Nanostructures For Lithium Air Batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016248100-A1
Application number	US-201415031370-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Oct 22, 2013
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are lithium-air battery cells comprising nanostructured (e.g., nanofiber) anode, cathode, and/or separator/electrolyte components.

First claim

We claim:

1 - 56 . (canceled)

57 . A lithium air battery comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte component, the cathode comprises a carbon substrate and at least one cathode nanofiber, the at least one cathode nanofiber comprising metal, metal oxide, or a combination thereof, the weight ratio of the weight of carbon substrate to the cathode nanofiber being at least 1:1, and the cathode having an initial discharge capacity of at least 2,000 mAh/g carbon .

58 . The battery of claim 57 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber comprises a continuous matrix of metal, metal oxide, or a combination thereof.

59 . The battery of claim 58 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber comprises manganese, cobalt, platinum, silver, gold, ruthenium, zinc, one or more oxide thereof, or any combination thereof.

60 . The battery of claim 59 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber comprises cobalt oxide.

61 . The battery of claim 59 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber comprises zinc oxide.

62 . The battery of claim 59 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber is mesoporous.

63 . The battery of claim 60 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber is mesoporous.

64 . The battery of claim 61 , wherein the at least one cathode nanofiber is mesoporous.

65 . The battery of claim 57 , wherein the carbon substrate comprises graphene, graphene nanoribbons, carbon black, mesoporous carbon, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), or a combination thereof.

66 . The battery of claim 57 , wherein the carbon substrate comprises mesoporous carbon.

67 . The battery of claim 57 , wherein the cathode has an initial discharge capacity of at least 3,000 mAh/g.

68 . The battery of claim 67 , wherein the cathode has an initial discharge capacity of at least 4,000 mAh/g.

69 . The battery of claim 57 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a ceramic material and a polymer material.

70 . The battery of claim 57 , wherein, the anode comprises at least one anode nanofiber, the at least one anode nanofiber comprising lithium metal.

71 . The battery of claim 70 , wherein the at least one anode nanofiber is mesoporous.

72 . A process for producing a lithium air cathode, the process comprising:
a. electrospinning a fluid stock to produce precursor nanofiber(s), the fluid stock comprising or prepared by combining (1) metal precursor, nanoparticles comprising metal and/or metal oxide, or a combination thereof; and (2) polymer; b. thermally treating the precursor nanofiber, providing cathode nanostructure(s); and c. loading the cathode nanostructure(s) or precursor nanofiber(s) onto a carbon substrate,
the lithium air cathode comprising the carbon substrate and the cathode nanostructure(s), the at least one cathode nanostructure comprising metal, metal oxide, or a combination thereof, and the lithium air cathode comprising the carbon substrate and the cathode nanostructure(s) in a weight ratio of carbon substrate-to-cathode nanostructure(s) of at least 1:1.

73 . The process of claim 72 , wherein the metal precursor comprises a salt comprising manganese, cobalt, platinum, silver, ruthenium, zinc, or a combination thereof.

74 . The process of claim 73 , wherein the metal precursor comprises zinc acetate or cobalt acetate.

75 . The process of claim 72 , wherein the metal precursor is present in or combined into the fluid stock in a metal precursor-to-polymer ratio of at least 1:1.

76 . The process of claim 72 , wherein the carbon substrate comprises graphene, graphene nanoribbons, carbon black, mesoporous carbon, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Joo Yong Lak
• Yin Jun

Classifications

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/9016 Primary

  Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts · CPC title

• H01M4/8807

  Gas diffusion layers · CPC title

• D01D5/0007

  Electro-spinning (non-woven fabrics produced by electro-spinning D04H1/728) · CPC title