Metal sulfide electrodes and energy storage devices thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017200966-A1
Application number	US-201615387225-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Feb 4, 2013
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to energy storage devices, and to metal sulfide energy storage devices in particular. Some aspects of the invention relate to energy storage devices comprising at least one flowable electrode, wherein the flowable electrode comprises an electroactive metal sulfide material suspended and/or dissolved in a carrier fluid. In some embodiments, the flowable electrode further comprises a plurality of electronically conductive particles suspended and/or dissolved in the carrier fluid, wherein the electronically conductive particles form a percolating conductive network. An energy storage device comprising a flowable electrode comprising a metal sulfide electroactive material and a percolating conductive network may advantageously exhibit, upon reversible cycling, higher energy densities and specific capacities than conventional energy storage devices.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . An electrode, comprising:
an electroactive material comprising sulfur or a metal sulfide; and a percolating electronically conductive network comprising a plurality of electronically conductive particles, wherein the electrode is substantially fluid prior to first use.

3 . The electrode of claim 2 , further comprising a fluid.

4 . The electrode of claim 3 , wherein the sulfur or metal sulfide is suspended and/or dissolved in the fluid.

5 . The electrode of claim 2 , wherein the electronically conductive particles are suspended in the fluid.

6 . An energy storage device, comprising:
a first electrode comprising an electrode composition comprising a first electroactive material comprising sulfur, wherein the first electroactive material is suspended and/or dissolved in a fluid, wherein the concentration of sulfur is at least about 2 M; and a second electrode in electrochemical communication with the first electrode, wherein the second electrode comprises a second electroactive material comprising an electroactive metal or metal alloy comprising a non-sulfur element.

7 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the electrodes of the energy storage device is substantially fluid prior to first use.

8 . The energy storage device of claim 7 , wherein the fluid comprises TEGDME, DME, diglyme, triglyme, DOL, THF, methyl-TFH, GBL, and/or mixtures thereof.

9 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , further comprising a layer adjacent the second electrode of the energy storage device.

10 . The energy storage device of claim 9 , wherein the layer comprises LiNO 3 .

11 . The energy storage device of claim 9 , wherein the layer comprises a ceramic and/or a polymer.

12 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein the second electrode comprises lithium metal.

13 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , further comprising an ionically conductive membrane separating the first and second electrodes.

14 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , further comprising a metal salt.

15 . The energy storage device of claim 14 , wherein the metal salt comprises LiTFSI, lithium triflate, sodium triflate, lithium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, and/or sodium tetrafluoroborate.

16 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein the electronically conductive particles comprise carbon black particles.

17 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein the concentration of the first electroactive material in the fluid is at least about 1 M.

18 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein the viscosity of the electrode composition is less than about 100 Pa-s at a shear rate of about 100 s −1 .

19 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein the yield stress of the electrode composition is less than about 1000 Pa.

20 . The energy storage device of claim 6 , wherein the electronic conductivity of the first electrode is at least about 0.1 mS/cm.

21 . A method of operating an energy storage device, comprising:
reversibly cycling an energy storage device containing a flowable electrode such that a metal sulfide is precipitated and subsequently dissolved in the flowable electrode during the cycling.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the precipitated and dissolved metal sulfide comprises Li 2 S.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the reversible cycling occurs over a voltage range of from about 0.45 V to about 2.7 V.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the flowable electrode of the energy storage device is in motion during at least a portion of the cycling.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein reversible cycling of the energy storage device comprises:
transporting the flowable electrode through an electrode compartment; inhibiting the flow of the flowable electrode; at least partially charging or discharging a portion of the flowable electrode; and transporting the flowable electrode out of the electrode compartment.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the flowable electrode comprises an electroactive material comprising sulfur or a metal sulfide suspended and/or dissolved in a fluid, and a percolating electronically conductive network comprising electronically conductive particles suspended in the fluid.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Woodford William Henry
• Fan Frank Y
• Li Zheng
• Baram Nir
• Smith Kyle C
• Carter W Craig
• Mckinley Gareth H
• Helal Ahmed

Classifications

• H01M8/225

  Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising particulate active material in the form of a suspension, a dispersion, a fluidised bed or a paste · CPC title

• H01M4/382

  Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M12/08

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title