Fabrication of films and coatings used to activate shear thickening, impact resistant electrolytes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020287243-A1
Application number	US-202016836297-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2020
Priority date	Apr 20, 2018
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte and separator layer includes providing a suspension composition including electrically non-conducting particles that enable shear thickening. The particles can have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of from 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV. A particle suspension solvent is provided for suspending the particles. The suspension composition is applied to a porous separator material. A portion of the particles and suspension solvent penetrate the pores and the remainder of the particles in the suspension composition are distributed across the surface of the separator material. The suspension solvent is evaporated from the separator material to provide a shear thickening particle loaded separator. A separator assembly and a passivated battery are also disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method of making a passively impact resistant battery comprising the steps of:
providing a porous separator material having pores and a surface; providing a suspension composition comprising shear thickening enabling particles, the shear thickening particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV, and a particle suspension solvent for suspending the shear thickening enabling particles; applying the suspension composition to the separator material,
wherein a portion of the shear thickening enabling particles and suspension solvent penetrate the pores and the remainder of the suspension composition is distributed across the surface of the separator material; and
evaporating the suspension solvent from the separator material;
applying an anode layer;
applying a cathode layer;
applying an electrolyte composition between the anode layer and the cathode layer, the electrolyte composition comprising an electrolyte solvent, and up to 6M of an electrolyte salt, wherein the electrolyte, the electrolyte salt, and the shear thickening enabling particles will form a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspension composition is applied to the separator by a roll to roll process.

3 . A shear thickening separator assembly, comprising:
a porous separator material having a surface and percolating pores providing a porosity of from 20% to 80%; shear thickening enabling particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV, the shear thickening enabling particles being distributed at the surface and within the pores of the separator, the shear thickening enabling particles comprising from 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % of the total weight of the separator and shear thickening particles, and wherein between 20-40 wt. % of the shear thickening enabling particles are located in the pores of the separator.

4 . The shear thickening separator assembly of claim 3 , further comprising an electrolyte salt, wherein the electrolyte salt comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium triflate, lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoro borate, lithium hexafluoro lithium arsenate, lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulphone)imide, lithium bis(oxalate) borate, sodium perchlorate, sodium tetrafluoro borate, sodium hexafluoro arsenate, sodium bis(trifluoromethane sulphone)imide, sodium bis(oxalate) borate, sodium hexafluorophosphate and sodium triflate.

5 . The shear thickening separator assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pores of the porous separator have an average pore diameter, and the shear thickening enabling particles have an average hydrocluster diameter, and wherein the average pore diameter is from 1 to 100 times the size of the average hydrocluster diameter.

6 . A shear thickening battery, comprising:
an anode; a cathode; a porous separator material having a surface and percolating pores providing a porosity of from 20% to 80%; shear thickening enabling particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV, the shear thickening enabling particles being distributed at the surface and within the pores of the separator, the shear thickening enabling particles comprising from 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % of the total weight of the separator and shear thickening particles, and wherein between 20-40 wt. % of the shear thickening enabling particles are located in the pores of the separator; and, an electrolyte.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Armstrong Beth L
• Veith Gabriel M
• Kalnaus Sergiy
• Wang Hsin
• Browning Katie L
• Cooley Kevin M

Classifications

• H01M50/443

  Particulate material · CPC title

• H01M50/491

  Porosity · CPC title

• H01M10/0568 Primary

  characterised by the solutes · CPC title

• H01M50/431

  Inorganic material · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title