Interface design for high current density cycling of solid state battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021249693-A1
Application number	US-202016784543-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2020
Priority date	Feb 7, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Solid-state batteries offer improved safety and the high-energy-density capabilities required for next generation demands of electric vehicles. Disclosed is a method for fabricating high-current-density solid-state batteries, and the associated device structures and systems. The method of fabrication includes purifying surfaces of a solid electrolyte, depositing materials to form deposition layers on the surfaces of the solid electrolyte in a vacuum, and forming oxygen-deficient interfaces at the interface of the deposition layers and the solid electrolyte. The methods and associated devices form high-current-density solid-state batteries with stable electrochemical performance over hundreds of electric cycles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid-state battery cell, comprising:
a first electrode having a first electrode first surface and an oppositely disposed first electrode second surface; a second electrode having a second electrode first surface and an oppositely disposed second electrode second surface; a solid electrolyte extending between the first and second electrodes, the solid electrolyte having oppositely disposed first and second electrolyte surfaces, wherein the first electrolyte surface is in facing relation to the first electrode second surface and the second electrolyte surface is in facing relation to the second electrode first surface; and a first oxygen-deficient interface layer disposed between the first electrolyte surface and the first electrode second surface.

2 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises lithium or alloys thereof.

3 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises one or more of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese oxide, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, or lithium iron phosphate.

4 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO).

5 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is doped with one or more of aluminum, tantalum, and niobium.

6 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 1 , further comprising a second oxygen-deficient interface layer disposed between the second electrolyte surface and the second electrode first surface.

7 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 1 , further comprising a first deposition layer disposed between the first electrode and the electrolyte such that the first oxygen-deficient interface layer is disposed between the first deposition layer and the first electrolyte surface.

8 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 7 , wherein the first deposition layer is deposited in a vacuum.

10 . The solid-state battery cell of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first lithium layer physically coupled to the first deposition layer, wherein the first lithium layer is in electrical communication with the first deposition layer.

11 . A method of fabricating a solid electrolyte for a solid-state battery cell, the method comprising:
removing impurities from a first surface of a solid electrolyte; and depositing a first deposition layer on the first surface of the solid electrolyte; wherein the depositing of the first deposition layer is performed under conditions sufficient for an oxygen-deficient interface layer to form at the first surface of the solid electrolyte.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the deposition of the first deposition layer is performed in an environment with sufficiently low concentrations of H 2 O and CO 2 for the oxygen-deficient interface layer to form at the first surface of the solid electrolyte.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the deposition of the first deposition layer is performed in a vacuum.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein removing impurities from the first surface of the solid electrolyte comprises sanding the first surface of the solid electrolyte.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising heating the solid electrolyte in a vacuum prior to depositing the first deposition layer.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , comprising heating the solid electrolyte to a temperature that is (i) high enough to remove impurities from the first surface of the solid electrolyte, and (ii) low enough to preserve the crystal structure of the solid electrolyte.

17 . The method according to claim 11 , comprising depositing the first deposition layer and second deposition layer in an environment depleted of CO 2 and water vapor.

18 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein depositing each of the first deposition layer and second deposition layer comprises depositing materials by sputtering.

19 . A solid-state battery cell, comprising:
a first electrode comprising lithium; a second electrode comprising one or more of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, or lithium nickel manganese oxide; a solid electrolyte extending between the first and second electrodes, the solid electrolyte comprising lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO); a first lithium deposition layer on a first surface of the solid electrolyte, wherein the first deposition layer extends between the first electrode and the first surface of the solid electrolyte; and an oxygen-deficient interface at the interface of the first lithium deposition layer and the first surface of the solid electrolyte.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Zhu Yisi
• Tepavcevic Sanja
• Connell Justin Grant
• Zapol Peter
• Markovic Nenad

Classifications

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/0562

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/131 Primary

  Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx · CPC title