Three-dimensional ion transport networks and current collectors for electrochemical cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019229343-A1
Application number	US-201916373308-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2019
Priority date	Dec 2, 2015
Publication date	Jul 25, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are three-dimensional ion transport networks and current collectors for electrodes of electrochemical cells. Exemplary electrodes include interconnected layers and channels including an electrolyte to facilitate ion transport. Exemplary electrodes also include three dimensional current collectors, such as current collectors having electronically conducting rods, electronically conducting layers or a combination thereof.

First claim

1 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . An electrode comprising:
a. an electrode material comprising an active material; and b. a current collector assembly comprising:
i. a primary current collector element, wherein the primary current collector element is the form of a layer; and
ii. at least one auxiliary current collector element selected from the group consisting of: a plurality of current collector layers, a plurality of current collector layer segments, a plurality of current collector rods and combinations thereof; wherein the plurality of current collector layers, if present, are parallel with respect to each other, the plurality of current collector layer segments, if present, are parallel with respect to each other, and the plurality of current collector rods, if present, are parallel with respect to each other;
wherein said at least one auxiliary current collector element is in electronic communication with said primary current collector element.

24 . The electrode of claim 23 , wherein said at least one auxiliary current collector element comprises a combination of the plurality of current collector rods and the plurality of current collector layers, wherein each of said plurality of current collector rods is substantially perpendicular to said primary current collector element, each of said plurality of current collector layers is substantially parallel to said primary current collector element, each of said plurality of current collector layers comprises a first plurality of apertures and each of said plurality of current collector rods passes through at least one of said apertures of said plurality of current collector layers; and wherein each aperture of each of said plurality of current collector layers is aligned with an aperture of each of all other of said plurality of current collector layers.

25 . (canceled)

26 . The electrode of claim 24 , wherein said electrode material comprises a plurality of layers comprising an active material, wherein each layer comprising an active material is separated from each adjacent layer comprising an active material by one of said plurality of current collector layers, each layer comprising an active material further comprises a second plurality of apertures and each of said plurality of current collector rods passes through at least one aperture of said second plurality of apertures of said plurality of layers comprising an active material; wherein the plurality of layers comprising an active material are parallel with respect to each other, and the second plurality of apertures are parallel with respect to each other.

27 . (canceled)

28 . The electrode of claim 24 , wherein said at least one auxiliary current collector element further comprises the plurality of current collector layer segments, each of said plurality of current collector layer segments comprises a third plurality of apertures and each of said plurality of current collector rods passes through at least one aperture of said third plurality of apertures of said plurality of current collector layer segments; and wherein the third plurality of apertures are parallel with respect to each other.

29 . (canceled)

30 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a. a first electrode according to claim 23 ; b. a second electrode; and c. an ionically conducting and electronically insulating separator layer disposed between the first and the second electrode.

31 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a. at least one of a first type of multilayered electrode of a first polarity comprising:
i. a plurality of layers of a first type comprising a first active material;
ii. at least one layer of a second type comprising an electrolyte;
iii. at least one layer of a third type comprising a current collector;
wherein each layer of a first type is separated from each adjacent layer of a first type by at least one layer of a second type or at least one layer of a third type; and wherein each of the layers of said at least one first type of multilayered electrode is independently provided along a layer alignment axis that is substantially parallel to an alignment axis of each other layers of said at least one first type of multilayered electrode; b. at least one of a second type of multilayered electrode of a second polarity comprising:
i. a plurality of layers of a fourth type comprising a second active material;
ii. at least one layer of a second type comprising an electrolyte; and
iii. at least one layer of a third fifth type comprising a current collector;
wherein each layer of a fourth type is separated from each adjacent layer of a fourth type by at least one layer of a second type or at least one layer of a fifth type; and wherein each of the layers of said at least one second type of multilayered electrode is independently provided along a layer alignment axis that is substantially parallel to an alignment axis of each other layers of said at least one second type of multilayered electrode; and c. an ionically conducting and electronically insulating separator layer disposed between the at least one of the first type of multilayered electrode and the at least one of the second type of multilayered electrode.

32 . (canceled)

33 . The electrochemical cell of claim 31 comprising a plurality of the first type of multilayered electrodes and a plurality of the second type of multilayered electrodes; wherein each of the layers of said first type of multilayered electrodes and the second type of multilayered electrodes are independently provided along layer alignment axes that are substantially parallel to each other; and wherein the plurality of the first type of multilayered electrodes and the second type of multilayered electrodes are provided in an orientation substantially parallel to each other.

34 - 35 . (canceled)

36 . The electrochemical cell of claim 31 comprising a plurality of the first type of multilayered electrodes and a plurality of the second type of multilayered electrodes; wherein each of the layers of said first type of multilayered electrodes and the second type of multilayered electrodes are independently provided along layer alignment axes that are substantially parallel to each other; and wherein the plurality of the first type of multilayered electrodes and the second type of multilayered electrodes are provided along an electrode alignment axis oriented substantially perpendicular to said layer alignment axes.

37 . The electrochemical cell of claim 33 , wherein a single, continuous separator is provided between said plurality of the first type of multilayered electrodes and said plurality of the second type of multilayered electrodes.

38 - 43 . (canceled)

44 . A method for assembling a multilayered electrode, the method comprising the steps of:
a. stacking
i. a plurality of layers of a first type comprising an active material; and
ii. at least one layer of a second type comprising a spacer material or a solid or gel electrolyte, wherein each layer of the first type is separated from each adjacent layer of the first type by at least one layer of the second type;
b. when a carrier material, a spacer material or a carrier material and a spacer material are present, introducing a liquid electrolyte into the carrier material, the spacer material or the carrier material and the spacer material.

45 - 49 . (canceled)

50 . A layered electrode for an electrochemical cell comprising at least 2 substantially parallel plates separated by a space, where the space is at least partially filled with a electrolyt

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Roumi Farshid
• Roumi Mahshid

Classifications

• H01M50/443 Primary

  Particulate material · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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

• H01M4/78 Primary

  Shapes other than plane or cylindrical, e.g. helical · CPC title

• H01M4/13

  Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof · CPC title

• H01M10/054

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