Method for producing an anode for lithium batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023223546-A1
Application number	US-202318154201-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2023
Priority date	Jan 13, 2022
Publication date	Jul 13, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided a method for producing an anode for lithium batteries. The method comprises: providing a current collector, forming a layer of protective material thereon, depositing a lithiophilic material on the layer of protective material, and depositing a molten lithium material on the layer of lithiophilic material. The lithiophilic material and the molten lithium material subsequently react to form the anode active material. The current collector and/or at least one other layer of the anode may comprise a continuous 3D structure on a surface thereof. The protective material deposited on the current collector constitutes a barrier between the current collector and lithium in the anode active material, therefore formation of cracks in the current collector is avoided.

First claim

1 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium battery, comprising:
a) providing a current collector; b) depositing a layer of protective material on a surface of the current collector to obtain a protected current collector; c) depositing a layer of a lithiophilic material on a surface of the protected current collector; and d) depositing a layer of lithium material in molten form on the layer of lithiophilic material, whereby the lithiophilic material reacts with the molten lithium material to form a layer of anode active material.

2 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium battery, comprising:
a) providing a current collector; b) depositing a layer of protective material on a surface of the current collector to obtain a protected current collector; c) depositing a layer of a lithiophilic material on the layer of protective material, then c1) subjecting the layer of lithiophilic material to a plasma treatment to obtain a layer of plasma treated lithiophilic material; and d) depositing a layer of lithium material in molten form on the layer of plasma treated lithiophilic material, whereby the lithiophilic material reacts with the molten lithium material to form a layer of anode active material.

3 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium battery, comprising:
a) providing a current collector; b) depositing a layer of protective material on a surface of the current collector to obtain a protected current collector; c1) subjecting the protected current collector to a plasma treatment to obtain a plasma treated protected current collector having a lithiophilic surface; and d) depositing a layer of lithium material in molten form on the lithiophilic surface, thereby forming a layer of anode active material.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising e) depositing a layer of a surface treatment agent on the layer of anode active material formed.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising one or more of the following steps:
a1) forming a continuous 3D structure on a surface of the current collector to obtain a textured current collector prior to conducting step b); b1) forming a continuous 3D structure on surface of the protected current collector to obtain a textured protected current collector prior to conducting step c) or step c1); d1) forming a continuous 3D structure on a surface of the anode active material layer prior to conducting step e); and e1) forming a continuous 3D structure on a surface of the surface treatment agent layer after step e) is conducted.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein steps a1), b), b1), c), c1), d), d1), e), and e1) are performed on both sides of the current collector and a double-sided anode is produced,
optionally steps a1), b), b1), c), c1), d), d1), e), and e1) are all conducted on one side of the current collector, then on the other side of the current collector; optionally each of steps a1), b), b1), c), c1), d), d1), e), and e1) is performed simultaneously on one side of the collector then on the other side of the current collector.

7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein steps a1) and b1) each independently comprises an electrochemical deposition of a conductive material on the surface of the current collector or on the surface of the protected current collector,
optionally the conductive material is the same material as the current collector; optionally the conductive material is a different material than the current collector.

8 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein steps a1) and b1) each independently comprises providing some roughness on the surface of the current collector or on the surface of the protected current collector,
optionally steps a1) and b1) each independently comprises a mechanical and/or a laser treatment, electrochemical oxidation, chemical etching, or any other suitable techniques.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises electrochemical deposition, electroless plating, or any other suitable techniques.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step c) comprises an electrochemical oxidation or reduction, or any other suitable techniques.

11 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the plasma treatment at step c1) is a thermal atmospheric pressure plasma.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step d) comprises infiltration methods, wave soldering, use of heated nozzles, anilox rolls, or any other suitable techniques.

13 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein at least one drying step is performed after any of steps a1), b), b1), c), d), d1), e), and e1).

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium material in molten form is at a temperature between about 180° C. and about 400° C.,
optionally the lithium material in molten form is at a temperature of about 210° C.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a material which is Cu, Al, Ni, Ti, C, stainless steel, a conductive polymer, or a combination thereof,
optionally the current collector comprises Cu, Al, or carbon-coated Al.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the protective material comprises Ni, Co, Cr, Fe, Ti, or a combination thereof,
optionally the protective material comprises Ni.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithiophilic material comprises CuO, Cu 2 O, ZnO, MnO 2 , SnO 2 , Cu, Au, Mg, Al, In, B, Zn, Sn, Si, SiO 2 , SiO x , a metal fluoride, a metal boride, or a combination thereof,
optionally the lithiophilic material comprises ZnO, Zn, or Sn.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithiophilic surface has a 3D structure,
optionally the lithiophilic surface comprises Ni.

19 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium material in molten form comprises lithium metal or an alloy thereof.

20 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment agent comprises Ag, Zn, Al, SiO x , Sn, Si, Li 2 CO 3 , LiF, carbon black, carbon nano fiber, graphene, or any other suitable surface treatment agents.

21 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium battery is a lithium-ion battery or an all-solid-state battery.

22 . An anode produced by the method according to claim 1 .

23 . An anode for a lithium battery, comprising:
a current collector; a layer of protective material deposited on the current collector; and an anode active material which is formed following a reaction between a lithiophilic material and a lithium material in molten form, optionally the anode active material is formed following a deposit of the lithium material on a lithiophilic surface.

24 . The anode according to claim 23 , wherein:
there is substantially no physical or chemical interaction between the current collector and the anode active material; and/or the current collector has a thickness between about 4 to about 5 μm.

25 . An apparatus adapted for producing the anode according to claim 23 .

26 . A method of manufacturing a lithium battery, comprising using of the anode according to claim 23 .

27 . A lithium battery comprising the anode according to claim 23 ,
optionally the lithium battery is a lithium-ion battery or an all-solid-state battery.

28 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium material in molten form comprises a binary

Assignees

• Hydro Quebec

Inventors

• Amouzegar Kamyab
• Leblanc Dominic
• Paolella Andrea
• Guerfi Abdelbast
• Kaboli Shirin
• Bouchard Patrick
• Larouche François
• Delaporte Nicolas

Classifications

• H01M4/0483

  by methods including the handling of a melt (H01M4/0438, take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/0438

  by electrochemical processing (electroless electrochemical plating C23C18/54) · CPC title

• H01M4/62

  Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers · CPC title