High energy high power electrodes and batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9299966-B2
Application number	US-41138009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2009
Priority date	Mar 25, 2008
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

Subassemblies for use in an electrochemical device are provided, as are processes for preparing the subassemblies and electrochemical cells incorporating the subassemblies. In some embodiments, the subassemblies include (a) a first electrode and (b) a separator or a first current collector or both. The first electrode is bonded to the separator or the first current collector or both. In some embodiments, the subassemblies further include a second electrode and a second current collector. In some embodiments, the electrodes or separators are sintered. Bipolar cells are also provided, including a plurality of stacked electrochemical cells that are joined in series. The positive electrode and the negative electrode of each stack include a sintered electrode.

First claim

We claim:

1. A subassembly for use in an electrochemical device comprising:
(a) a first sintered electrode having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface,
(b) a first current collector surrounds a perimeter of the first electrode orthogonal to the first sintered electrode's first surface, where a perimeter area of a portion of the first sintered electrode bonded to the first current collector is less than about 50% of a total area of the first sintered electrode, wherein the current collector is an inactive component, and
(c) a separator, wherein the second surface of the first sintered electrode is adjacent to the separator,
wherein the first sintered electrode is bonded to the separator or the first current collector or both, and
wherein the separator, the first current collector, or both are optionally sintered, and
(d) a second electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes are bonded to opposite surfaces of the separator.

2. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the first current collector is in the shape of a border or frame.

3. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the first current collector comprises a metallic current collector.

4. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises an organic compound, an inorganic-organic composite or blend, an inorganic compound, a particulate material, or a sintered particulate ceramic.

5. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a layered oxide, a metal fluoride, or a lithium-transition metal phosphate compound, which optionally includes a dopant metal.

6. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first sintered electrode's first surface to which the first current collector is confined is less than about 25% of the total area of the first sintered electrode.

7. The subassembly of claim 6 , wherein the portion of the first sintered electrode's first surface to which the first current collector is confined is less than about 15% of the total area of the first sintered electrode.

8. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises a sintered electrode.

9. The subassembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second electrode and a second current collector, wherein the second electrode and the first electrode have a thermal bond to opposite surfaces of the separator and wherein the second current collector and the separator are bonded to opposite surfaces of the second electrode.

10. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of an active layer of the first sintered electrode in the subassembly is at least about 200 μm.

11. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein a density of the subassembly is at least about 65% of theoretical.

12. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode does not comprise a conductive additive.

13. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first electrode is at least about 600 μm.

14. A subassembly for use in an electrochemical device comprising
(a) a first sintered electrode having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, and
(b) a first current collector surrounding a perimeter of the first sintered electrode's first surface, where a perimeter area of a portion of the first sintered electrode bonded to the first current collector is less than about 50% of a total area of the first sintered electrode and wherein the current collector is an inactive component, and
(c) a separator, wherein the second surface of the first sintered electrode is adjacent to the separator,
wherein the subassembly is produced by
(i) combining the first electrode with the first current collector and the separator and
(ii) heating the first electrode, the first current collector, and the separator under conditions effective to form a sintered subassembly,
wherein the separator, the first current collector, or both are optionally sintered.

15. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the separator comprises a sintered separator.

16. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the first current collector comprises a metallic current collector.

17. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein a portion of the first sintered electrode's first surface to which the first current collector is confined is less than about 25% of the total area of the first sintered electrode.

18. The subassembly of claim 17 , wherein the portion of the first sintered electrode's first surface to which the first current collector is confined is less than about 15% of the total area of the first sintered electrode.

19. The subassembly of claim 14 , further comprising a second electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes are bonded to opposite surfaces of the separator.

20. The subassembly of claim 19 , wherein the second electrode comprises a sintered electrode.

21. The subassembly of claim 19 , wherein the second electrode is free of conductive additives.

22. The subassembly of claim 14 , further comprising a second electrode and a second current collector, wherein the second electrode and the first electrode are heated with the separator, the first current collector, and the second current collector to form a sintered subassembly.

23. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the separator comprises an organic compound, an inorganic-organic composite or blend, an inorganic compound, a particulate material, or a sintered particulate ceramic.

24. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the first electrode comprises a layered oxide, a metal fluoride, or a lithium-transition metal phosphate compound, which optionally includes a dopant metal.

25. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the subassembly is at least about 200 μm.

26. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein a density of the subassembly is at least about 65% of theoretical.

27. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the first electrode does not comprise a conductive additive.

28. The subassembly of claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the first electrode is at least about 600 μm.

29. An electrochemical device comprising:
(a) a positive electrode in electronic contact with a positive electrode current collector, the positive current collector in electrical connection with an external circuit;
(b) a negative electrode in electronic contact with a negative electrode current collector, the negative current collector in electrical connection with an external circuit;
(c) a separator positioned between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and
(d) an electrolyte in ionic contact with the positive and negative electrodes;
wherein the positive electrode or the negative electrode and the separator comprise a sintered subassembly,
wherein at least one of the positive and negative electrodes is a sintered electrode having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface and the sintered electrode's corresponding current collector surrounds a perimeter of the sintered electrode and is less than about 50% of a total area of the sintered electrode, and wherein the current collector is an inactive component.

30. The electrochemical device of claim 29 , wherein a mass fraction of inactive materials in the device is less than about 50%.

31. The electrochemical device of claim 29 , wherein a specific energy of the device is greater than about 300 Wh/kg at a power d

Assignees

• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Chu Andrew C
• Jang Young-Il
• Wixom Michael
• A123 Systems Llc

Inventors

• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Chu Andrew C
• Jang Young-Il
• Wixom Michael

Classifications

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• H01M2/1673

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M4/139

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M2/166 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M4/64

  Carriers or collectors · CPC title