Sulfur containing nanoporous materials, nanoparticles, methods and applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9882199-B2
Application number	US-201113884314-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2011
Priority date	Nov 9, 2010
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

Sulfur containing nanoparticles that may be used within cathode electrodes within lithium ion batteries include in a first instance porous carbon shape materials (i.e., either nanoparticle shapes or “bulk” shapes that are subsequently ground to nanoparticle shapes) that are infused with a sulfur material. A synthetic route to these carbon and sulfur containing nanoparticles may use a template nanoparticle to form a hollow carbon shape shell, and subsequent dissolution of the template nanoparticle prior to infusion of the hollow carbon shape shell with a sulfur material. Sulfur infusion into other porous carbon shapes that are not hollow is also contemplated. A second type of sulfur containing nanoparticle includes a metal oxide material core upon which is located a shell layer that includes a vulcanized polymultiene polymer material and ion conducting polymer material. The foregoing sulfur containing nanoparticle materials provide the electrodes and lithium ion batteries with enhanced performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A material comprising at least one nanoparticle comprising:
a carbon material support comprising a hollow sphere shape mesoporous carbon material; and
an elemental sulfur material supported on and within the carbon material support, wherein the material is an active material.

2. The material of claim 1 wherein:
a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the material within a cathode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 10 cyclic voltammogram cycles;
the cyclic voltammogram uses a lithium bis (trifluoromethane sulfone) imide in tetraglyme electrolyte;
the cyclic voltammogram also shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.0 volts; and
the cyclic voltammogram also shows a stable oxidation peak at about 2.35 volts and a stable oxidation peak at about 2.45 volts.

3. The material of claim 2 wherein the cyclic voltammogram shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 60 cyclic voltammogram cycles.

4. The material of claim 2 wherein the cyclic voltammogram shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 100 cyclic voltammogram cycles.

5. The material of claim 1 wherein the carbon material support comprises at least in-part a graphite carbon material.

6. The material of claim 1 wherein the elemental sulfur material comprises an amorphous sulfur material comprising up to about 70 percent by weight sulfur material.

7. The material of claim 1 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the nanoparticle within a cathode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts.

8. The material of claim 1 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the active material within a cathode comprising a stable reduction peak of at least about 2.0 volts.

9. An electrode comprising:
a conductive support; and
a coating located upon the conductive support, the coating comprising an material comprising a nanoparticle comprising:
a carbon material support comprising a hollow sphere shape mesoporous carbon material; and
an elemental sulfur material supported on and within the carbon material support.

10. The electrode of claim 9 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the material within the electrode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 60 cyclic voltammogram cycles.

11. The electrode of claim 10 wherein the cyclic voltammogram of the electrode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 100 cyclic voltammogram cycles.

12. The electrode of claim 9 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the active material within a cathode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts.

13. The electrode of claim 9 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the active material within a cathode comprising a stable reduction peak of at least about 2.0 volts.

14. A battery comprising an electrode comprising:
a conductive support; and
a coating located upon the conductive support, the coating comprising an material comprising a nanoparticle comprising:
a carbon material support comprising a hollow sphere shape mesoporous carbon material; and
an elemental sulfur material supported on the carbon material support.

15. The battery of claim 14 wherein:
the electrode comprises a cathode; and
the battery comprises a lithium ion battery.

16. The battery of claim 14 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the active material within the electrode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 60 cyclic voltammogram cycles.

17. The battery of claim 16 wherein the cyclic voltammogram of the battery shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts over at least 100 cyclic voltammogram cycles.

18. The battery of claim 14 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the active material within a cathode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts.

19. The battery of claim 14 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the active material within a cathode comprising a stable reduction peak of at least about 2.0 volts.

20. An active material comprising at least one nanoparticle consisting essentially of:
a carbon material support consisting essentially of a hollow shaped sphere mesoporous carbon material; and
an elemental sulfur material supported on and within the carbon material support.

21. The active material of claim 20 wherein a cyclic voltammogram of a lithium-sulfur cell that includes the nanoparticle within a cathode shows a stable reduction peak at about 2.4 volts.

Assignees

• Archer Lynden A
• Navaneedhakrishnan Jayaprakash
• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Archer Lynden A
• Navaneedhakrishnan Jayaprakash

Classifications

• H01M4/136 Primary

  Electrodes based on inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy · CPC title

• H01M10/3909

  Sodium-sulfur cells · CPC title

• H01M4/139

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/137

  Electrodes based on electro-active polymers · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title