Multi-layer coatings for bipolar rechargeable batteries with enhanced terminal voltage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9673478-B2
Application number	US-77897810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2010
Priority date	May 12, 2010
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A method for producing a multi-layer bipolar coated cell according to one embodiment includes applying a first active cathode material above a substrate to form a first cathode; applying a first solid-phase ionically-conductive electrolyte material above the first cathode to form a first electrode separation layer; applying a first active anode material above the first electrode separation layer to form a first anode; applying an electrically conductive barrier layer above the first anode; applying a second active cathode material above the anode material to form a second cathode; applying a second solid-phase ionically-conductive electrolyte material above the second cathode to form a second electrode separation layer; applying a second active anode material above the second electrode separation layer to form a second anode; and applying a metal material above the second anode to form a metal coating section. In another embodiment, the anode is formed prior to the cathode. Cells are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-layer bipolar coated cell formed on a single substrate, the cell comprising:
a first active anode material positioned above an electrically conductive substrate, wherein the first active anode material includes a plurality of discrete units, wherein the discrete units of the first active anode material are spatially separated from one another and dispersed throughout a bulk of a first anodic binder phase;
a first solid-phase electrolyte material positioned above the first active anode material, wherein the first solid-phase electrolyte material includes a plurality of discrete units, wherein the discrete units of the first solid-phase electrolyte material are spatially separated from one another and dispersed throughout a bulk of a binder phase between the first anodic binder phase and a first cathodic binder phase;
a first active cathode material positioned above the first solid-phase electrolyte material, wherein the first active cathode material includes a plurality of discrete units, wherein the discrete units of the first active cathode material are spatially separated from one another and dispersed throughout a bulk of the first cathodic binder phase;
an electrically conductive barrier layer;
a second active anode material positioned above the first active cathode material, wherein the second active anode material includes a plurality of discrete units wherein the discrete units of the second active anode material are spatially separated from one another and dispersed throughout a bulk of a second anodic binder phase;
a second solid-phase electrolyte material positioned above the second active anode material, wherein the second solid-phase electrolyte material includes a plurality of discrete units, wherein the discrete units of the second solid-phase electrolyte material are spatially separated from one another and dispersed throughout a bulk of a binder phase between the second anodic binder phase and a second cathodic binder phase;
a second active cathode material positioned above the second solid-phase electrolyte material, wherein the second active cathode material includes a plurality of discrete units, wherein the discrete units of the first active cathode material are spatially separated from one another and dispersed throughout a bulk of the second cathodic binder phase;
a conductive material positioned above the second active cathode material; and
a metal material above the second active anode material to form a metal coating section;
wherein a first ionically conductive polymer and a second ionically conductive polymer facilitate lithium transport in interstitial spaces of the first active anode material and the first active cathode material, respectively; and
wherein a third ionically conductive polymer and a fourth ionically conductive polymer facilitate lithium ion transport in the second active anode material and the second active cathode material, respectively.

2. A method for producing the multi-layer bipolar coated cell of claim 1 , the method comprising:
dispersing the discrete units of the first active anode material throughout a first anodic binder phase material to form the first active anode material;
applying the first active anode material above the electrically conductive substrate to form a first anode, the first active anode material including the first ionically conductive polymer dispersed in the first anodic binder phase;
dispersing the discrete units of the first solid-phase electrolyte material throughout a binder phase material to form the first solid-phase electrolyte material;
applying the first solid-phase electrolyte material above the first anode to form a first electrode separation layer, wherein the first solid-phase electrolyte material is ionically-conductive;
dispersing the discrete units of the first active cathode material throughout a first cathodic binder phase material to form the first active cathode material;
applying the first active cathode material above the first electrode separation layer to form a first cathode, the first active cathode material including the second ionically conductive polymer dispersed in the first cathodic binder phase;
applying the electrically conductive barrier layer above the first cathode;
dispersing the discrete units of the second active anode material throughout a second anodic binder phase material to form the second active anode material;
applying the second active anode material above the first active cathode material to form a second anode, the second active anode material including the third ionically conductive polymer dispersed in the second anodic binder phase;
dispersing the discrete units of the second solid-phase electrolyte material throughout a binder phase material to form the second solid-phase electrolyte material;
applying the second solid-phase electrolyte material above the second anode to form a second electrode separation layer, wherein the second solid-phase electrolyte material is ionically conductive;
dispersing the discrete units of the second active cathode material throughout a second cathodic binder phase material to form the second active cathode material;
applying the second active cathode material above the second electrode separation layer to form a second cathode, the second active cathode material including the fourth ionically conductive polymer dispersed in the second cathodic binder phase; and
applying the conductive material above the second cathode to form a metal coating section, wherein the second conductive material comprises a metal material,
wherein the first ionically conductive polymer and the second ionically conductive polymer facilitate lithium transport in interstitial spaces of the first active anode material and the first active cathode material, respectively,
wherein the third ionically conductive polymer and the fourth ionically conductive polymer facilitate lithium transport in interstitial spaces of the second active anode material and the second active cathode material, respectively, where at least one of the cathodic binder phases and at least one of the anodic binder phases remains in the resulting multi-layer bipolar coated cell.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third and fourth ionically conductive polymers comprises a polymer with anionic sulfonate groups substituted onto a carbon-based backbone.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first cathodic binder phase and the second cathodic binder phase comprise polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth ionically conductive polymers comprise a polymer with anionic sulfonate groups substituted onto a carbon-based backbone.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first anodic binder material and the second anodic binder material comprise polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first solid-phase electrolyte material and the second solid-phase electrolyte material comprise particles of inorganic solid-state lithium ion conductors dispersed in a polymeric binder, the binder being an ion exchange polymer with high lithium mobility or a polymeric electrolyte material.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the ion exchange polymer comprises a polymer with anionic sulfonate groups substituted onto a carbon-based backbone.

9. The method of claim 2 , further comprising performing calendaring and slitting operations on the multi-layer bipolar coated cell.

10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising applying a hermetic package coating section to hermetically seal the multi-layer bipolar coated cell.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein

Assignees

• Farmer Joseph C
• Kaschmitter James
• Pierce Steve
• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Farmer Joseph C
• Kaschmitter James
• Pierce Steve

Classifications

• H01M4/622

  being polymers · CPC title

• H01M4/62

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

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/0418

  with bipolar electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/044 Primary

  with bipolar electrodes · CPC title