Generation of wrinkle-free silicon monoxide electrodes using separate preformation and formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019036166-A1
Application number	US-201815945955-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Jul 26, 2017
Publication date	Jan 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A solid electrolyte interface is grown on a silicon monoxide electrode in a battery cell, including by charging the battery cell up to a first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed in order to partially grow the solid electrolyte interface. After partially growing the partial solid electrolyte interface, the battery cell is rested. After resting the battery cell, the battery cell is charged to a second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed in order to further grow the partially grown solid electrolyte interface. After the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode, the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
growing a solid electrolyte interface on a silicon monoxide electrode in a battery cell, including by:
charging the battery cell up to a first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed in order to partially grow the solid electrolyte interface;
after partially growing the partial solid electrolyte interface by charging the battery cell up to the first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed, resting the battery cell; and
after resting the battery cell, charging the battery cell up to a second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed in order to further grow the partially grown solid electrolyte interface; and
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode, charging the battery cell for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed.

2 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the battery cell is charged up to the first voltage over a period of 100 hours; and the battery cell is charged up to the second, higher voltage over a period of 30 hours.

3 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the battery cell is charged up to the first voltage of 3.65 V; the battery cell is held at the first voltage of 3.65 V while the battery cell is resting; and the battery cell is charged up to the second, higher voltage of 3.85 V.

4 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the battery cell is charged up to the second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed at a pressure within a range of 20 psi-60 psi.

5 . The method recited in claim 1 further comprising:
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compressing the battery cell at room temperature; and
after the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compress the battery cell while the battery cell is heated.

6 . The method recited in claim 1 further comprising:
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compressing the battery cell at a pressure within a range of 100 psi-200 psi at room temperature; and
after the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compress the battery cell at a pressure within a range of 100 psi-200 psi while the battery cell is heated.

7 . The method recited in claim 1 further comprising:
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compressing the battery cell at room temperature within a range of 25° C.-50° C.; and
after the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compress the battery cell while the battery cell is heated to a temperature within a range of 60° C.-100° C.

8 . A battery cell, comprising:
a solid electrolyte interface; and a silicon monoxide electrode, wherein:
the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode in the battery cell, including by:
charging the battery cell up to a first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed in order to partially grow the solid electrolyte interface;
after partially growing the partial solid electrolyte interface by charging the battery cell up to the first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed, resting the battery cell; and
after resting the battery cell, charging the battery cell up to a second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed in order to further grow the partially grown solid electrolyte interface; and

after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode, the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed.

9 . The battery cell recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the battery cell is charged up to the first voltage over a period of 100 hours; and the battery cell is charged up to the second, higher voltage over a period of 30 hours.

10 . The battery cell recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the battery cell is charged up to the first voltage of 3.65 V; the battery cell is held at the first voltage of 3.65 V while the battery cell is resting; and the battery cell is charged up to the second, higher voltage of 3.85 V.

11 . The battery cell recited in claim 8 , wherein the battery cell is charged up to the second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed at a pressure within a range of 20 psi-60 psi.

12 . The battery cell recited in claim 8 further comprising:
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compressing the battery cell at room temperature; and
after the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compress the battery cell while the battery cell is heated.

13 . The battery cell recited in claim 8 further comprising:
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compressing the battery cell at a pressure within a range of 100 psi-200 psi at room temperature; and
after the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compress the battery cell at a pressure within a range of 100 psi-200 psi while the battery cell is heated.

14 . The battery cell recited in claim 8 further comprising:
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compressing the battery cell at room temperature within a range of 25° C.-50° C.; and
after the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, compress the battery cell while the battery cell is heated to a temperature within a range of 60° C.-100° C.

15 . A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
growing a solid electrolyte interface on a silicon monoxide electrode in a battery cell, including by:
charging the battery cell up to a first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed in order to partially grow the solid electrolyte interface;
after partially growing the partial solid electrolyte interface by charging the battery cell up to the first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed, resting the battery cell; and
after resting the battery cell, charging the battery cell up to a second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed in order to further grow the partially grown solid electrolyte interface; and
after the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode, charging the battery cell for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Li Chen
• Herring Patrick K

Classifications

• H01M4/1395

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

• C01B33/113

  Silicon oxides; Hydrates thereof {(preparing monoxide by reduction of siliceous material C01B33/182)} · CPC title

• H01M10/0566 Primary

  Liquid materials · CPC title

• H01M4/386

  Silicon or alloys based on silicon · CPC title

• C01B33/02

  Silicon (forming single crystals or homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure C30B) · CPC title