Electrochemical cell with protected negative electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017279108-A1
Application number	US-201515512480-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2015
Priority date	Sep 23, 2014
Publication date	Sep 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of fabricating a negative electrode for an electrochemical cell may comprise: providing an electrically conductive substrate; depositing a metal layer on the substrate; anodizing the metal layer to form a porous layer on the substrate; depositing a layer of ion conducting material on the porous layer, the layer extending at least partially into pores of the porous layer; densifying the layer of ion conducting material; depositing a layer of alkali metal on the densified layer of ion conducting material; attaching a temporary electrode to the layer of alkali metal and passing a current between the temporary electrode and the substrate to drive alkali metal through the densified layer of ion conducting material to the surface of the substrate, forming an alkali metal reservoir at the surface of the substrate. Furthermore, an electrically conductive mesh may be used in place of the porous layer on the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of fabricating a negative electrode for an electrochemical cell, comprising:
providing a substrate, said substrate being electrically conductive; depositing a metal layer on said substrate; anodizing said metal layer to form a porous layer on said substrate; depositing a layer of ion conducting material on said porous layer, said layer of ion conducting material extending at least partially into pores of said porous layer; densifying said layer of ion conducting material; depositing a layer of alkali metal on the densified layer of ion conducting material; attaching a temporary electrode to said layer of alkali metal and passing a current between said temporary electrode and said substrate to drive alkali metal through the densified layer of ion conducting material to the surface of said substrate, forming an alkali metal reservoir at the surface of said substrate,

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said alkali metal is lithium metal.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal layer is chosen from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium and titanium.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said pores are nanometer-scale pores.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is glass coated in electrically conductive material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said depositing said metal layer comprises physical vapor deposition of said metal layer.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said depositing said layer of ion conducting material comprises physical vapor deposition of said ion conducting material.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said densifying said layer of ion conducting material comprises furnace annealing said layer of ion conducting material.

9 . A method of fabricating a negative electrode for an electrochemical cell, comprising:
providing an electrically conductive mesh; depositing a layer of ion conducting material on said electrically conductive mesh, said layer of ion conducting material extending at least partially into holes of said electrically conductive mesh; densifying said layer of ion conducting material; depositing a layer of alkali metal on the densified layer of ion conducting material; and attaching a temporary electrode to said layer of alkali metal and passing a current between said temporary electrode and said electrically conductive mesh to drive alkali metal through the densified layer of ion conducting material to the surface of said electrically conductive mesh, forming an alkali metal reservoir at the surface of said electrically conductive mesh.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said alkali metal is lithium metal.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said holes are micron-scale holes.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said negative electrode is flexible.

13 . A method of fabricating a negative electrode for an electrochemical cell, comprising:
providing an electrically conductive substrate; depositing a layer of ion conducting material on said electrically conductive substrate; densifying said layer of ion conducting material; depositing a layer of alkali metal on the densified layer of ion conducting material; and attaching a temporary electrode to said layer of alkali metal and passing a current between said temporary electrode and said electrically conductive substrate to drive alkali metal through the densified layer of ion conducting material to the surface of said electrically conductive substrate, forming an alkali metal reservoir at the surface of said electrically conductive substrate.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said alkali metal is lithium metal.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Herle Subramanya P

Classifications

• H01M4/1395 Primary

  of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/0445

  Forming after manufacture of the electrode, e.g. first charge, cycling · CPC title

• H01M4/74

  Meshes or woven material; Expanded metal · CPC title

• H01M4/0404 Primary

  by coating on electrode collectors · CPC title

• H01M4/04 Primary

  Processes of manufacture in general · CPC title