Separator with a ceramic-comprising separator layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019198837-A1
Application number	US-201816224386-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Jun 27, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An embodiment is directed to a separator with a ceramic-comprising separator layer. The ceramic-comprising separator layer comprises porous metal oxide fibers with diameters in the range from around 3 nm to around 2 microns, aspect ratios in the range from around 20 to around 100,000, and a total open pore volume among the porous metal oxide fibers in the range from around 0.01 cm 3 /g to around 1 cm 3 /g.

First claim

1 . A separator, comprising:
a ceramic-comprising separator layer, wherein the ceramic-comprising separator layer comprises porous metal oxide fibers with diameters in the range from around 3 nm to around 2 microns, aspect ratios in the range from around 20 to around 100,000, and a total open pore volume among the metal oxide fibers in the range from around 0.01 cm 3 /g to around 1 cm 3 /g.

2 . The separator of claim 1 ,
wherein the ceramic-comprising separator layer is implemented as a coating on one or more of an anode electrode, an cathode electrode, or a separator membrane of the separator, or wherein the ceramic-comprising separator layer is implemented as a standalone separator membrane.

3 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide fibers comprise from around 2 at. % to around 40 at. % of aluminum (Al).

4 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide fibers exhibit amorphous or nanocrystalline microstructure with an average grain size below around 20 nm.

5 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the individual metal oxide fibers exhibit an average tensile strength in the range from around 100 MPa to around 50 GPa.

6 . The separator of claim 1 ,
wherein the metal oxide fibers are bonded to each other, and wherein an average bond strength between the metal oxide fibers ranges from around 1% to over around 100% of an average tensile strength of the metal oxide fibers.

7 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator exhibits tensile strength in the range from around 1 MPa to around 1,000 MPa.

8 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator exhibits a minimum bending radius in the range from around 0.1 mm to around 3 cm.

9 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the separator is in the range from around 1 micron to around 30 micron.

10 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein a porosity of the separator ranges from around 30.0 vol. % to around 85.0 vol. %.

11 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide fibers comprise first and second subsets of fibers having respective average diameters that vary by at least 10 times.

12 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide fibers comprise first and second subsets of fibers having respective average lengths that vary by at least 10 times.

13 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein at least 20 wt. % of the metal oxide fibers exhibit diameters in the range from around 20 nm to around 200 nm.

14 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein at least 20 wt. % of the metal oxide fibers exhibit length in the range from around 2 micron to around 200 micron.

15 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide fibers include a first subset of fibers with a first composition and/or morphology and a second subset of fibers with a second composition and/or morphology that is different from the first composition and/or morphology.

16 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide fibers are produced by conversion of alkoxide precursor fibers.

17 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator is produced by casting or spray drying from a dispersion, followed by drying at temperatures in the range from around 40° C. to around 400° C.

18 . The separator of claim 1 ,
wherein the separator separates an anode electrode from a cathode electrode, and wherein the anode electrode comprises from around 3 wt. % to around 70 wt. % of Silicon (Si).

19 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises polymer in the range from around 0.5 wt. % to around 50 wt. %.

20 . The separator of claim 19 , wherein the polymer exhibits thermal stability in the range from around 120.0° C. to around 450.0° C., the heating to which does not reduce its room temperature tensile strength by more than around 50%.

Assignees

• Sila Nanotechnologies Inc

Inventors

• Yushin Gleb
• Roudebush John
• Kulinski Kyle

Classifications

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M4/386

  Silicon or alloys based on silicon · CPC title

• H01G11/52 Primary

  Separators · CPC title