Batteries with electrodes processed with a polymerizable binder precursor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024313223-A1
Application number	US-202418606437-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2024
Priority date	Mar 17, 2023
Publication date	Sep 19, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of making a battery electrode is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes stages (A1), (A2), and (A3). Stage (A1) includes providing a battery electrode precursor composition. The battery electrode precursor composition includes an electrochemically active material and a polymerizable binder precursor. Stage (A2) includes processing the battery electrode precursor composition to form a battery electrode precursor disposed on and/or in a current collector. Stage (A3) includes transforming the battery electrode precursor to form a battery electrode including a binder. The transforming of the battery electrode precursor includes polymerizing the polymerizable binder precursor in the battery electrode precursor to form the binder. A battery electrode, a lithium-ion battery, and a method of making a lithium-ion battery are also disclosed.

First claim

1 . A method of making a battery electrode, the method comprising:
(A1) providing a battery electrode precursor composition comprising an electrochemically active material and a polymerizable binder precursor; (A2) processing the battery electrode precursor composition to form a battery electrode precursor disposed on and/or in a current collector; and (A3) transforming the battery electrode precursor to form a battery electrode comprising a binder, wherein: the transforming of the battery electrode precursor comprises polymerizing the polymerizable binder precursor in the battery electrode precursor to form the binder.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrochemically active material comprises composite particles comprising silicon and carbon.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrochemically active material comprises graphite.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the polymerizable binder precursor comprises one or more of: a monomer, an oligomer, and a polymer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the polymerizable binder precursor is in a liquid form at any temperature in a range of about 20° C. to about 30° C.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery electrode precursor composition comprises a polymerization inhibitor and/or a polymerization initiator.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery electrode precursor composition additionally comprises electrically conductive additives and/or functional additives.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery electrode precursor composition is substantially free of conventional solvents.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery electrode precursor composition additionally comprises a Li salt.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing of the battery electrode precursor composition comprises mixing the electrochemically active material and the polymerizable binder precursor.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing of the battery electrode precursor composition comprises making gas bubbles in the battery electrode precursor composition.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the processing of the battery electrode precursor composition comprises casting the battery electrode precursor composition onto and/or into the current collector or extruding the battery electrode precursor composition.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the processing of the battery electrode precursor composition comprises (1) granulating the battery electrode precursor composition and (2) extruding the granulated battery electrode precursor composition.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the processing of the battery electrode precursor composition comprises coating the battery electrode precursor composition onto and/or into the current collector by electrostatic spray coating.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the polymerizing of the polymerizable binder precursor comprises applying one or more of the following to the battery electrode precursor: (1) a heat treatment, (2) an ultraviolet light treatment, and (3) an electron beam treatment.

16 . The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:
(A4) densifying the battery electrode.

17 . A battery electrode, wherein:
the battery electrode is made according to the method of claim 1 .

18 . The battery electrode of claim 17 , wherein:
the battery electrode is characterized by a reversible areal capacity loading in a range of about 2 mAh/cm 2 to about 16 mAh/cm 2 .

19 . A lithium-ion battery, comprising:
an anode current collector; a cathode current collector; an anode disposed on and/or in the anode current collector; a cathode disposed on and/or in the cathode current collector; and an electrolyte ionically coupling the anode and the cathode, wherein: at least one of the anode and the cathode comprises the battery electrode of claim 17 .

20 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 19 , wherein:
the lithium-ion battery additionally comprises a separator electrically separating the anode and the cathode.

21 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 19 , wherein:
an energy content of the lithium-ion battery is in a range of about 1 Wh to about 2000 Wh.

22 . A method of making a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
(B1) making a first electrode according to the method of claim 1 , the battery electrode being the first electrode, the first electrode being disposed on and/or in a first current collector; (B2) making or providing a second electrode disposed on and/or in a second current collector; and (B3) assembling a battery cell from the first electrode and the second electrode and filling a space between the first electrode and the cathode with an electrolyte ionically coupling the first electrode and the second electrode to form the lithium-ion battery, wherein: the first electrode is configured as an anode and the second electrode is configured as a cathode, or the first electrode is configured as a cathode and the second electrode is configured as an anode.

23 . A lithium-ion battery, wherein:
the lithium-ion battery is made according to the method of claim 22 .

24 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 23 , wherein:
an energy content of the lithium-ion battery is in a range of about 1 Wh to about 2000 Wh.

Assignees

• Sila Nanotechnologies Inc

Inventors

• Yushin Gleb Nikolayevich
• Jhulki Samik
• Lim Sung Hyun

Classifications

• H01M4/133

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

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/0404

  by coating on electrode collectors · CPC title

• H01M4/1395

  of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title