Impact resistant electrolytes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9590274-B2
Application number	US-201414497667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition includes an electrolyte solvent, up to 2M of an electrolyte salt, and shear thickening ceramic particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 μm, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition comprising an electrolyte solvent, up to 2M of an electrolyte salt, and shear thickening ceramic particles, said shear thickening ceramic particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of 50 nm to 1 μm, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV.

2. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , GeO 2 , Sc 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , MgO, and SiO 2 .

3. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles comprise silica.

4. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.09.

5. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.07.

6. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 5 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.05.

7. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have an average particle size of in a range of 100 nm to 500 nm.

8. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 7 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have an average particle size of in a range of 150 nm to 300 nm.

9. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±50 mV.

10. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 9 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles have an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±60 mV.

11. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles are essentially free of materials that volatilize at 80° C.

12. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 11 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles are essentially free of materials that volatilize at 110° C.

13. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 12 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles are essentially free of materials that volatilize at 120° C.

14. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles are present in the composition in an amount in the range of 20 to 40 weight percent.

15. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrolyte solvent comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane, dioxolane, ethyl methyl carbonate, and an ionic liquid.

16. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrolyte salt comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium triflate, lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoro borate, lithium hexafluoro lithium arsenate, lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulphone)imide, lithium bis(oxalate) borate, sodium perchlorate, sodium tetrafluoro borate, sodium hexafluoro arsenate, sodium bis(trifluoromethane sulphone)imide, sodium bis(oxalate) borate.

17. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shear thickening ceramic is functionalized with at least one material selected from the group consisting of a stryenic, an acrylate, a methacrylate, a vinyl ester, an acrylamide, a methacrylamide, an acrylonitrile, N-vinyl carbazole, and N-vinyl pyrrolidone.

18. A passively impact resistant laminated battery comprising: an anode; a cathode; and a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte disposed between said anode and said cathode, said electrolyte comprising a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition comprising an electrolyte solvent, up to 2M of an electrolyte salt, and shear thickening ceramic particles, said shear thickening ceramic particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of 50 nm to 1 μm, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV.

19. A passively impact resistant laminated battery in accordance with claim 18 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , GeO 2 , Sc 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , MgO, and SiO 2 .

20. A passively impact resistant laminated battery in accordance with claim 19 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles comprise silica.

21. A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition comprising the steps of:
a. Preparing shear thickening ceramic particles so that said shear thickening ceramic particles have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 μm, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV;
b. Heat treating said shear thickening ceramic particles under negative pressure at a temperature of at least 80° C. to drive off volatile materials; and
c. combining said heat treated shear thickening ceramic particles with an electrolyte solvent and up to 2M of an electrolyte salt to make a composite electrolyte that comprises shear thickening ceramic particles in an amount in the range of 20 to 40 weight percent.

22. A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 21 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , GeO 2 , Sc 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , MgO, and SiO 2 .

23. A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein said shear thickening ceramic particles comprise silica.

24. A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 23 wherein said silica particles are derived from a Stöber process.

25. A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition in accordance with claim 23 wherein said silica particles are derived from diatomaceous earth.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Veith Gabriel M
• Armstrong Beth L
• Tenhaeff Wyatt E
• Dudney Nancy J

Classifications

• H01M2300/0037

  Mixture of solvents · CPC title

• H01M10/0567 Primary

  characterised by the additives · CPC title

• H01M10/4235

  Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte (H01M10/4242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/0569

  characterised by the solvents · CPC title