Liquid metal-based compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019067690-A1
Application number	US-201816046845-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Jul 26, 2017
Publication date	Feb 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Compositions that include liquid metal particles and a carbon-based scaffold are disclosed. The composition may be used in a number of different applications, including battery and capacitor applications. Also disclosed are methods of making liquid metal-based compositions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A composition comprising:
a plurality of liquid metal particles; and a carbon-based scaffold comprising at least one of carbon nanotubes, reduced graphene oxide, carbon derived from an annealed carbon precursor, and a combination thereof.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal has a melt temperature of about −60° C. to about 235° C.

3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal particles each independently have a diameter of about 1 nm to about 2 μm.

4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal particles each independently have a surface that is modified by a surfactant.

5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal comprises Gallium (Ga) and Tin (Sn).

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal is selected from:
Zn 3.6 Ga 96.4 , In 76 Ga 24 , Ga 62.5 In 21.5 Sn 16 , Ga 61 In 25 Sn 13 Zn 1 , Hg, Tl 8.7 Hg 91.3 , Ag 34 Ga 66 , and Ga 88 Sn 12 ,
wherein a subscript denotes an element's weight (wt) % of the liquid metal.

7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal particles are present at about 5 wt % to about 95 wt % as measured by wt % of the composition.

8 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the combination of the carbon nanotubes and reduced graphene oxide is present at about 1 wt % to about 25 wt % as measured by wt % of the composition.

9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the carbon is derived from annealed polyacrylonitrile, annealed polyvinyl chloride, annealed polyvinyl alcohol, annealed polyethylene, annealed polyethylene oxide, annealed phenolic resin, or a combination thereof.

10 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising silicon particles, tin particles, aluminum particles, or a combination thereof.

11 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising silicon particles at a weight ratio (silicon particles:liquid metal particles) of about 4:1 to about 1:4.

12 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the silicon particles each independently have a surface that is modified by a hydroxyl group.

13 . A battery comprising:
a first electrode comprising the composition of claim 1 ; a second electrode; an electrolyte; and a separator.

14 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the second electrode comprises Lithium (Li), LiCoO 2 , LiFePO 4 , LiFeSiO 4 , LiMn 2 O 4 , sulfur, sulfide, a salt of Li, a salt of sodium (Na), a salt of Potassium (K), a salt of Magnesium (Mg), a salt of Aluminum (Al) or a combination thereof.

15 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a salt of Li, a salt of Na, a salt of K, a salt of Mg, a salt of Al, or a combination thereof.

16 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the battery has an operating temperature of about −60° C. to about 235° C.

17 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the battery provides a capacity of about 50 mAh/g to about 1,000 mAh/g at 2,000 mA/g after 1,000 cycles.

18 . A method of making a liquid metal-based composition, the method comprising
mixing at least two metals at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 1,000° C. to provide a liquid metal alloy; adding a surfactant to the liquid metal alloy and mechanically, electrically or both dispersing the surfactant and the liquid metal alloy to provide a plurality of liquid metal particles; mixing the plurality of liquid metal particles with at least one of carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, a carbon precursor and a combination thereof to provide a mixture; and annealing the mixture to provide the composition of claim 1 .

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least two metals are selected from the group consisting of: Ga, Sn, Hg, Tl, Zn, In, Bi, Pb and Ag.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising adding silicon particles to the liquid metal particles prior to mixing with at least one of carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, a carbon precursor and a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Uwm Res Foundation Inc

Inventors

• Chen Junhong
• Wu Yingpeng

Classifications

• B22F1/056

  Submicron particles having a size above 100 nm up to 300 nm · CPC title

• B22F1/054

  Nanosized particles · CPC title

• H01G11/36

  Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes · CPC title

• H01G11/30

  characterised by their material · CPC title

• H01M10/05

  Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte (H01M10/39 takes precedence) · CPC title