PHOTO-ASSISTED FAST CHARGING OF LITHIUM MANGANESE OXIDE SPINEL (LiMn2O4) IN LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021167429-A1
Application number	US-202117148875-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2021
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Jun 3, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for charging a discharged electrochemical cell includes applying a voltage bias to the discharged electrochemical cell; and illuminating the cathode with a light source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A process for charging a discharged electrochemical cell, the process comprising:
applying a voltage bias to the discharged electrochemical cell; and illuminating the cathode with a light source; wherein:
the discharged electrochemical cell comprises a cathode, an anode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte; and
the electrochemical cell is a lithium ion battery, a sodium ion battery, a magnesium ion battery, or a sulfur battery.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein under illumination with the light source the discharged electrochemical cell is charged to a predetermined state in less time than the same discharged electrochemical cell in the absence of illumination.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a broadband white light source.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode, a xenon lamp, a laser, or optical fiber.

5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source further comprises an infrared filter.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a lithium ion battery.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a sodium ion battery.

8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a magnesium ion battery.

9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a sulfur battery.

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising a spinel, a olivine, a carbon-coated olivine, LiFePO 4 , LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 , LiNi 1−x Co y M 4 z O 2 , LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 , LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 O 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , LiFeO 2 , LiM 4 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , Li 1+x″ Ni α Mn β Co γ M 5 67 ′ O 2−z″ F z″ , A n′ B 1 2 (M 2 O 4 ) 3 , or VO 2 ;
wherein:
M 4 is Al, Mg, Ti, B, Ga, Si, Mn, or Co;
M 5 is Mg, Zn, Al, Ga, B, Zr, or Ti;
A is Li, Ag, Cu, Na, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn;
B 1 is Ti, V, Cr, Fe, or Zr;
0≤x≤0.3; 0≤y≤0.5; 0≤z≤0.5; 0≤m≤0.5; 0≤n≤0.5; 0≤x″≤0.4; 0≤α≤1; 0≤β≤1; 0≤γ<1; 0≤δ′≤0.4; 0≤z″≤0.4; and 0≤n′≤3;
with the proviso that at least one of α, β and γ is greater than 0.

11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising LiFePO 4 , LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 , LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 , LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 P 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , LiCr 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiCrMnO 4 , LiFe 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiCoMnO 4 , LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiNiPO 4 , LiCoPO 4 , LiMnPO 4 , LiCoPO 4 F, Li 2 MnO 3 , Li 5 FeO 4 , or Li x′ (Met)O 2 ;
wherein:
Met is a transition metal and 1<x′≤2.

12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein Met is Ni, Co, Mn, or a mixture of any two or more thereof.

13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising manganese.

14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein discharged electrochemical cell further comprising a separator between the cathode and the anode.

15 . A method of generating Mn 4+ in an electrode of an electrochemical cell, the method comprising applying a charging current to the electrochemical cell, and simultaneously illuminating the electrode with visible light.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the electrode is a cathode.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising manganese.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cathode comprises LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 , LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 O 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , LiFeO 2 , LiM 4 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , or Li 1+x″ Ni α Mn β Co γ M 5 δ′ O 2−z″ F z″ , A n′ B 1 2 (M 2 O 4 ) 3 ;
wherein:
M 4 is Al, Mg, Ti, B, Ga, Si, Mn, or Co;
M 5 is Mg, Zn, Al, Ga, B, Zr, or Ti;
A is Li, Ag, Cu, Na, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn;
B 1 is Ti, V, Cr, Fe, or Zr;
0≤x″≤0.4; 0≤α≤1; 0≤β≤1; 0≤γ≤1; 0≤δ′≤0.4; 0≤z″≤0.4; and 0≤n′≤3;
with the proviso that at least one of α, β and γ is greater than 0.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the cathode comprises LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 , LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 O 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , LiCr 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiCrMnO 4 , LiFe 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiCoMnO 4 , LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiMnPO 4 , or Li 2 MnO 3 .

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Johnson Christopher S
• Lee Anna

Classifications

• H01M10/0525 Primary

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• H01M4/505

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy · CPC title

• H01M4/525

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy · CPC title