Three-Dimensional Structure Electrode and Electrochemical Element Including Same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020335796-A1
Application number	US-201916959860-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2019
Priority date	Oct 18, 2018
Publication date	Oct 22, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional structure electrode, a method for manufacturing same, and an electrochemical element including the electrode. The present invention is characterized by comprising: (a) an upper conductive layer and a lower conductive layer which have a structure constituting an assembly within which a conductive material and a porous nonwoven fabric including a plurality of polymeric fibers are three-dimensionally connected in an irregular and continuous manner, thereby forming a mutually connected porous structure; and (b) an active material layer forming the same assembly structure as the conductive layers and forming a three-dimensionally filled structure in which electrode active material particles are uniformly filled inside the mutually connected porous structure formed in the assembly structure, wherein the active material layer is formed between the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer.

First claim

1 . An electrode having a three-dimensional aggregate structure, the electrode comprising:
(a) an upper conductive layer and a lower conductive layer each having a respective structure in which a porous nonwoven fabric including a plurality of polymer fibers and a conductive material are three-dimensionally, irregularly, and continuously connected within the three-dimensional aggregate structure, the three-dimensional aggregate structure having an interconnected pore structure formed therein; and (b) an active material layer disposed within the three-dimensional aggregate structure, wherein electrode active material particles are uniformly filled in the interconnected pore structure formed in the three-dimensional aggregate structure, wherein the active material layer is disposed between the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer.

2 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the electrode is 3 to 1000 μm.

3 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer each have a thickness of 3 to 30% of the active material layer, respectively, and
wherein a porosity of each of the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer is 5 to 80% by volume.

4 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the upper conductive layer or the lower conductive layer includes 10 to 50% by weight of the conductive material and 50 to 90% by weight of the porous nonwoven fabric with respect to a total weight of the respective upper or lower conductive layer.

5 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is one selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotube (CNT), silver nanowire, nickel nanowire, gold nanowire, graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, polypyrrole, poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, polyaniline, derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof.

6 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein a polymer constituting the plurality of polymer fibers is one or more selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, polyamide, polysulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyetherimide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, agarose, alginate, polyvinylidene hexafluoropropylene, polyurethane, nylon 6, polypyrrole, poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, polyaniline, derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof.

7 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the active material particles are selected from the group consisting of: lithium metal oxide, carbonaceous material, oxide, silicon (Si), tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), sulfur (S), derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof.

8 . A method for manufacturing an electrode having a three-dimensional structure, the method comprising:
(a) preparing a polymer solution including a polymer and a solvent; (b) preparing a first colloidal solution including a conductive material, a dispersant and a dispersion medium; (c) preparing a second colloidal solution including the conductive material, the dispersant, the dispersion medium, and active material particles; (d) preparing three-dimensional structure fibers using the polymer solution, the first colloidal solution and the second colloidal solution; and (e) compressing the three-dimensional structure fibers, wherein step (d) comprises: simultaneously spinning the polymer solution and a first portion of the first colloidal solution to prepare a lower conductive layer; simultaneously spinning the polymer solution and the second colloidal solution on top of the lower conductive layer to prepare an active material layer; and simultaneously spinning the polymer solution and a second portion of the first colloidal solution on top of the active material layer to prepare an upper conductive layer.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein step (d) is performed by using one method selected from the group consisting of: double electrospinning, double electrospray, double spray, and combinations thereof.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein during step (d), a spinning rate of the polymer solution is 2 to 15 μl/min, and
wherein a spinning rate of the first and second portions of the first colloidal solution and the second colloidal solution is 30 to 300 μl/min.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first colloidal solution includes 0.1 to 50% by weight of the conductive material based on a total weight of the first colloidal solution.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the polymer solution includes 5 to 30% by weight of the polymer based on a total weight of the polymer solution.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein step (c) comprises:
injecting the conductive material into the active material particles to prepare a mixed powder; grinding the mixed powder to obtain a composite of the active material particles and the conductive material; and dispersing the composite within the dispersion medium to prepare the second colloidal solution.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein step (b) includes dispersing the conductive material within the dispersion medium to prepare the first colloidal solution.

15 . An electrochemical device having an electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a separator interposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, the electrode assembly being embedded in a battery case,
wherein the negative electrode or the positive electrode is the electrode of claim 1 .

16 . The electrochemical device of claim 15 , wherein the electrochemical device is one selected from the group consisting of: a lithium secondary battery, a super capacitor, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium ion battery, a lithium-air battery, a zinc-air battery, an aluminum-air battery, and a magnesium ion battery.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd
• Ulsan Nat Inst Science & Tech Unist

Inventors

• Uhm In Sung
• Lee Sang Young
• Kwon Yo Han
• Kim Ju Myung
• Lim Joon Won
• Lee Jae Hyun
• Kim Je Young
• Kim Seong Hyeok

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/139

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/0402

  Methods of deposition of the material · CPC title

• D01F1/10

  Other agents for modifying properties · CPC title