Negative electrodes and rechargeable lithium batteries including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026045561-A1
Application number	US-202519291491-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2025
Priority date	Aug 6, 2024
Publication date	Feb 12, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A negative electrode and a rechargeable lithium battery including the negative electrode are disclosed. The negative electrode may include a negative electrode current collector; and a negative electrode active material layer on the negative electrode current collector; wherein the negative electrode active material layer includes a negative electrode active material and an additive, and the additive includes a compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower and/or 90° C. or higher. The negative electrode may form or provide a film to block ionic current (or a flow of ions) and induce shutdown of the rechargeable lithium battery if (e.g., when) the pH decreases and/or the temperature increases due to an abnormal reaction (e.g., an undesirable side reaction) of the rechargeable lithium battery, thereby improving or enhancing stability (e.g., chemical stability and/or physical stability) and reliability of the rechargeable lithium battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A negative electrode, comprising:
a negative electrode current collector; and a negative electrode active material layer on the negative electrode current collector; wherein the negative electrode active material layer comprises a negative electrode active material and an additive, and the additive is a compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower or 90° C. or higher.

2 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower or 90° C. or higher comprises casein, albumin, globulin, gelatin, or a combination thereof.

3 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower or 90° C. or higher is casein.

4 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower or 90° C. or higher is included in an amount of about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt % based on 100 wt % of the negative electrode active material layer.

5 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower or 90° C. or higher is included in an amount of about 0.5 wt % to about 2.0 wt % based on 100 wt % of the negative electrode active material layer.

6 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the negative electrode active material layer further comprises a coagulation film derived from the compound that coagulates at conditions of pH 5.5 or lower or 90° C. or higher.

7 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the negative electrode active material comprises a carbon-based negative electrode active material, a lithium metal, a lithium metal alloy, a silicon-based negative electrode active material, or a combination thereof.

8 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the negative electrode active material layer further comprises a binder.

9 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the negative electrode active material layer further comprises an aqueous binder and a thickener.

10 . The negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the negative electrode active material layer has a loading level of greater than or equal to about 3.6 mg/cm 2 .

11 . A rechargeable lithium battery, comprising:
the negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 ; a positive electrode; and an electrolyte.

12 . The rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
the positive electrode comprises a positive electrode current collector; and a positive electrode active material layer on the positive electrode current collector, and the positive electrode active material layer comprises a positive electrode active material.

13 . The rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:
the positive electrode active material comprises a compound represented by one selected from among the following chemical formulas:

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd
• Korea Advanced Inst Sci & Tech

Inventors

• Jeong Hanmam
• Woo Myungheui
• Choi Nam-Soon
• Yu Arum
• Goh Aehui
• Song Chaeeun
• Park Sewon
• Kim Seungwon
• Kim Minkyu

Classifications

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M4/62 Primary

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

• H01M4/13 Primary

  Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title