Battery cells with lithium ion conducting tape-cast ceramic, glass and glass-ceramic membranes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9419299-B2
Application number	US-201514815672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2015
Priority date	Oct 14, 2003
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

Alkali (or other active) metal battery and other electrochemical cells incorporating active metal anodes together with aqueous cathode/electrolyte systems. The battery cells have a highly ionically conductive protective membrane adjacent to the alkali metal anode that effectively isolates (de-couples) the alkali metal electrode from solvent, electrolyte processing and/or cathode environments, and at the same time allows ion transport in and out of these environments. Isolation of the anode from other components of a battery cell or other electrochemical cell in this way allows the use of virtually any solvent, electrolyte and/or cathode material in conjunction with the anode. Also, optimization of electrolytes or cathode-side solvent systems may be done without impacting anode stability or performance. In particular, Li/water, Li/air and Li/metal hydride cells, components, configurations and fabrication techniques are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making an electrochemical cell structure, the method comprising:
tape-casting an inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic and a glass-ceramic, the membrane having a first surface and a second surface; and
assembling the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane with a lithium-containing anode adjacent to the first surface;
wherein the membrane effectively isolates the lithium-containing anode from an environment at the second surface of the membrane, while allowing transport of lithium ions across the membrane, the membrane having a lithium ion conductivity of at least 10 −6 S/cm.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is selected from the group consisting of a glass and a glass-ceramic.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is a ceramic.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein following the tape-casting, the ceramic is fired to full density.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell structure further comprises a porous support structure on which the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is disposed.

6. An electrochemical cell structure, comprising:
a tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic and a glass-ceramic, the membrane having a first surface and a second surface; and
a lithium-containing anode on the first surface of the membrane;
wherein the membrane effectively isolates the lithium-containing anode from an environment at the second surface of the membrane, while allowing transport of lithium ions across the membrane, the membrane having a lithium ion conductivity of at least 10 −6 S/cm.

7. The electrochemical cell structure of claim 6 , wherein the inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is selected from the group consisting of a glass and a glass-ceramic.

8. The electrochemical cell structure of claim 6 , wherein the inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is a ceramic.

9. The electrochemical cell structure of claim 8 , wherein the ceramic is dense.

10. The electrochemical cell structure of claim 6 , wherein the electrochemical cell structure further comprises a porous support structure on which the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is disposed.

11. A battery cell comprising:
a tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic and a glass-ceramic, the membrane having a first surface and a second surface;
a lithium-containing anode on the first surface of the membrane; and
a cathode environment comprising a cathode adjacent the second surface of the membrane;
wherein the membrane effectively isolates the lithium-containing anode from the cathode environment, while allowing transport of lithium ions across the membrane, the membrane having a lithium ion conductivity of at least 10 −6 S/cm.

12. The battery cell of claim 11 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is selected from the group consisting of a glass and a glass-ceramic.

13. The battery cell of claim 11 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is a ceramic.

14. The battery cell of claim 13 , wherein the ceramic is dense.

15. The battery cell of claim 11 , wherein the battery cell further comprises a porous support structure on which the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is disposed.

16. A method of making a lithium battery cell, the method comprising:
tape-casting an inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic and a glass-ceramic; and
assembling the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane-between an anode and a cathode;
wherein the membrane allows transport of lithium ions, the membrane having lithium ion conductivity of at least 10 −5 S/cm.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is selected from the group consisting of a glass and a glass-ceramic.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is a ceramic.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the ceramic is dense.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the battery cell further comprises a porous support structure on which the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is disposed.

21. A lithium battery cell, comprising:
an anode;
a cathode; and
a tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic and a glass-ceramic, the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode;
wherein the membrane allows transport of lithium ions, the membrane having lithium ion conductivity of at least 10 −5 S/cm.

22. The battery cell of claim 21 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is selected from the group consisting of a glass and a glass-ceramic.

23. The battery cell of claim 21 , wherein the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is a ceramic.

24. The battery cell of claim 23 , wherein the ceramic is dense.

25. The battery cell of claim 21 , wherein the battery cell further comprises a porous support structure on which the tape-cast inherently lithium ion conductive separator membrane is disposed.

Assignees

• Polyplus Battery Co Inc

Inventors

• Visco Steven J
• Nimon Yevgeniy S

Classifications

• H01M50/414

  Synthetic resins, e.g. thermoplastics or thermosetting resins · CPC title

• H01M50/451

  comprising layers of only organic material and layers containing inorganic material · CPC title

• H01M50/434

  Ceramics · CPC title

• H01M50/437

  Glass · CPC title

• H01M10/24

  Alkaline accumulators · CPC title