Group14 composite

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024208827-A1
Application number	US-202218576636-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 5, 2022
Priority date	Jul 6, 2021
Publication date	Jun 27, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Particulate composite materials and devices comprising the same are provided.

First claim

1 . A process for preparing Group14 composite particles, the process comprising:
a. providing a polyol and an optional exclusion agent in an aqueous milieu; b. heating the aqueous milieu at 150 to 250 C to produce a hydrothermal char; c. heating of the hydrothermal char to 750 C to 1050 C in the presence of an inert gas to produce pyrolyzed carbon particles; d. heating of the pyrolyzed carbon particles to 750 C to 1050 C in the presence of an activation gas to produce primary activated carbon particles, the primary activated carbon particles comprising a porous carbon framework; and e. heating the primary activated carbon particles to 350 C to 450 C in the presence of a silicon-containing gas to impregnate silicon within the porous carbon framework, wherein individual particles of the Group14 composite particles have a sphericity of greater than 0.5.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous milieu comprises a co-solvent including one or more of: an alcohol, alkanes, ethers, THF, DMSO, DMF, N-methyl pyrrolidone, glycol, and glymp.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous milieu is heated to a temperature less than or equal to a decomposition temperature of the preferential exclusion agent.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyol is sucrose.

5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the exclusion agent is: Span 80, poly(acrylic acid), Triton X, or a combination thereof.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of polyol to the exclusion agent is 1000:1 or less.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the activation gas is carbon dioxide, steam, or combinations thereof.

9 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising stirring the aqueous milieu.

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing gas deposits silicon onto at least a portion of a surface of the primary activated carbon particle.

11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the fraction of silicon not impregnated within the porous carbon framework relative to the fraction of silicon impregnated within the porous carbon framework, Z, is less than 10.

12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the impregnating silicon within the porous carbon framework comprises the deposit of a silicon nanoparticle within the interior framework of the activated carbon particles.

13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the Group 14 composite particles further comprise two or more discrete Group 14 particles and wherein the discrete Group 14 particles are not agglomerated.

14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein a pore volume of the primary activated carbon is at least 0.6 cm3/g.

15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing gas is introduced via chemical vapor infusion (CVI).

16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing gas is silane.

17 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising casting a slurry comprising the Group 14 composite particles to produce an anode electrode.

18 . A Group14 composite comprising:
(a) a plurality of porous carbon primary particles derived from a polyol, wherein the plurality of porous carbon particles exhibit a spherical morphology; (b) silicon impregnated within pores of the porous carbon primary particles; (c) Dv50 is less than or equal to 10 μm; (d) Z<10; and (e) phi (φ)≥0.15, wherein dQ/dV is measured in a half-cell coin cell, and regime I is 0.8V-0.4V and Regime III is 0.15V-0V.

19 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . A Group14 composite comprising:
(a) a plurality of primary particles comprising Group14 elements silicon and carbon, wherein the primary particles have a sphericity of at least 0.5, and wherein each particle comprises a porous carbon scaffold; (b) 30% to 60% silicon by weight; (c) Dv50 is less than or equal to 10 μm; (d) Z<10; and (e) phi (φ)≥0.15, wherein dQ/dV is measured in a half-cell coin cell, and regime I is 0.8V-0.4V and Regime III is 0.15V-0V.

27 . A Group14 composite comprising carbon and silicon, wherein:
(a) the carbon comprises a porous carbon scaffold derived from a polyol and further comprising:
(i) amorphous carbon,
(ii) a pore volume, wherein greater than 70% of the pore volume is comprised of pores having a diameter less than 2 nm, and
(iii) a Dv90 less 50 nm;
(b) the silicon comprises:
(i) amorphous, nano-sized silicon embedded within the pore volume of the porous carbon scaffold; and
(c) the Group14 composite further comprises:
(i) 30% to 60% silicon by weight,
(ii) Dv50 is less than or equal to 10 μm,
(iii) Z<10, and
(iv) phi (φ)≥0.15, wherein dQ/dV is measured in a half-cell coin cell, and regime I is 0.8V-0.4V and Regime III is 0.15V-0V.

28 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . An energy storage device comprising the Group14 composite of claim 26 .

36 . The energy storage device of claim 35 , wherein the energy storage device is a lithium-silicon battery or a lithium-ion battery.

Assignees

• Group14 Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Costantino Henry R

Classifications

• H01M2004/021

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

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/362

  Composites · CPC title

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/133

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