Ionic gel electrolyte, energy storage devices, and methods of manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016344062-A1
Application number	US-201615162268-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 13, 2010
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrochemical cell includes solid-state, printable anode layer, cathode layer and non-aqueous gel electrolyte layer coupled to the anode layer and cathode layer. The electrolyte layer provides physical separation between the anode layer and the cathode layer, and comprises a composition configured to provide ionic communication between the anode layer and cathode layer by facilitating transmission of multivalent ions between the anode layer and the cathode layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of fabricating an electrochemical cell, comprising the steps of:
providing a first electrode ink and a second electrode ink; providing liquid electrolyte ink; printing a first electrode layer of the first electrode ink; printing an electrolyte layer of the liquid electrolyte ink; and printing a second electrode layer of second electrode ink; wherein the electrolyte layer provides physical separation between the first electrode layer and second electrode layer to form an electrochemical cell; and wherein the electrolyte layer is configured to provide ionic communication between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer by facilitating transmission of multivalent ions between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

2 . A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a current collector ink; and printing a layer of current collector ink adjacent to one or more of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

3 . A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising fabricating the electrochemical cell under ambient conditions.

4 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inks are liquids selected from the group consisting of solutions, suspensions, and slurries.

5 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrode inks comprise slurries of active electrode particles, polymer binder, optional additives, and a solvent(s).

6 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a polymer into which at least one ionic liquid and at least one electrolyte salt have been imbibed.

7 . A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the polymer comprises one or more polymer(s) selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), poly(vinylidene fluoride) hexaflourophosphate (PVDF-HFP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(acrylo-nitrile) (PAN), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), epoxy derivatives, silicone derivatives.

8 . A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the ionic liquid is a room temperature salt having cations selected from the group consisting of imidazolium variants, pyrrolidinium variants, ammonium variants, pyridinium variants, piperidinium variants, phosphonium variants, and sulfonium variants.

9 . A method recited in claim 8 , wherein the ionic liquid is a room temperature salt having anions selected from the group consisting of chlorides, tetrafluoroborate (BF4-), trifluoroacetate (CF3CO2-), trifluoromethansulfonate (CF3SO3-), hexafluorophosphate (PF6-), bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (NTf2-), bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (N(SO2F)2-).

10 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer comprises a component selected from the group consisting of zinc, aluminum, magnesium, and yttrium.

11 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second electrode layer comprises particles of a metal oxide.

12 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said printing steps is done using a direct write dispenser method.

13 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said printing steps is done using a method selected from the following methods: screen-printing, gravure printing, pad printing, ink jet printing, flexographic coating, spray coating, ultrasonic spray coating, or slot die coating.

14 . A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the electrolyte salt comprises cations selected from the group consisting of zinc ions (Zn 2+ ), aluminum (Al 3+ ), magnesium (Mg 2+ ), and yttrium (Y 2+ ).

15 . A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the electrolyte salt comprises anions selected from the group consisting of chlorides, tetrafluoroborate (BF4-), trifluoroacetate (CF3CO2-), trifluoromethansulfonate (CF3SO3-), hexafluorophosphate (PF6-), bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (NTf2-), bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (N(SO2F)2-).

16 . A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising printing the layer of electrolyte with a thickness between approximately 1 μm and 30 μm.

17 . A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising depositing the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the electrolyte layer on a substrate in a liquid form.

18 . A method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising solidifying the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the electrolyte layer to at least a semi-solid state.

19 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the electrolyte layer are flexible.

20 . A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer is substantially non-volatile.

21 . A method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising fabricating the electrochemical cell under an ambient atmosphere without the use of a vacuum or a forming gas.

22 . A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising fabricating the electrochemical cell with substantially no hermetic sealing.

Assignees

• Univ California
• Imprint Energy Inc

Inventors

• Wright Paul K
• Evans James W
• Ho Christine

Classifications

• H01G11/56

  Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein · CPC title

• H01M10/05

  Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte (H01M10/39 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2300/0045

  Room temperature molten salts comprising at least one organic ion · CPC title

• H01M4/38

  of elements or alloys · CPC title

• H01M10/0436

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