed between the first separator and the second separator, the conductive layer in contact with the conductive material of the second separator; and a tab including a conductive polymer, the tab coupled via a heat treatment of the conductive polymer directly to the conductive layer.

15 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the heat treatment includes welding.

16 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the conductive layer includes at least one of carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon black, or graphene.

17 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the heat treatment includes ultrasonic welding.

18 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the conductive layer includes Li (1-x) NMC, where x is between 0 and 1.

19 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the conductive layer includes LFP.

20 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , further comprising an interlayer disposed on the conductive layer.

21 . The separator assembly of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first separator or the second separator includes a ceramic.

22 . The separator assembly of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first separator or the second separator includes a ceramic powder.

23 . A method comprising:
modifying a first separator via a first conductive material; coupling a tab to the first separator; disposing an interlayer including a second conductive material at least partially on the first separator, such that the second conductive material contacts the first conductive material; and disposing a second separator onto the first separator such that the interlayer is disposed between the first separator and the second separator.

24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
positioning the first separator and the second separator between an anode and a cathode to form an electrochemical cell.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the first conductive material includes a conductive coating coated on the first separator.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the conductive coating is disposed between the interlayer and the first separator.

27 . The method of claim 23 , wherein coupling the tab to the first separator is via a heat treatment.

28 . The method of claim 23 , wherein coupling the tab to the first separator is via at least one of welding or lamination.

29 . The method of claim 23 , wherein coupling the tab to the first separator is via a conductive polymer disposed on the tab.

30 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the interlayer includes at least one of carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon black, or graphene.

31 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the interlayer includes Li (1-x) NMC, where x is between 0 and 1.

32 . The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the first conductive material is different from the second conductive material.

Assignees

• 24M Tech Inc

Inventors

• Chen Junzheng
• Ota Naoki
• Hartzog Chad Alan
• Liu Xiaoming
• Brouwer Michelle Robyn
• D'Angelo Anthony
• Salazar Daniel
• Hans Timothy Allen
• Song Junhua

Classifications

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title

• H01M4/1395

  of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/1393

  of electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx · CPC title

• H01M4/1391

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

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title