Battery Cell and In Situ Battery Electrode Analysis Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017047619-A1
Application number	US-201615240937-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2011
Publication date	Feb 16, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Battery cells are provided that can include: a housing defining a chamber having a fluid inlet and outlet; an anode at one side of the housing; a cathode at another side of the housing opposing and spaced apart from the anode a sufficient amount to allow for electrolyte between the anode and cathode; and the other side of the chamber defined by an ion permeable member. Methods for in situ battery electrode analysis are provided and these methods can include: providing a battery cell having an anode and a cathode; exposing the battery cell to an ion beam while the battery cell is operational to form secondary ions; and detecting the secondary ions to analyze the battery.

First claim

1 . A battery cell comprising:
a housing defining a chamber having a fluid inlet and outlet; an anode at one side of the housing; a cathode at another side of the housing opposing and spaced apart from the anode a sufficient amount to allow for electrolyte between the anode and cathode; and the other side of the chamber defined by an ion permeable member.

2 . The battery cell of claim 1 further comprising openings within the housing for individual electrical connections to the cathode and anode.

3 . The battery cell of claim 1 wherein the battery is configured as a lithium ion battery.

4 . The battery cell of claim 1 wherein the anode comprises Cu film.

5 . The battery cell of claim 1 wherein the ion permeable member comprises SiN.

6 . The battery cell of claim 1 wherein:
the anode comprises Copper; and
the cathode comprises Lithium.

7 . The battery cell of claim 6 wherein the cathode comprises the Lithium over Al foil.

8 . The battery cell of claim 6 wherein the cathode comprises LiCoO 2 over Al foil.

9 . The battery cell of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises Li + in organic solvent.

10 . The battery cell of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises LiPF 6 in organic solvent.

11 . A method for in situ battery electrode analysis comprising:
providing a battery cell having an anode and a cathode; exposing the battery cell to an ion beam while the battery cell is operational to form secondary ions; and detecting the secondary ions to analyze the battery.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising exposing the anode to the ion beam while the battery cell is operational to form the secondary ions.

13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising exposing the electrolyte to the ion beam while the battery cell is operational to form the secondary ions.

14 . The method of claim 11 further comprising exposing the cathode to the ion beam while the battery cell is operational to form the secondary ions.

15 . The method of claim 11 further comprising providing an ion permeable member as at least one sidewall of the battery cell.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising forming a small opening within the member to expose the battery cell to the ion beam.

17 . The method of claim 15 further comprising forming a small opening within the member to expose the battery cell to the ion beam for SIMS analysis.

18 . The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the composition of the anode of the cell during charging or discharging of the cell.

19 . The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the composition of the anode/electrolyte interface during the charging or discharging of the cell.

20 . The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the composition of the cathode during charging or discharging of the cell.

21 . The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the composition of the cathode/electrolyte interface during the charging or discharging of the cell.

22 . The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the composition of the electrolyte during the charging or discharging of the cell.

23 . The method of claim 11 wherein Li metal is deposited on the anode surface during charging and Li metal is stripped from the anode surface during discharging.

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Zhu Zihua
• Wang Chongmin

Classifications

• G01N23/2204 Primary

  Specimen supports therefor; Sample conveying means therefore · CPC title

• G01N27/447

  using electrophoresis · CPC title

• H01M10/48 Primary

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M10/4285

  Testing apparatus · CPC title

• H01M4/382

  Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence) · CPC title