Dendrite-resistant battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016240831-A1
Application number	US-201615043109-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a porous layer positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. The porous layer resists dendrite growth from the first electrode through the porous layer to the second electrode. The porous layer includes a plurality of pores sized to permit ionic transport through the porous layer and to resist dendrite growth through the porous layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery, comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode; and a porous layer positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the porous layer resists dendrite growth from the first electrode through the porous layer to the second electrode and permits ion transport through the porous layer from the first electrode to the second electrode.

2 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the porous layer comprises a porous layer that includes a plurality of pores sized to permit ionic transport through the porous layer and to resist dendrite growth through the porous layer.

3 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises lithium.

4 . The battery of claim 1 , further comprising at least one battery separator coupled to at least one side of the porous layer, the at least one battery separator configured to inhibit ionic transport between the electrodes of the battery responsive to a temperature of the at least one battery separator exceeding a temperature threshold.

5 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the porous layer has a thickness dimension that is less than or equal to approximately 20 microns.

6 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery comprises at least one solid electrolyte that is located on at least one side of the porous layer.

7 . The battery of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one solid electrolyte comprises a solid electrolyte layer that is applied to at least one side of the porous layer, such that the porous layer at least partially structurally supports the solid electrolyte layer; and the porous layer is applied to at least one side of at least one of the electrodes.

8 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a first electrically conducting thin film and that includes lithium, the second electrode comprises a second electrically conducting thin film, and the porous layer comprises a porous thin film.

9 . A method, comprising:
assembling a first electrode, a second electrode positioned opposite the first electrode and an electrolyte positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode; providing a porous layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and contacting the electrolyte, wherein the porous layer is configured to permit ionic transport from the first electrode to the second electrode through the porous layer, and to resist one or more dendrites attach to the first electrode from extending from a first surface of the porous layer situated opposite the first electrode through the porous layer to a second surface of the proximate layer situated opposite the second electrode.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the porous layer comprises a plurality of pores that are sized to facilitate transport of ions that originate at the first electrode through the porous layer via the plurality of pores, and to resist one or more dendrites that originate at the first electrode from passing through the porous layer via the plurality of apertures.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first electrode comprises lithium.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the porous layer between the first electrode and the second electrode comprises laminating at least the porous layer to at least one battery separator, wherein the at least one battery separator is configured to inhibit ion transport between the first electrode and the second electrode responsive to a temperature of the at least one battery separator exceeding a threshold temperature.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the porous layer between the first electrode and the second electrode comprises:
applying a solid electrolyte layer to at least one side of the porous layer, such that the porous layer at least partially structurally supports the solid electrolyte layer; and subsequent to applying the solid electrolyte layer to the at least one side of the porous layer, applying the porous layer to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode on at least one other side of the porous layer, wherein the solid electrolyte layer is to conduct ions between the first electrode and the second electrode via at least one portion of the porous layer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein applying the solid electrolyte layer to at least one side of the porous layer comprises performing at least one of:
laminating the solid electrolyte layer to at least one side of the porous layer; depositing the solid electrolyte layer on at least one side of the porous layer; or coating the solid electrolyte layer on at least one side of the porous layer.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the porous layer between the first electrode and the second electrode comprises laminating the porous layer to the first electrode or to the second electrode.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the porous layer comprises pores having a maximum pore diameter of approximately 200 nanometers.

17 . A device comprising:
at least one functional component configured to consume electrical power; and a battery configured to provide electrical power support to the at least one functional component, wherein the battery includes a porous layer situated between a first electrode and a second electrode and configured to permit ionic transport through the porous layer and to resist dendrite growth through the porous layer of one or more dendrites that attach to a first electrode of the battery.

18 . The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the porous layer comprises a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layer that comprises a plurality of pores.

19 . The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the porous layer comprises a plurality of pores that extend from one face of the porous layer to an opposite face of the porous layer and wherein the diameter of each pore is at least approximately 20 nanometers and less than or equal to approximately 200 nanometers.

20 . The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein:
the battery comprises at least one battery separator coupled to at least one side of the porous layer; and the at least one battery separator is configured to inhibit ionic transport between the first and second electrodes of the battery responsive to a temperature of the at least one battery separator exceeding a threshold temperature.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Zeng Qingcheng
• Mank Richard M
• Guan Jie
• Hao Shouwei
• Oh Bookeun

Classifications

• H01M10/0562

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M10/0436 Primary

  Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment · CPC title

• H01M10/0565

  Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type · CPC title

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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