Rapid ceramic processing techniques and equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024116826-A1
Application number	US-202318460360-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2023
Priority date	Mar 9, 2021
Publication date	Apr 11, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are rapid, high quality film sintering processes that include high-throughput continuous sintering of lithium-lanthanum zirconium oxide (lithium-stuffed garnet). The instant disclosure sets forth equipment and processes for making high quality, rapidly-processed ceramic electrolyte films. These processes include high-throughput continuous sintering of lithium-lanthanum zirconium oxide for use as electrolyte films. In certain processes, the film is not in contact with any surface as it sinters (i.e., during the sintering phase).

First claim

1 .- 32 . (canceled)

33 . A process for sintering, the process comprising:
heating a bilayer comprising a green body layer disposed on a metal layer in a furnace at about 1100° C. to about 1300° C. for about 5 seconds to about 3 minutes; thereby providing a sintered bilayer comprising a lithium-stuffed garnet layer on the metal layer; wherein the bilayer has a thickness, after sintering, of between about 10 μm and about 50 μm.

34 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the bilayer moves through the furnace at a rate of between about 2 inches/min to 25 inches/min.

35 . The process of claim 33 , further comprising a binder burn-out step prior to heating a bilayer at about 1100° C. to about 1300° C. for about 5 seconds to about 3 minutes.

36 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the binder burn-out step occurs in a binder burn-out furnace.

37 . The process of claim 35 , wherein the binder burn-out step occurs from about 1 second to about 5 minutes.

38 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet layer comprises compounds having the formula Li A La B Zr C O F , Li A La B M′ C M″ D Ta E O F , or Li A La B M′ C M″ D Nb E O F , wherein 4<A<8.5, 1.5<B<4, 0<C≤2, 0<D<2; 0<E<2.5, 10<F<13, and M′ and M″ are each, independently in each instance selected from Al, Mo, W, Nb, Ga, Sb, Ca, Ba, Sr, Ce, Hf, Rb, and Ta; or Li a La b Zr c Al d Me″ e O f , wherein 5<a<7.7; 2<b<4; 0<c≤2.5; 0<d<2; 0<e<2, 10<f<13 and Me″ is a metal selected from Nb, V, W, Mo, Ta, Ga, and Sb.

39 . The process of claim 37 , wherein the bilayer, prior to the binder burn-out step, comprises at least one member selected from a solvent, a binder, a dispersant, a plasticizer, a surfactant, or a combination thereof.

40 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.

41 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the bilayer has a thickness, after sintering, of between about 20 μm and about 40 μm.

42 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of about 1 μm to about 20 μm.

43 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the bilayer has a width, after sintering, of between about 0.8 mm to about 5 m.

44 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the furnace comprises an atmospheric controller that maintains an atmosphere in the furnace that comprises argon (Ar) gas; nitrogen (N 2 ) gas; hydrogen gas; or a mixture thereof.

45 . The process of claim 44 , wherein the atmospheric controller maintains an atmosphere in the furnace comprising less than 500 ppm O 2 .

46 . The process of claim 33 , further comprising rolling up the sintered bilayer.

47 . A sintered bilayer prepared by the process of claim 33 .

Assignees

• Quantumscape Battery Inc

Inventors

• Holme Timothy
• Winterkorn Martin M
• Olenick John
• Berkstresser David
• Sheffield Matthew
• Mohan Yamini
• Zhou Yi
• Broganer Lucas

Classifications

• C04B37/021 Primary

  in a direct manner, e.g. direct copper bonding [DCB] · CPC title

• B28B11/243 Primary

  Setting, e.g. drying, dehydrating or firing ceramic articles (B28B11/242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C04B35/486

  Fine ceramics · CPC title

• C04B35/63424

  Polyacrylates; Polymethacrylates · CPC title

• C04B35/638

  Removal thereof · CPC title