Tube structure having metal on inner surface thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019173095-A1
Application number	US-201916268925-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 6, 2019
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	Jun 6, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A structure, and more specifically a tube-shaped structure having an inner surface and two ends, wherein one or both ends are open and the inner surface is exposed through said one or both open ends, and a metal provide on the inner surface. Also, an electrode active material, such as lithium metal, on the metal included on the inner surface of the tube.

First claim

1 . A structure, comprising:
a tube having an inner surface forming a cavity and two ends, wherein one or both ends are open; and a metal on the inner surface of the tube.

2 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the tube has an aspect ratio (a) of a longitudinal section calculated by Equation 1; and
wherein the aspect ratio (a) is more than 1:
a=L/D ex   [Equation 1]

in Equation 1, L is a length of the tube and D ex is an outer diameter of the tube.

3 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the tube exhibits electrical conductivity.

4 . The structure of claim 3 , wherein the tube exhibits lithium ion conductivity.

5 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises carbon.

6 . The structure of claim 5 , wherein the carbon is amorphous carbon.

7 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the tube is porous.

8 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal is included in an amount of 0.1% by weight to 25% by weight with respect to a total weight of the tube and the metal.

9 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal is present as a particle that has a particle diameter of 1 nm to 50 nm.

10 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the tube is suitable for supporting an electrode active material.

11 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal included on the inner surface of the tube is a metal having a lower overvoltage with an electrode active material compared to an electrode current collector; or a metal having a multiphase with an electrode active material.

12 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal included on the inner surface of the tube is one or more types selected from the group consisting of Au, Zn, Mg, Ag, Al, Pt, In, Co, Ni, Mn, Si and Ca.

13 . The structure of claim 10 , wherein the electrode active material is a positive electrode active material or a negative electrode active material.

14 . The structure of claim 13 , wherein the negative electrode active material comprises a lithium metal.

15 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises a semiconductor element and an oxide of the semiconductor element, and the oxide of the semiconductor element includes SiO x , wherein 0.3≤x≤1.2, GeO y , wherein 0.2≤y≤1.1, SnO z , wherein 0.3≤z≤1.2 or a combination thereof.

16 . A structure comprising:
a tube having an inner surface forming a cavity and two ends, wherein one or both ends are open; a metal on the inner surface of the tube; and lithium metal formed on the metal.

17 . The structure of claim 16 , wherein the metal is one or more types selected from the group consisting of Au, Zn, Mg, Ag, Al, Pt, In, Co, Ni, Mn, Si and Ca.

18 . The structure of claim 16 , wherein the structure further comprises an alloy of the metal and the lithium metal, which is formed at an interface between the metal and the lithium metal.

19 . The structure of claim 18 , wherein the alloy of the metal and the lithium metal is Li x Au, wherein x is a real number of 0<x≤3.75.

20 . The structure of claim 16 , wherein a volume ratio (a) of the lithium metal with respect to a free volume of the tube is 0<α≤1 by the following Equation 2:
α= V Li /V F   [Equation 2]

in Equation 2, V F is a free volume of the tube and V Li is a volume of the lithium metal, and the V F is calculated by the following Equation 3:
V F =π( D in /2) 2 L   [Equation 3]

in Equation 3, D in is an inner diameter of the tube and L is a length of the tube.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd
• Korea Advanced Inst Sci & Tech

Inventors

• Park Eunkyung
• Choi Jang Wook
• Kim Byung Gon
• Jang Minchul
• Son Byoungkuk
• Choi Junghun
• Kang Donghyeon

Classifications

• H01M4/134 Primary

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M4/76 Primary

  Containers for holding the active material, e.g. tubes, capsules · CPC title

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/666

  in the form of mixed materials (H01M4/668 takes precedence) · CPC title