Metal negative electrode ultrasonic charging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020020990-A1
Application number	US-201816491525-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Jan 16, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are systems and methods for using an ultrasonic vibration generator to apply vibrational energy to a metal negative electrode of a rechargeable battery. In some examples, the application of vibrational energy to the metal negative electrode occurs during a charging event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for ultrasonically vibrating a metal negative electrode, comprising providing an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises:
a positive electrode,
a solid electrolyte, and
and a metal negative electrode;
vibrating the metal negative electrode ultrasonically; and charging the electrochemical cell.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the charging occurs at a temperature lower than 80° C., 75° C., 65° C., 60° C., 55° C., 50° C., 45° C., 40° C., 35° C., 30° C., 25° C., 20° C., 15° C., 10° C., 5° C., 0° C., −5° C., −10° C., −15° C., −20° C., −25° C., or −30° C.

3 . The method of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the charging occurs at a temperature at least higher than −30° C.

4 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the metal negative electrode is a lithium (Li) metal negative electrode.

5 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the metal negative electrode is a sodium (Na) metal negative electrode.

6 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the metal negative electrode is a zinc (Zn) metal negative electrode.

7 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 6 , wherein the solid electrolyte is a sulfide-based electrolyte, a garnet-based electrolyte, or a borohydride-based electrolyte.

8 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 7 , further comprising applying a pressure to the metal negative electrode.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the applied pressure is at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000 pounds per square inch (PSI).

10 . The method of claim 8 or 9 , wherein the applied pressure is less than 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, or 10 PSI.

11 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 10 , wherein the vibrating and charging occur simultaneously.

12 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 11 , comprising charging, first, and then, vibrating.

13 . A method of charging a battery having a metal negative electrode, the method comprising providing a battery having less than a full charge; vibrating the battery at ultrasonic frequencies; and charging the battery.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the vibrating and charging occur concurrently.

15 . The method of any one of claims 13 - 14 , further comprising applying a pressure to the metal negative electrode.

16 . The method of any one of claims 13 - 15 , wherein the applied pressure is at least 10 pounds per square inch (PSI), 20 PSI, 30 PSI, 40 PSI, 50 PSI, 60 PSI 70 PSI, 80 PSI, 90 PSI, 100 PSI, 200 PSI, 300, PSI 400 PSI, 500 PSI, 600 PSI, 700 PSI, 800 PSI, 900 PSI, 1000 PSI, 2000 PSI, 3000 PSI, or 4000 PSI.

17 . The method of any one of claims 13 - 16 , wherein the applied pressure is less than 600 PSI, 500 PSI, 400 PSI, 300 PSI, 200 PSI, 100 PSI, 80 PSI, 70 PSI, 60 PSI, 50 PSI, 40 PSI, 30 PSI, 20 PSI, or 10 PSI.

18 . The method of claim 17 , where the applied pressure is 300 PSI or less.

19 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 18 , wherein the current at which the charging occurs is at least 1 mA/cm 2 , 2 mA/cm 2 , 3 mA/cm 2 , 4 mA/cm 2 , 5 mA/cm 2 , 6 mA/cm 2 , or 10 mA/cm 2 .

20 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 19 , wherein the method further comprises measuring an electrochemical cell's voltage, current, impedance, resistance, pressure, temperature, evolved gases, or physical deformations.

21 . An electrochemical cell having a Li-metal negative electrode made by the method of any one of claims 1 - 20 .

22 . An electrochemical cell having a Li-metal negative electrode healed by the method of any one of claims 1 - 20 .

23 . A method for healing an electrochemical cell, the method comprising ultrasonically vibrating a metal negative electrode in the electrochemical cell.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the electrochemical cell is in a battery.

25 . The method of claim 23 or 24 , wherein the battery is in a car.

26 . The method of claim 23 or 24 , wherein the battery is in use in a car.

Assignees

• Quantumscape Corp

Inventors

• Oba Hiro

Classifications

• H01M10/42

  Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells (H01M10/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/054

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

• H01M10/0562

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

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