Rechargeable battery with resistive layer for enhanced safety

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016149268-A1
Application number	US-201514952754-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An improved high energy density rechargeable (HEDR) battery with an anode energy layer, a cathode energy layer, a separator between the anode and cathode energy layers for preventing internal discharge thereof, and at least one current collector for transferring electrons to and from either the anode or cathode energy layer, includes a resistive layer interposed between the separator and one of the current collectors for limiting the rate of internal discharge through the failed separator in the event of separator failure. The resistive layer has a fixed resistivity at temperatures between a preferred temperature range and an upper temperature safety limit for operating the battery. The resistive layer serves to avoid temperatures in excess of the upper temperature safety limit in the event of separator failure in the battery, and a fixed resistivity of the resistive layer is greater than the internal resistivity of either energy layer.

First claim

1 . A high energy density rechargeable (HEDR) battery comprising:
an anode energy layer; a cathode energy layer; a separator between the anode energy layer and the cathode energy layer for preventing internal discharge thereof; at least one current collector for transferring electrons to and from either the anode or cathode energy layer, the anode and cathode energy layers each having an internal resistivity, the HEDR battery having a preferred temperature range for discharging electric current and an upper temperature safety limit; and a resistive layer interposed between the separator and one of the current collectors, the resistive layer configured to limit the rate of internal discharge through the separator in the event of separator failure and the generation of joule heat resulting therefrom, the resistive layer having a fixed resistivity at temperatures between the preferred temperature range and the upper temperature safety limit, the fixed resistivity of the resistive layer being greater than the internal resistivity of either energy layer, the resistive layer for avoiding temperatures in excess of the upper temperature safety limit in the event of separator failure.

2 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 wherein the resistive layer is porous and comprises:
a ceramic powder defining an interstitial space;
a binder for partially filling the interstitial space for binding the ceramic powder; and
a conductive component dispersed within the binder for imparting resistivity to the resistive layer, the interstitial space remaining partially unfilled for imparting porosity and permeability to the resistive layer.

3 . The HEDR battery of claim 2 wherein the resistive layer is compressed to reduce the unfilled interstitial space and increase the binding of the ceramic powder by the binder.

4 . The HEDR battery of claim 2 wherein the resistive layer comprises greater than 30% ceramic powder by weight.

5 .- 8 . (canceled)

9 . The HEDR battery of claim 2 wherein the resistive layer is permeable to transport of ionic charge carriers.

10 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 wherein the resistive layer is non-porous and has a composition comprising:
a non-conductive filler;
a binder for binding the non-conductive filler; and
a conductive component dispersed within the binder for imparting resistivity to the resistive layer.

11 . The HEDR battery of claim 10 wherein the resistive layer is impermeable to transport of ionic charge carriers.

12 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 wherein the fixed resistivity of the resistive layer is at least twice as great as the internal resistivity of either energy layer.

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 wherein the resistive layer lacks a physical phase transformation at temperatures between the preferred temperature range and the upper temperature safety limit for transforming the resistivity of the resistive layer.

16 . The HEDR battery of claim 15 wherein the resistive layer lacks a transformation from solid phase to non-solid phase for transforming the resistivity of the resistive layer from low resistivity to high resistivity at temperatures between the maximum operating temperature and the upper temperature safety limit.

17 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 wherein the resistive layer is non-sacrificial at temperatures below the upper temperature safety limit.

18 . The HEDR battery of claim 17 wherein the resistive layer is sacrificial at temperatures above the upper temperature safety limit.

19 . The HEDR battery of claim 18 wherein the resistive layer comprises a ceramic powder that chemically decomposes above the upper temperature safety limit for evolving a fire retardant gas and/or a gas for delaminating the current collector from the resistive layer.

20 . (canceled)

21 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 of a type wherein the current collector comprises an anode current collector for transferring electrons to and from the anode energy layer, wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the separator and the anode current collector.

22 . The HEDR battery of claim 21 , wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the anode current collector and the anode energy layer.

23 . The HEDR battery of claim 21 , wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the anode energy layer and the separator.

24 . The HEDR battery of claim 21 wherein the anode energy layer comprises:
a first anode energy layer; and
a second anode energy layer interposed between the first anode energy and the separator, wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the first anode energy layer and the second anode energy layer.

25 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 wherein the current collector comprises a cathode current collector for transferring electrons to and from the cathode energy layer, wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the separator and the cathode current collector.

26 . The HEDR battery of claim 25 , wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the cathode current collector and the cathode energy layer.

27 . The HEDR battery of claim 25 , wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the cathode energy layer and the separator.

28 . The HEDR battery of claim 25 wherein the cathode energy layer comprises:
a first cathode energy layer; and
a second cathode energy layer interposed between the first cathode energy and the separator, wherein the resistive layer is interposed between the first cathode energy layer and the second cathode energy layer.

29 . The HEDR battery of claim 1 further comprising two current collectors comprising:
an anode current collector for transferring electrons to and from the anode energy layer; and
a cathode current collector for transferring electrons to and from the cathode energy layer,
wherein the resistive layer comprises an anode resistive layer and a cathode resistive layer, the anode resistive layer interposed between the separator and the anode current collector, the cathode resistive layer interposed between the separator and the cathode current collector.

30 . A method for limiting the rate of an internal discharge of energy layers resulting from a separator failure within a high energy density rechargeable (HEDR) battery, the method comprising:
resisting the internal discharge with a resistive layer, the resistive layer being interposed between a separator and a current collector within the HEDR battery, the resistive layer having a fixed resistivity at temperatures between a preferred temperature range for discharging the energy layers and an upper temperature safety limit, the fixed resistivity of the resistive layer being greater than the internal resistivity of the energy layers.

Assignees

• American Lithium Energy Corp

Inventors

• Fan Jiang
• Wu Dengguo

Classifications

• H01M2200/00

  Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M10/4235 Primary

  Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte (H01M10/4242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/581

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• H01M4/628

  Inhibitors, e.g. gassing inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors · CPC title