Multiphase metal foils as integrated metal anodes for non-aqueous batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020365877-A1
Application number	US-201816607942-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are multiphase metal anodes useful in non-aqueous batteries. The anodes include at least one active metal and at least one conductive metal.

First claim

1 . A multiphase metallic anode comprising an active metal phase and a conductive metal phase, wherein the active metal alloys with an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal at a potential that is greater than the potential at which the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal alloys with the conductive metal.

2 . The multiphase metallic anode of claim 1 , wherein the active metal is characterized by:
a) a higher lithium alloying potential, relative to lithium, than the conductive metal; b) a higher sodium alloying potential, relative to sodium, than the conductive metal; c) a higher magnesium alloying potential, relative to magnesium, than the conductive metal; or. d) a higher calcium alloying potential, relative to calcium, than the conductive metal.

3 .- 6 . (canceled)

7 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein active metal comprises aluminum, silicon, zinc, gallium, silver, cadmium, indium, tin, antimony, gold, lead, bismuth, or magnesium.

8 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the conductive metal comprises nickel, aluminum, zinc, silicon, lead, germanium, bismuth, silver, cadmium, antimony, copper, or gold.

9 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the active metal comprises tin.

10 .- 11 . (canceled)

12 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of active metal to conductive metal is from 1:10 to 10:1, from 1:10 to 5:1, from 1:5 to 5:1, from 1:2.5 to 5:1, from 1:2.5 to 2.5:1, from 1:1 to 2.5:1, from 1:2.5 to 1:1, or 1:1.5 to 1.5:1.

13 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises at least one additional element, different from either the active metal and conductive metal, and is selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, aluminum, silicon, phosphorous, gallium, germanium, arsenic, indium, antimony, lead, tin, bismuth, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, tungsten, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, and combinations thereof.

14 .- 17 . (canceled)

18 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additional elements is present in an amount from 0.1-10%, from 0.5-10%, from 1.0-10%, from 2.5-10%, from 5.0-10%, from 7.5-10%, from 0.1-7.5%, from 0.1-5.0%, from 0.1-3.5%, from 0.1-2.5%, from 0.1-1.0%, from 1-7.5%, from 2.5-7.5%, from 2-5%, or from 2.5-4% by weight, relative to the total weight of the metals.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the multiphase metallic anode comprises a eutectic alloy comprising the active metal phase and conductive metal phase.

21 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the multiphase metallic anode comprises the active metal clad upon the conductive metal.

22 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the multiphase metallic anode comprises the active metal deposited upon the conductive metal.

23 .- 25 . (canceled)

26 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the anode is a foil having at thickness no greater than 0.05 mm, no greater than 0.04 mm, no greater than 0.03 mm, no greater than 0.02 mm, no greater than 0.01 mm, no greater than 0.005 mm, or no greater than 0.0025 mm.

27 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the active metal and conductive metals have an average phase cross section in at least one spatial dimension of 20 microns or less, 10 microns or less, 8 microns or less, 6 microns or less, 5 microns or less, 4 microns or less, 3 microns or less, 2 microns or less, or 1 micron or less.

28 . (canceled)

29 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the active metal is alloyed with lithium.

30 . The anode of claim 1 , wherein the active metal is alloyed with sodium.

31 .- 32 . (canceled)

33 . A lithiated anode, prepared by a process comprising applying a voltage to a multiphase metallic electrode in contact with a lithium-containing electrolyte,
wherein the multiphase metallic electrode comprises an active metallic phase and a conductive metallic phase, wherein at the applied voltage the active metal is preferentially alloyed with lithium.

34 . A method of making a multiphase metallic anode, comprising:
forming a mixed metal precursor comprising an active metal and a conductive metal, and flattening the combined metals to a thickness no greater than 0.05 mm, no greater than 0.04 mm, no greater than 0.03 mm, no greater than 0.02 mm, no greater than 0.01 mm, no greater than 0.005 mm, or no greater than 0.0025 mm, wherein the active metal is characterized by alloying with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal alloying potential that is greater than the conductive metal.

35 .- 37 . (canceled)

38 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the mixed metal precursor is formed by combining, in the melted state, an active metal and inert, conductive metal, followed by cooling to give the mixed metal precursor.

39 .- 40 . (canceled)

41 . The method of claim 34 , comprising depositing the active metal upon the conductive metal.

42 . (canceled)

43 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a) the anode of claim 1 ; b) a cathode; and c) an electrolyte.

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Manthiram Arumugam
• Kreder Iii Karl Joseph
• Heligman Brian Theodore

Classifications

• H01M4/0435

  Rolling or calendering · CPC title

• H01M4/387

  Tin or alloys based on tin · CPC title

• H01M4/0497

  Chemical precipitation · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title