Solid-phase magnesium boranyl electrolytes for a magnesium battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9716289-B1
Application number	US-201615332684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Jan 12, 2016
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A solid-phase electrolyte is provided having a magnesium salt. The salt contains a magnesium cation and a boron cluster anion and can include an ether or other weakly-coordinating molecule in dative interaction with the magnesium cation. A magnesium electrochemical cell is also provided. The magnesium electrochemical cell includes the solid-phase electrolyte, and also includes an anode in ionic communication with the solid-phase electrolyte. The anode, when charged, contains reduced magnesium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
an anode comprising magnesium;
a cathode; and
a solid electrolyte in contact with at least one of the anode and the cathode, the solid electrolyte including a boron cluster salt having a formula:
MgE y (B n H n ),
MgE y [B m H (m+3) ] 2 , or
a combination thereof, wherein E is a magnesium ligand; y is within a range of 0 through 6, inclusive; n is within a range of 6 through 12, inclusive; and m is within a range of 5 through 11, inclusive.

2. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein y is within a range of 1 through 6, inclusive.

3. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 2 , wherein E is an ether.

4. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 3 , wherein E is any of monoglyme, diglyme, triglyme, tetraglyme, polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether, a poly(ethyleneoxide), and a combination thereof.

5. The electrochemical cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein the boron cluster salt is any of MgE y (B 10 H 10 ), MgE y (B 12 H 12 ), MgE y (B 11 H 14 ) 2 , and a combination thereof.

6. A method for fabricating an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
preparing a magnesium boron cluster salt by a process that includes:
contacting an organic boron cluster salt with a magnesium salt in the presence of a weakly magnesium coordinating solvent; and
producing a precipitate that comprises the magnesium boron cluster salt, the magnesium boron cluster salt having a formula:
MgE y (B n H n ),
MgE y [B m H (m+3) ] 2 , or
a combination thereof, wherein E is a magnesium ligand; y is within a range of 0 through 6, inclusive; n is within a range of 6 through 12, inclusive; and m is within a range of 5 through 11, inclusive; and

placing the magnesium boron cluster salt in ionic communication with an anode and a cathode.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein y is within a range of 1 through 6, inclusive.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein E is an ether.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein E is any of monoglyme, diglyme, triglyme, tetraglyme, polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether, a poly(ethyleneoxide), and a combination thereof.

10. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the magnesium boron cluster salt is any of MgE y (B 10 H 10 ), MgE y (B 12 H 12 ), MgE y (B 11 H 14 ) 2 , and a combination thereof.

11. An electrochemical half-cell comprising:
an electrode configured to incorporate elemental magnesium during electrochemical reduction, to release cationic magnesium during electrochemical oxidation, or both; and
a solid-phase magnesium electrolyte in ionic communication with the electrode, the solid-phase magnesium electrolyte comprising cationic magnesium and at least one boron cluster anion including a boron cluster salt having a formula:
MgE y (B n H n ),
MgE y [B m H (m+3) ] 2 , or
a combination thereof, wherein E is a magnesium ligand; y is within a range of 0 through 6, inclusive; n is within a range of 6 through 12, inclusive; and m is within a range of 5 through 11, inclusive.

12. The electrochemical half-cell as recited in claim 11 , wherein the solid-phase magnesium electrolyte is substantially crystalline.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc
• Karlsruhe Inst Of Tech

Inventors

• Mizuno Fuminori
• Mohtadi Rana
• Tutusaus Oscar
• Fichtner Maximilian
• Zhao-Karger Zhiron

Classifications

• H01M10/0562 Primary

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M2300/0068

  inorganic · CPC title

• H01M10/054

  Accumulators with insertion or intercalation of metals other than lithium, e.g. with magnesium or aluminium · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title