Densified battery electrodes and methods thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023163268-A1
Application number	US-202318158995-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 24, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	May 25, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an aspect, a Li-ion cell may comprise a densified electrode exhibiting an areal capacity loading of more than about 4 mAh/cm 2 . For example, the densified electrode may a first electrode part arranged on a current collector and a second electrode part on top of the first electrode part, the second electrode part of the at least one densified electrode having a higher porosity than the first electrode part of the at least one densified electrode. In some designs, the densified electrode may be fabricated by densifying electrode layers via a pressure roller while maintaining a contacting part of the pressure roller at a temperature that is less than a temperature of the second electrode part. In some designs, the applied pressure is a time-varying (e.g., frequency modulated) pressure. In some designs, a drying time for a slurry to produce the densified electrode may range from around 1-120 seconds.

First claim

1 . A Li-ion battery cell, comprising:
anode and cathode electrodes; an electrolyte ionically coupling the anode and the cathode electrodes; and a separator electrically separating the anode and the cathode electrodes, wherein the anode and cathode electrodes comprise at least one densified electrode exhibiting an areal capacity loading of more than about 4 mAh/cm 2 and comprising at least one electrode part arranged on a current collector.

2 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode part comprises a first electrode part arranged on the current collector and a second electrode part on top of the first electrode part.

3 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 2 , wherein the second electrode part of the at least one densified electrode exhibits a higher porosity than the first electrode part of the at least one densified electrode.

4 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode electrode comprises silicon (Si), carbon (C), or a combination of Si and C.

5 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 4 , wherein Si in the anode electrode ranges from around 5 wt. % to around 80 wt. %.

6 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 4 , wherein the anode electrode comprises Si-containing composite particles.

7 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein a total energy that may be stored in the Li-ion battery cell exceeds about 10 Wh.

8 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein a volumetric energy density of the Li-ion battery cell exceeds about 600 Wh/L.

9 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 8 , wherein the volumetric energy density of the Li-ion battery cell exceeds about 800 Wh/L.

10 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein a volumetric power density of the Li-ion battery cell exceeds about 1600 Wh/L when measured at around 40° C.

11 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the Li-ion battery cell is configured to discharge about 80% or more of its maximum stored energy within about 20 minutes or less when discharged at around 40° C.

12 . The Li-ion battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the Li-ion battery cell is configured to charge from around 10% state of charge to around 80% state of charge within about 20 minutes or less when charged at around 40° C.

13 . A densified electrode for a Li-ion battery, comprising:
at least one electrode part arranged on a current collector, wherein the densified electrode exhibits an areal capacity loading in excess of about 4 mAh/cm 2 .

14 . The densified electrode of claim 13 , wherein the at least one electrode part comprises:
a first electrode part arranged on the current collector; and a second electrode part arranged on top of the first electrode part.

15 . The densified electrode of claim 14 , wherein the second electrode part exhibits a higher porosity than the first electrode part.

16 . The densified electrode of claim 13 , wherein an average thickness of the densified electrode ranges from around 60 micron to around 800 micron.

17 . The densified electrode of claim 13 , wherein an average porosity of the densified electrode is below around 20 vol. %.

18 . The densified electrode of claim 13 , wherein the densified electrode is an anode electrode.

19 . The densified electrode of claim 18 , wherein the densified electrode comprises silicon (Si), carbon (C), or a combination of Si and C.

20 . The densified electrode of claim 19 , wherein Si in the densified electrode ranges from around 5 wt. % to around 80 wt. %.

21 . The densified electrode of claim 19 , wherein the densified electrode comprises Si-containing composite particles.

Assignees

• Sila Nanotechnologies Inc

Inventors

• Yushin Gleb
• Berdichevsky Gene

Classifications

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/0404

  by coating on electrode collectors · CPC title

• H01M4/0435 Primary

  Rolling or calendering · CPC title

• H01M2004/021

  Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area · CPC title

• H01M4/1393

  of electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx · CPC title