Metal-ion rechargeable cell or battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018309156-A1
Application number	US-201615765555-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal-ion electrochemical cell contains a composite anode (40) comprising a support matrix (40a) and electrochemically active metal droplets (40b) dispersed through the support matrix (40a). The metal droplets have a melting point of 100° C. or lower, and may have a melting point of 40° C. or lower or a melting point of 20° C. or lower. The cell also includes a composite cathode (60) containing an intercalation material for the metal, and a conducting electrolyte medium (50) located between the anode and the cathode. The metal-ion consists of one or more of: sodium, zinc, magnesium, aluminium and calcium. In another embodiment, the cell further contains a conductive spacer layer disposed between the anode current collector and the composite anode. In this embodiment the metal-ion may consist of one or more of: lithium, sodium, zinc, magnesium, aluminium and calcium.

First claim

1 . A metal-ion electrochemical cell containing
a composite anode comprising a support matrix and electrochemically active metal droplets dispersed through the support matrix, the metal droplets having a melting point below 100° C.; a composite cathode containing an intercalation material for the metal ion; and a conducting electrolyte medium located between the anode and the cathode; wherein the metal ion consists of one or more of: sodium, zinc, magnesium, aluminium and calcium.

2 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 and further comprising:
an anode current collector; and
a conductive spacer layer disposed between the anode current collector and the composite anode.

3 . A metal-ion electrochemical cell containing
an anode current collector; a composite anode comprising a support matrix and electrochemically active metal droplets dispersed through the support matrix, the metal droplets having a melting point below 100° C.; a composite cathode containing a intercalation material for the metal ion; a conducting electrolyte medium located between the anode and the cathode; and a conductive spacer layer disposed between the anode current collector and the composite anode.

4 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 3 wherein the metal ion consists of one or more of: lithium, sodium, zinc, magnesium, aluminium and calcium.

5 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal droplets have a melting point below 40° C.

6 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal droplets having a melting point below 20° C.

7 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive spacer layer between the composite anode and the anode current collector forms an active part of the anode.

8 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive spacer layer is formed of essentially the same material as the support matrix of the composite anode.

9 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 further comprising a separator layer between the composite anode and the composite cathode.

10 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 9 wherein the conducting electrolyte medium is contained in the separator layer.

11 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 9 further comprising a second spacer layer between the composite anode and the separator layer.

12 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 , wherein the composite anode further comprises a second electrochemically active anode material.

13 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal droplets having a melting point above −40° C.

14 . The metal-ion electrochemical cell according to claim 1 , wherein the metal droplets including at least one of gallium, indium, tin, antimony, bismuth, lead, cadmium, zinc and thallium.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Smith Katherine Louise
• Kendrick Emma

Classifications

• H01M10/054 Primary

  Accumulators with insertion or intercalation of metals other than lithium, e.g. with magnesium or aluminium · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/587

  for inserting or intercalating light metals · CPC title

• H01M4/667

  in the form of layers, e.g. coatings · CPC title

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title