Nanoconfined electrolytes and their use in batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016351944-A1
Application number	US-201514843559-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nanoconfined metal-containing electrolyte comprising a layer of enclosed nanostructures in which each enclosed nanostructure contains a liquid metal-containing electrolyte, wherein said enclosed nanostructures are in physical contact with each other. Metal-ion batteries containing the nanoconfined electrolyte in contact with an anode and cathode of the battery are also described. Methods for producing the nanoconfined electrolyte are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nanoconfined metal-containing electrolyte comprising a layer of enclosed nanostructures in which each enclosed nanostructure contains a liquid metal-containing electrolyte, wherein said enclosed nanostructures are in physical contact with each other.

2 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures contain pores, with at least 90% of the pores having a pore size of up to 6 nm.

3 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures contain pores, with at least 90% of the pores having a pore size of up to 2 nm.

4 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 500 nm.

5 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 100 nm.

6 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 50 nm.

7 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a metal oxide composition.

8 . The electrolyte according to claim 7 , wherein said metal oxide composition is silicon oxide.

9 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a crosslinked polymer composition.

10 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid metal-containing electrolyte comprises metal salt dissolved in an organic solvent.

11 . The electrolyte according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid metal-containing electrolyte comprises a metal salt dissolved in an ionic liquid.

12 . A metal-ion battery comprising:
(a) an anode; (b) a cathode; and (c) a nanoconfined metal-containing electrolyte in contact with said anode and cathode, said nanoconfined metal-containing electrolyte comprising a layer of enclosed nanostructures in which each enclosed nanostructure contains a liquid metal-containing electrolyte, wherein said enclosed nanostructures are in physical contact with each other.

13 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said anode is a metal anode.

14 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures contain pores, with at least 90% of the pores having a pore size of up to 6 nm.

15 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures contain pores, with at least 90% of the pores having a pore size of up to 2 nm.

16 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 500 nm.

17 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 100 nm.

18 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 50 nm.

19 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a metal oxide composition.

20 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 19 , wherein said metal oxide composition is silicon oxide.

21 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said enclosed nanostructures have a crosslinked polymer composition.

22 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said metal-containing electrolyte comprises a metal salt dissolved in an organic solvent.

23 . The metal-ion battery according to claim 12 , wherein said metal-containing electrolyte comprises a metal salt dissolved in an ionic liquid.

24 . A method for producing a nanoconfined metal-containing electrolyte, the method comprising:
(i) forming a layer of hollow enclosed nanostructures, wherein the hollow enclosed nanostructures are in physical contact with each other; and (ii) loading the hollow regions of said hollow enclosed nanostructures with a liquid metal-containing electrolyte by infusion of said liquid metal-containing electrolyte through walls of said hollow enclosed nanostructures.

25 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said step (i) is performed at an elevated pressure.

26 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures contain pores, with at least 90% of the pores having a pore size of up to 6 nm.

27 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures contain pores, with at least 90% of the pores having a pore size of up to 2 nm.

28 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 500 nm.

29 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 100 nm.

30 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures have a particle size of at least 10 nm and up to 50 nm.

31 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures have a metal oxide composition.

32 . The method according to claim 31 , wherein said metal oxide composition is silicon oxide.

33 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said hollow enclosed nanostructures have a crosslinked polymer composition.

34 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said liquid metal-containing electrolyte comprises a metal salt dissolved in an organic solvent.

35 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein said liquid metal-containing electrolyte comprises a metal salt dissolved in an ionic liquid.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Dai Sheng
• Zhang Jinshui
• Sun Xiao-Guang

Classifications

• H01M2300/0082

  Organic polymers · CPC title

• H01M10/0565

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

• H01M10/056 Primary

  characterised by the materials used as electrolytes, e.g. mixed inorganic/organic electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M10/0562

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M2300/0028

  characterised by the solvent · CPC title