Lithium metal pouch cells and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020274148-A1
Application number	US-201916552315-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2019
Publication date	Aug 27, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A lithium metal pouch cell having a specific energy ≥300 Wh·kg −1 includes an anode comprising lithium metal and an anode current collector, the anode having an areal capacity N (mAh·cm −2 ); a cathode comprising a cathode material and a cathode current collector, the cathode having an a real capacity P (mAh·cm −2 ), wherein a ratio of N/P is within a range of 0.02 to 5; an electrolyte having an electrolyte mass E and comprising a lithium active salt and a solvent, the lithium metal pouch cell having an electrolyte mass to cell capacity (E/C) ratio within a range of 1 to 6 g·Ah −1 ; a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode; and a packaging material defining a pouch enclosing the anode, cathode, electrolyte, and separator; wherein a protruding tab of the anode current collector and a protruding tab of the cathode current collector are external to the pouch.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A lithium metal pouch cell, comprising:
an anode comprising lithium metal and an anode current collector, the anode having an anode areal capacity from 0.2 to 10 mAh·cm −2 ; a cathode comprising a cathode material and a cathode current collector, the cathode having a cathode areal capacity from 2 to 10 mAh·cm −2 , wherein a ratio of N/P is within a range of 0.02 to 5; an electrolyte comprising a lithium active salt and a solvent, the electrolyte having an electrolyte mass E and the lithium metal pouch cell having an electrolyte mass to cell capacity (E/C) ratio within a range of 1 to 6 g·Ah −1 ; a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode; and a packaging material defining a pouch enclosing the anode, cathode, electrolyte, and separator; wherein a protruding tab of the anode current collector and a protruding tab of the cathode current collector extend external to the pouch, the lithium metal pouch cell having a specific energy 300 Wh·kg −1 .

2 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode areal capacity is within a range of from 3 to 5 mAh·cm −2 .

3 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of anodes; a plurality of cathodes; and a plurality of separators, wherein a separator is positioned between each anode and an adjacent cathode.

4 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a first layer of lithium metal and a second layer of lithium metal affixed to opposing sides of the anode current collector, and wherein:
(i) each layer of lithium metal has a thickness within a range of 1 to 60 μm prior to cycling the lithium metal pouch cell; or (ii) the anode current collector has a thickness within a range of 50 nm to 10 μm; or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

5 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 4 , wherein:
the anode current collector has a thickness within a range of 50 nm to 3 μm, the first layer of lithium metal has a first surface in contact with the anode current collector and the protruding tab of the anode current collector extends past a terminal end of the first layer of lithium metal, and the second layer of lithium metal has a first surface in contact with the anode current collector and an opposing surface, and the protruding tab of the anode current collector extends past a terminal end of the second layer of lithium metal, the lithium metal pouch cell further comprising
a support tab affixed to the opposing surface of the second layer of lithium metal adjacent the terminal end of the second layer and aligned with the protruding tab of the anode current collector, the support tab extending past the terminal end of the second layer of lithium and having a terminal end external to the pouch.

6 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 5 , wherein:
(i) the terminal end of the support tab is aligned with a terminal end of the protruding tab of the anode current collector; or (ii) a proximal end of the support tab is aligned with the terminal end of the first layer of lithium metal; or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

7 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 5 , wherein:
(i) the support tab is a perforated metal tab; or (ii) the support tab is made of the same material as the anode current collector; or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

8 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 5 , wherein:
(i) the support tab has a thickness within a range of 3 to 18 μm; or (ii) the support tab has a length within a range of 2 to 10 mm; or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

9 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 5 , further comprising:
a plurality of cathodes; a plurality of anodes, each anode comprising
a first layer of lithium metal and a second layer of lithium metal affixed to opposing sides of an anode current collector, the second layer having a first surface in contact with the anode current collector and an opposing surface, and
a support tab affixed to the opposing surface; and
a plurality of separators, wherein a separator is positioned between each anode and an adjacent cathode, wherein the protruding tabs of the anode current collectors and the support tabs are adhered together.

10 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 5 , wherein:
(i) the lithium metal comprises from 1 to 10 wt % of the pouch cell; or (ii) the anode current collector and support tab together comprise from 5 to 10 wt % of the pouch cell; or (iii) the cathode material comprises from 40 to 60 wt % of the pouch cell; or (iv) the cathode current collector comprises from 2 to 6 wt % of the pouch cell; or (v) the electrolyte comprises from 20 to 30 wt % of the pouch cell; or (vi) the separator comprises from 2 to 5 wt % of the pouch cell; or (vii) the packaging material comprises from 5 to 10 wt % of the pouch cell; or (viii) any combination of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), and (vii).

11 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a first layer of cathode material and a second layer of cathode material affixed to opposing sides of the cathode current collector, and wherein:
(i) each layer of cathode material has a thickness within a range of 50 to 200 μm; or (ii) the cathode current collector has a thickness within a range of 8 to 20 μm; or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

12 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode material comprises a cathode active material comprising LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 (NMC, x+y+z=1), Li 1+w Ni x Mn y Co z O 2 (x+y+z+w=1, 0≤w≤0.25), LiCoO 2 (LCO), LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA), LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 spinel, LiMn 2 O 4 (LMO), LiFePO 4 (LFP), Li 4-x M x Ti 5 O 12 (M=Mg, Al, Ba, Sr, or Ta; 0≤x≤1), MnO 2 , V 2 O 5 , V 6 O 13 , LiV 3 O 8 , LiM C1 x M C2 1-x PO 4 (M C1 or M C2 =Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, or Ti; 0≤x≤1), Li 3 V 2-x M 1 x (PO 4 ) 3 (M 1 =Cr, Co, Fe, Mg, Y, Ti, Nb, or Ce; 0≤x≤1), LiVPO 4 F, LiM C1 x M C2 1-x O 2 ((M C1 and M C2 independently are Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, Ti, Mg, or Al; 0≤x≤1), LiM C1 x M C2 y M C3 1-x-y O 2 ((M C1 , M C2 , and M C3 independently are Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, Ti, Mg, or Al; 0≤x≤1; 0≤y≤1), LiMn 2-y X y O 4 (X═Cr, Al, or Fe, 0≤y≤1), LiNi 0.5-y X y Mn 1.5 O 4 (X═Fe, Cr, Zn, Al, Mg, Ga, V, or Cu; 0≤y<0.5), xLi 2 MnO 3 .1-x)LiM C1 y M C2 z M C3 1-y-z O 2 (M C1 , M C2 , and M C3 independently are Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, Fe, or mixture thereof; x=0.3-0.5; y≤0.5; z≤0.5), Li 2 M 2 SiO 4 (M 2 =Mn, Fe, or Co), Li 2 M 2 SO 4 (M 2 =Mn, Fe, or Co), LiM 2 SO 4 F (M 2 =Fe, Mn, or Co), Li(Fe 1-y Mn y )P 2 O 7 (0≤y≤1) Cr 3 O 8 , Cr 2 O 5 , a carbon/sulfur composite, Li 2 O 2 , Li 2 S, LiF, or any combination thereof.

13 . The lithium metal pouch cell of claim 1 , wherein:
the lithium active salt comprises LiPF 6 , LiAsF 6 , LiBF 4 , lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI), lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiB(C 2 O 4 ) 2 , LiBOB), lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiBF 2 (C 2 O 4 ), LiDFOB), lithium bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonyl)imide (LiN(SO 2 CF 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiBETI), lithium (fluorosulfonyl trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiN(SO 2 F)(SO 2 CF 3 ), LiFTFSI), lithium (fluorosulfonyl pentafluoroethanesulfonyl)imide (LiN(SO 2 F)N(SO 2 CF 2 CF 3 ), LiFBETI), lithium cyclo(tetrafluoroethylenedisulfonly)imide (LiN(SO 2 CF 2 CF 2 SO 2 ), LiCTFSI), lithium (trifluoromethanesulfonyl)(n-nonafluorobutanesulfonyl)imide (LiN(SO 2 CF 3 )(SO 2 -n-C 4 F 9 ), LiTNFSI), lithium cyclo-hexafluoropropane-1,3-bis(sulfonyl)imide, or any combination thereof; and the solvent comprises triethyl phosphate, trimethyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, tris(2,2,2-trifluoroe

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Xiao Jie
• Liu Jun
• Lee Hongkyung
• Liu Dianying
• Niu Chaojiang

Classifications

• H01M50/557

  Plate-shaped terminals · CPC title

• H01M50/105

  Pouches or flexible bags · CPC title

• H01M50/562

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• H01M50/55

  on the same side of the cell · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title