Patent Application
20110097623
The present invention generally relates to batteries or other electrochemical devices, and systems and materials for use in these, including novel electrode materials and designs. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to small-scale batteries or microbatteries.
Since the time of Volta, batteries and other electrochemical devices have been fabricated by the manual assembly of critical components. The advent of distributed and autonomous electronics requiring very small and high energy density power sources, as well as continuing demand in larger batteries for low cost energy and power, has created a need for entirely new fabrication approaches for batteries and the like. Current devices range in length from micrometer-thick thin film batteries, to lithium rechargeable batteries based on wound laminate films, to the macroassemblies used in common alkaline and lead-acid batteries. However, as the size scale of powered devices continues to shrink, there is a growing need for distributed high energy density power sources of comparable size scale. However, the laminated construction techniques of current high energy density batteries (e.g., lithium ion batteries), now approaching their engineering limits, have inefficient mass and volume utilization, with only 30% to 40% of the available device volume being used for ion storage. Attempts to increase power density, for instance by using thinner electrodes, typically has come at the expense of energy density.
The present invention generally relates to batteries or other electrochemical devices, and systems and materials for use in these, including novel electrode materials and designs. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to small-scale batteries or microbatteries. The subject matter of the present invention involves, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of one or more systems and/or articles.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to an article. In one set of embodiments, the article includes a battery comprising an entire anode, an electrolyte, and an entire cathode, where the battery has a volume of no more than about 5 mm3 and an energy density of at least about 400 W h/l. In another set of embodiments, the article includes a rechargeable battery having an energy density of at least about 1000 W h/1.
The article, in yet another set of embodiments, includes an electrode formed from a sintered ceramic, where the electrode has a porosity of no more than about 50%. In some cases, at least some of the pores of the electrode being filled with an electrolyte that is a liquid, a polymer. In still another set of embodiments, the article includes an electrode formed from a sintered ceramic that is able to retain at least about 50% of its initial storage capacity after at least 6 charge-discharge cycles at a C/20 rate.
In one set of embodiments, the article includes a micromachined electrode formed from a sintered ceramic comprising LiCoO2. In another set of embodiments, the article includes a micromachined electrode formed from a porous sintered ceramic. In yet another set of embodiments, the article includes a micromachined electrode formed from a sintered ceramic, the ceramic having a linear strain differential of less than about 2%.
The article, according to another set of embodiments, includes an electrode having a base and a plurality of protrusions extending at least about 50 micrometers away from the base of the electrode, where at least some of the protrusions comprising LiCoO2, and where substantially all of the protrusions having a surface and a bulk and being sized such that substantially all of the bulk is no more than about 25 micrometers away from the surface. The article may also include a nonporous electrolyte disposed on the surfaces of the protrusions.
According to yet another set of embodiments, the article includes an electrode comprising a base and a plurality of protrusions extending from the base, and a wall extending from the base and surrounding the plurality of protrusions. In some cases, the protrusions and the wall are formed from a unitary material. In another set of embodiments, the article includes an electrode comprising, on one surface, a plurality of protrusions and a wall surrounding the plurality of protrusions. In some cases, the electrode can be formed using laser micromachining.
In one set of embodiments, the article includes an electrode having a plurality of protrusions. In some cases, the protrusions have an aspect ratio of at least about 3:1 and a pitch of at least about 2:1. In one embodiment, the electrode is formed using laser micromachining. In another embodiment, the electrode is formed from a unitary material.
According to another set of embodiments, the article includes a lithium metal electrode, a nonporous electrolyte contacting the lithium metal electrode, and a porous sintered electrode contacting the lithium metal electrode.
In another set of embodiments, the invention is directed to an article and a physical design that is the hermetic package for a battery. The package may include a container, one or more lids or caps, electrical feedthroughs, seals and sealing materials for joining the lids or caps to the container, and/or insulating or conductive materials used to electrically connect or electrically insulate the internal components of the battery. In some embodiments the battery is a rechargeable lithium battery. In some cases, the battery is a microbattery with less than 10 mm3 total volume including the package.
Another aspect of the invention is drawn to a method. In one set of embodiments, the method includes an act of fabricating an electrode from a unitary material. In some cases, the electrode comprises, on one surface, a plurality of protrusions and a wall surrounding the plurality of protrusions.
In another set of embodiments, the method includes acts of providing a Li-containing substrate that Li metal will not wet, depositing a metal layer on the substrate, and adding Li metal to the metal layer. In some cases, the Li reacts with the metal layer to wet the surface.
According to another set of embodiments, methods are provided for assembling and packaging a battery including, methods of joining electrodes to the interior of a packaging container and/or its lid, passivating the interior of the battery with electrically insulating coatings to avoid internal short-circuits during assembly or use, and/or sealing the package. For instance, in one set of embodiments, the method includes acts of positioning a polymer film, or other substrate, containing one or more metallized portions containing solder adjacent a container containing a battery, heating the one or more metallized portions to at least partially melt the solder; and forming a seal between the container and the polymer film. In still another set of embodiments, the method includes acts of providing a container at least partially enveloping a battery having a volume of no more than about 10 mm3, and sealing the battery within the container using a polymer film containing one or more metallized portions.
In one set of embodiments, the method includes acts of positioning a metallic film containing solder adjacent a container at least partially enveloping a battery, heating the metallic film to at least partially melt the solder, and forming a seal between the container and the metallic film. In another set of embodiments, the method includes acts of positioning a ceramic film containing solder adjacent a container at least partially enveloping a battery, heating the ceramic film to at least partially melt the solder, and forming a seal between the container and the ceramic film.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of making one or more of the embodiments described herein, for example, a small-scale battery or a or microbattery. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of using one or more of the embodiments described herein, for example, a small-scale battery or a microbattery.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. In cases where the present specification and a document incorporated by reference include conflicting and/or inconsistent disclosure, the present specification shall control. If two or more documents incorporated by reference include conflicting and/or inconsistent disclosure with respect to each other, then the document having the later effective date shall control.
Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical or nearly identical component illustrated is typically represented by a single numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure, nor is every component of each embodiment of the invention shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention. In the figures:
The present invention generally relates to batteries or other electrochemical devices, and systems and materials for use in these, including novel electrode materials and designs. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to small-scale batteries or microbatteries. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a battery may have a volume of no more than about 5 mm3, while having an energy density of at least about 400 W h/l. In some cases, the battery may include an electrode comprising a porous electroactive compound, for example, LiCoO2, which may be formed, in some cases, by a process including but not limited to sintering of a particle compact. In some embodiments, the pores of the porous electrode may be at least partially filled with a liquid such as a liquid electrolyte comprising organic carbonates and/or a lithium salt such as LiPF6, a polymer such as a polymer electrolyte comprising polyethylene oxide and/or a lithium salt, and/or a block copolymer lithium-conducting electrolyte. The electrode may be able to withstand repeated charging and discharging.
In some cases, the electrode may have a plurality of protrusions and/or a wall (which may surround the protrusions, if present); however, in other cases, there may be no protrusions or walls present. The electrode may be formed from a unitary material, e.g., formed using laser micromachining, dry etching processes such as plasma or reactive ion etching, wet chemical etching, or similar techniques. In certain embodiments, a nonporous electrolyte, such as lithium phosphorus oxynitride, a polymer electrolyte such as one based on polyethylene oxide and/or a lithium salt, a block-copolymer lithium conducting electrolyte, and/or a polyelectrolyte multilayer film (which may be formed by a layer-by-layer deposition process) may be disposed onto the electrode. Such an electrolyte may allow ionic transport (e.g., of lithium ions) while preventing dendritic formation due to the lack of pores. In certain embodiments the porous electrode has a surface that is denser than its interior. The denser surface may be formed by laser processing, rapid thermal annealing, formation of a surface layer with a higher powder particle packing density prior to sintering, filling of the surface with finer particles, application of a surface coating by a vapor phase deposition or a sol-gel coating process, or other such methods. Other aspects of the invention are directed to techniques of making such electrodes or batteries, techniques of forming electrical connections to and packaging such batteries, techniques of using such electrodes or batteries, or the like.
Various aspects of the invention are directed to batteries or other electrochemical devices. Generally, a battery includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte separating the anode and the cathode. Current collectors may be electrically connected to the anode and the cathode, and current drawn from the battery using the current collectors. Typically, current is produced by the battery when the current collectors are put into electrical communication with each other, e.g., through a load, such as a light, a motor, an electrical circuit, a sensor, a transmitter, an electrical device, etc. Within the battery, ions flow through the electrolyte between the anode and the cathode during discharge. The electrolyte may be solid or liquid. In one aspect of the invention, the battery is a Li ion (Li+) battery, i.e., the battery uses Li+ as a charge carrier (alone, or in conjunction with other charge carriers) within the electrolyte.
In some cases, the battery is rechargeable, i.e., the battery can be charged and discharged more than once. For example, the battery may be able to withstand at least 3 cycles, at least 6 cycles, or at least 10 cycles of charging and discharging (for example at a C/20 rate, where 1 C=280 mA/g) with a retention of its initial storage capacity (e.g., as measured in W h) of at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, or at least about 95% relative to the initial charge of the battery after its first full charging. A rechargeable lithium battery typically has electrodes that exchange lithium during charge and discharge. For a cathode or positive electrode material, Li+ and electrons are adsorbed during the discharge of the battery, and this process is reversed during the charge. Though the present invention is not limited to cathodes, as used herein, “charging” indicates lithium removal from the positive electrode and “discharging” refers to lithium insertion into the positive electrode.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the battery is a “microbattery,” i.e., a battery having a volume of less than about 10 mm3, including the entire anode, cathode, electrolyte, current collectors, and exterior packaging that form the battery. In some cases, the volume of the battery may be less than about 5 mm3, less than about 3 mm3, or less than about 1 mm3. For example, the battery may be generally cube-shaped, having dimensions of less than about 3 mm, less than about 2.5 mm, less than about 2 mm, less than about 1.5 mm, or less than about 1 mm on each side. Of course, other shapes are also possible, for example, rectangular parallelepiped, disc, rod, plate, or spherical shapes, in other embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments of the invention, the battery may contain an electrode having a smallest dimension of at least about 0.2 mm, and in some cases, at least about 0.4 mm, at least about 0.6 mm, at least about 0.8 mm, at least about 1.0 mm, at least about 1.5 mm, or at least about 2.0 mm.
In one set of embodiments, the battery has an energy density of at least about 400 W h/l, i.e., the battery is able to produce 400 W h of energy for each liter of volume of the battery (including the entire anode, cathode, and electrolyte forming the battery). In some embodiments, even higher energy densities can be obtained, for instance, at least about 800 W h/l, at least about 1000 W h/l, at least about 1200 W h/l, at least about 1400 W h/l, or at least about 1600 W h/l. In other such embodiments, such energy densities can be obtained even when the current collector and packaging of the cell are included in the battery volume.
In one aspect of the present invention, such energy densities may be achieved by using a cathode having a shape such that substantially all of the cathode may be able to participate in lithium ion exchange, e.g., with the electrolyte during charge or discharge. For instance, in some embodiments, the electrode has a shape that allows a relatively high degree of exposure between the electrode and the electrolyte contacting the electrode, and/or a relatively thin cross-sectional dimension, which may facilitate transport of ions into and out of the electrode. In one set of embodiments, the electrode may have the form of a base and a plurality of protrusions, for instance, as is shown in
As shown in
However, in some cases, the protrusions extend along one dimension of the electrode, thereby giving the appearance of “ribs,” that, when viewed in cross-section, has an appearance similar to that shown in
In some embodiments, the protrusions may extend a distance of at least about 25 micrometers away from the base of the electrode, i.e., the maximum separation of the end of the protrusion away from the surface of the base of the electrode is about 25 micrometers. In other cases, the protrusions may extend a distance of at least about 50 micrometers, at least about 75 micrometers, at least about 100 micrometers, etc., away from the base of the electrode. As mentioned above, not all of the protrusions may extend the same difference away from the surface of the base. In some cases, the protrusion may have an aspect ratio (i.e., the ratio of the distance the protrusion extends away from the base to the maximum thickness of the protrusion) of at least about 3:1, and in some cases, at least about 5:1, at least about 10:1, at least about 15:1, at least about 20:1, etc.
In some cases, the protrusions have sloped sides, i.e., sides that are not orthogonal to the surface of the base. For example, a protrusion may have a pitch of at least about 2:1, and in some embodiments, the pitch may be at least about 3:1, at least about 5:1, or at least about 10:1. The “pitch” of a protrusion, as used herein, is the slope of the protrusion, or the ratio of its “rise” to “run.” The sides of the protrusion need not all have the same pitch. As shown in
In some cases, the protrusions may have a shape and/or size such that the protrusion, or at least a substantial fraction of the protrusion, is not more than a certain distance away from the surface of the protrusion. Such a protrusion, for example, may offer a limited distance for Li ions to be transported within the electrode before reaching the surface or the electrolyte, and thus, in some cases, substantially all of the protrusion may participate in Li ion exchange during charging or discharging of the electrode, thereby increasing the efficiency and/or the power density of the electrode. For instance, a protrusion may have a surface and a bulk, where the protrusion has a shape and/or size such that substantially all of the bulk is no more than about 5 micrometers, about 10 micrometers, about 15 micrometers, about 20 micrometers, about 25 micrometers, about 50 micrometers, about 75 micrometers, or about 100 micrometers away from the surface of the protrusion.
In certain embodiments, the protrusions on the base of the electrode may be at least partially surrounded by a wall or a “can.” For example, as is shown in
The wall may be same thickness as the protrusions, or of a different thickness. For instance, the wall may have a thickness of less than about 200 micrometers, less than about 175 micrometers, less than about 150 micrometers, less than about 125 micrometers, less than about 100 micrometers, less than about 75 micrometers, less than about 50 micrometers, or less than about 25 micrometers, and the wall thickness may be uniform or non-uniform. The wall may also be orthogonal to the base, or in some cases, the wall may have sloped or tapered sides. A non-limiting example of an electrode having a tapered wall is shown in
The wall may, in certain embodiments of the invention, be useful to contain an electrolyte and/or other materials within the electrode, i.e., such that it remains in contact with the protrusions of the electrode. The wall may also protect the protrusion from external factors, for example, from forces that might cause the protrusions to deform or break. In some cases, the wall may facilitate the construction of integrated electrode arrays, for example, for microbattery applications. In some cases, as discussed below, the wall is formed, along with the base and optionally the protrusions, from a unitary material. By forming the wall and the base from a unitary material, an airtight or hermetic seal between the wall and the base is naturally formed, which prevents leakage to or from the battery, e.g., leaking of the electrolyte contained within the electrode. In one set of embodiments, the walls and the protrusions are micromachined from a unitary ceramic material, as is discussed in detail below.
It should be noted here that not all embodiments of the present invention necessarily must include protrusions and/or walls. For example, in some embodiments, the electrode is a substantially planar surface, e.g., as is shown in
In some cases, the electrode may have a smallest dimension that is at least about 0.2 mm, and in some cases, at least about 0.4 mm, at least about 0.6 mm, at least about 0.8 mm, at least about 1.0 mm, at least about 1.5 mm, or at least about 2.0 mm.
As used herein, “porous” means containing a plurality of openings; this definition includes both regular and irregular openings, as well as openings that generally extend all the way through a structure as well as those that do not (e.g., interconnected, or “open” pores, as opposed to at least partially non-connected, or “closed” pores). The porous electrode may have any suitable porosity. For example, the porous electrode may have a porosity of up to about 15%, up to about 20%, up to about 25%, up to about 30%, up to about 40%, or up to about 50% (where the percentages indicate void volume within the electrode). Equivalently, the porous electrode may have a density of at least about 50%, and up to about 70%, up to about 75%, up to about 80%, up to about 85%, up to about 90%, or up to about 95%, where the density is the amount of non-void volume present within the electrode material. In some cases, the porous electrode may have an average pore size of less than about 300 micrometers, for example, less than about 100 micrometers, between about 1 micrometer and about 300 micrometers, between about 50 micrometers and about 200 micrometers, or between about 100 micrometers and about 200 micrometers. The average pore size may be determined, for example, from density measurements, from optical and/or electron microscopy images, or from porosimetry, e.g., by the intrusion of a non-wetting liquid (often mercury) at high pressure into the material, and is usually taken as the number average size of the pores present in the material. Such techniques for determining porosity of a sample are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, porosimetry measurements can be used to determine the average pore size of the porosity that is open to the exterior of the material based on the pressure needed to force a liquid, such as mercury, into the pores of the sample. In some embodiments, some or all of the porosity is open porosity, for example to facilitate filling of the pores by electrolyte. Techniques for forming a porous electrode are discussed in detail below.
Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the pores facilitate transport of Li+ or other ions from the electrode to the electrolyte. In a material having a porous structure, some of which pores may be filled with an electrolyte (such as described below), Li+ or other ions have a shorter distance to travel from the electrode to the electrolyte and vice versa, thereby increasing the ability of the electrode to participate in energy storage, and/or increasing the energy density of the electrode. In addition, as discussed below, in some embodiments, porous electrodes may be fabricated that have a relatively low dimensional strain upon charge and discharge, and such materials can withstand a surprising number of charging or discharging cycles.
In some cases, the volume fraction porosity of the electrode is not constant throughout the electrode, but can vary. For example, the porosity of the surface of the electrode may be lower than the bulk of the electrode, one end of the electrode may have a higher or lower porosity than another end of the electrode, etc. In one embodiment, the surface is nonporous, although the bulk of the electrode is porous. In some cases, porosity differences in an electrode may be created during the process of creating the porous electrode, e.g., during the firing of a powder compact to form a ceramic. However, in other cases, the porosity differences may be intentionally controlled or altered, for example, by laser treatment of the surface, rapid thermal annealing of the ceramic, physical vapor or chemical vapor deposition, by adding particles or other materials to the electrode surface, by coating the electrode with a material, such as a sol-gel material, or the like. The porosity at the surface and variation in porosity with distance from the surface are readily observed and quantified using techniques such as electron microscopy and image analysis of the plan and cross-sectional views of the sample.
Electrodes such as those described above (e.g., porous, having protrusions and/or walls, etc.) may be formed, according to another aspect of the present invention, from a ceramic or ceramic composite. A ceramic is typically an inorganic non-metal material, although the ceramic can include metal ions within its structure, e.g., transition metals or alkali ions such as Li+ or Na+ or K+, as discussed below. A ceramic composite is typically a mixture including one or more ceramic materials, e.g. a mixture of different ceramic phases, or a mixture of a ceramic and a metal or a ceramic and a polymer, and may have improved properties compared to the ceramic alone. For example, a ceramic-ceramic composite may have an ion storage ceramic combined with a fast-ion conducting ceramic to impart higher ionic conductivity to the composite while still retaining ion storage functions. A ceramic-metal composite may have improved electronic conductivity and improved mechanical strength or fracture toughness compare to a pure ceramic. A ceramic-polymer composite may have improved ionic conductivity if the polymer is an electrolyte having higher ionic conductivity than the ceramic, as well as improved fracture toughness or strength. Combinations of these and/or other composites are also contemplated. In some embodiments, the electrode consists essentially of a ceramic, and in some cases, the electrode is formed from a unitary ceramic material. In some embodiments, the electrode material having the lower electronic conductivity is formed from a unitary ceramic or ceramic composite, which may improve electron transport to and from the electrode during use of the battery.
Non-limiting examples of suitable ceramic materials include those which are able to transport Li ions during charging/discharging. The ceramic may be one in which Li ions can be removed during charging (a “Li-extraction” ceramic), i.e., the ceramic is one that contains Li ions that can be removed to form a limiting composition material (e.g., Li ions can be extracted from LiCoO2 to produce Li0.5CoO2, from LiNiO2 to produce Li0.3NiO2, etc.). Examples of potentially suitable ceramic materials comprising Li include, but are not limited to, LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiFePO4, LiMnO2, LiMn2O4, Li2MnNiO4, spinel, olivines, LiMPO4, where M may comprise one or more of Ni, Co, Mn, and Fe, and may include transition metal or non-transition metal dopants substituted on the Li or M site, Li4Ti5O12, or the like. In some cases, as discussed below, the ceramic has a linear strain differential during the insertion and removal of an ion of less than about 2%. Examples of such ceramics include LiCoO2 and LiNiO2.
Generally, the electrode may be formed out of a single, unitary “block” of ceramic, e.g., by “carving” the ceramic in some fashion, for instance, through micromachining or etching techniques or the like, to produce the final shape of the electrode. During such processes, portions of the unitary starting material are removed in some fashion, to produce the final shape of the electrode. Thus, the unitary starting material is of a size larger than the final electrode that is “carved” from the starting material. As discussed below, such unitary ceramic materials may have several advantages, including smaller strain differentials, lack of stress-concentrating features, or the lack of joints or seams by which ions, fluids, or gases could pass through. As used herein, the term “unitary” is not meant to include structures, such as conjoined individual particles, that are formed as separate, individual units which are then agglomerated together in some fashion to form the final structure; instead, a unitary material is one that is processed (e.g., by sintering) such that any individual particles used to form the material cease to be readily separable as individual particles.
For example, a unitary material may be formed from a ceramic precursor, e.g., a powder, through a sintering process. For example, the ceramic precursor may be pressed and/or heated such that the powder particles are bonded together, forming a unitary whole. Porosity may be created within the sintered ceramic material, for example, by controlling the initial powder packing density, the firing temperature and time, rate of heating during various stages of the firing process, and the firing atmosphere. Methods to control the shrinkage (densification) and evolution of porosity in powder-based materials to create a desired density or porosity are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In one set of embodiments, the electrode is fabricated from a ceramic material having a linear strain differential of less than about 2%, or a linear strain differential of less than about 1%, when the electrode is infiltrated with Li ions. Non-limiting examples of such materials include LiCoO2 (having a linear strain differential of about +0.6% upon delithiating to a composition of about Li0.5CoO2) and LiNiO2 (having a linear strain differential of about −0.9% upon delithiating to a composition of about Li0.3NiO2). Such a material may be able to withstand a relatively large number of charging or discharging cycles while remaining free of cracks or otherwise degrading, as the material does not expand or contract significantly during charging or discharging. Linear strain is generally defined as the change in length of a material with respect to the initial length (ΔL/L0). For example, a material of the instant invention may be able to withstand at least 6 cycles, at least 10 cycles, at least 15 cycles, or at least 20 cycles of complete charging and discharging (e.g., at a C/20 rate), while remaining free of identifiable cracks or other degradations (e.g., chips, peeling, etc.) that can be observed under scanning electron microscopy. As an example, in
In some embodiments, a porous electrode of the present invention may contain an electrolyte within the pores of the porous electrode. The electrolyte, in some cases, may be a liquid electrolyte, such as a mixture of alkyl carbonates and a lithium salt such as LiPF6, or a polymer electrolyte, such as polyethylene oxide or a block copolymer. In some cases, each may contain a lithium salt to impart lithium ion conductivity. Formulations for such electrolytes, including additives to improve safety, cycle life, and/or calendar life amongst other attributes, are known to those skilled in the art, and it should be understood that any such formulation may be used, based on the desired attributes of the battery for a particular application. The electrolyte contained within the electrode may or may not have the same concentration or composition as the electrolyte that separates the electrode from an opposite electrode (i.e., separating the cathode and the anode within a battery). A liquid electrolyte may be useful, for example, to facilitate flow of Li ions into and out of the porous electrode. In some cases, the liquid electrolyte may comprise Li ions. An example of such an electrolyte is one using LiPF6 as the lithium salt. Depending on the porosity of the electrode, the liquid electrolyte may be introduced into the pores of the electrode by exposing the pores to the liquid electrolyte, for instance, as discussed below. The electrolyte, in some cases, may also surround the protrusions of the electrode (if protrusions are present). For example, the electrolyte may be contained within the electrode (e.g., within walls of an electrode, if a wall is present), bathing the protrusions in electrolyte.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an electrolyte. The anode and the cathode in a battery or other electrochemical device are generally electronically insulated from each other while having an electrolyte to permit ion exchange. Although a porous “separator” material that is infused with an ion-conducting electrolyte can serve this function, according to one set of embodiments, the electrolyte is nonporous (i.e., solid), i.e., the electrolyte does not contain “pinholes” or defects (such as pores or cracks) through which Li dendrite formation leading to short circuits can occur, even after tens, hundreds, or thousands of cycles of charging or discharging. In some cases, the electrolyte comprises Li ions, which may be useful, to facilitate flow of Li ions into and out of the adjacent electrodes. Amongst numerous possible choices, one example of such an electrolyte is Lipon (lithium phosphorus oxynitride), an inorganic material typically made in thin-film form by sputtering. Another example of an electrolyte is lithium iodide (LiI). In one set of embodiments, the electrolyte is present as a film, which can be deposited by sputtering or other physical vapor or chemical vapor methods. In some cases, the electrolyte is a conformal film formed upon the electrode surface using layer-by-layer deposition, i.e., where discrete molecular layers of electrolyte material are added to the electrode until a suitably thick layer of electrolyte has been built up. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be aware of suitable layer-by-layer deposition techniques, which typically involve the application of molecular layers that alternate in their charge from wet chemical solution.
The nonporous electrolyte may be used, in some embodiments, to seal the electrode surface, e.g., coming into contact with the walls of the electrode, if present (for instance, forming a “capping layer” on the walls), thereby creating a hermetically sealed compartment containing the electrolyte containing an internal electrolyte, such as a liquid or a polymer electrolyte, within the electrode compartment. Thus, the hermetically sealed compartment may be defined by the walls, the base of the electrode, and the lid formed by the nonporous electrode. A non-limiting example of a battery having such a nonporous electrolyte is shown in
Yet another aspect of the invention is directed to techniques for making such electrodes and batteries or microbatteries. In one set of embodiments, a unitary ceramic material is used, and in some, but not all embodiments, the material may be etched in some fashion, for example, using micromachining techniques such as laser micromachining, or dry etching or wet chemical etching methods well known to those skilled in the art of fabricating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Such machining processes may be used to form the walls and/or protrusions on the surface of the base of the electrode. In another set of embodiments, the protrusions or walls of the electrode are produced directly by forming a starting powder or composite mixture under pressure using a die having the inverse of the desired final geometry. The electrode thus formed may be used directly or may be sintered after forming.
A non-limiting example of a completed battery can be seen in
In some cases, the components that are in electronic contact with the positive electrode or cathode are selected to be stable at the positive electrode potential during use. Certain materials can be used for such components are known to those skilled in the art. For example, aluminum, gold, and titanium are materials that are electrochemically stable when used with typical liquid electrolytes based on alkyl carbonates at the positive potential of cathode-active materials such as LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiFePO4, LiMnPO4, and other cathodes of similar lithium insertion voltage in the range 2.5 V to 5 V.
Various components can also be used for the negative electrode or anode side. For example, copper, carbonaceous electrodes including graphite and hard carbons, metal alloy negative electrodes, or other lithium storage materials with a lithium reaction potential that is below about 1 V vs. lithium metal can be used in various embodiments.
One non-limiting example of a packaging material follows. A battery such as is shown in
As another example, lithium titanate spinel, which has a potential of 1.55 V vs. lithium metal, may be used with aluminum as a packaging material. As other examples, electrically insulating packaging materials such as polymers or inorganic glasses or oxides such as silica, alumina, magnesia, are stable in contact with either the positive or negative electrode active material. Material used for sealing the cells, and to attach components such as the electrodes or separators to the can or lid of the package, may be selected in similar manner in some cases.
The cover may be attached to the “can” by any suitable technique, for example reflow soldering, lead-tin solder, cyanoacrylates, epoxies (e.g., Rflex 1000), UV-curing adhesives (e.g., Locktite 3972 acrylic), solid sheet epoxies, and/or aluminum-gold reaction bonding. In one embodiment, gold “bumps” or individual deposits are used.
As an example, in one embodiment, the cathode and the metal can may be attached to aluminum using a paste made of PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride) and carbon.
In certain embodiments, standard electrochemical tests including cyclic voltammetry may be conducted to determine the stability of the packaging material, adhesive, or sealant. For example, the electrochemical stability of materials that are on the cathode side including the can and/or the light-curing adhesive can be tested using cyclic voltammetry at 0.1 mV/s from 2.5 V to 4.75 V.
Non-limiting examples of such packages are shown in
Package 27 may be made using any suitable technique, and in some cases, package 27 may be unitary. In one embodiment, package 20 is prepared by electroplating a mold, e.g., using electroformation or any other suitable technique. In some cases, additional materials may be added to package 27. For instance, in one embodiment, at least a portion of package 27 may be electroplated by other materials or metals, for example nickel or gold, which may be used as electrode contacts.
Other examples of electrode attachment mechanisms that could be used with the present invention include, but are not limited to, titanium/lead-tin solder, aluminum/gold reaction bonding, welding, or PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride) and/or carbon. Still other methods include heat, pressure, light (infrared, ultraviolet, or visible) on solid or liquid adhesives or other sealing materials.
One non-limiting example of a fabrication technique will now be described. Referring now to
The cathode may be laser-micromachined, and has a size of about 500 micrometers in this particular example shown in
Within the walls of cathode 15, which may be porous, is a liquid electrolyte 13, for example 1.33 M of LiPF6 dissolved in a mixture of organic carbonates. The liquid electrolyte is contained within the electrode via a nonporous electrolyte 16, for example, a polymeric electrolyte. The nonporous electrolyte may also conformally cover the surfaces of cathode 15. The nonporous electrolyte may be able to conduct electrons and/or ions back and forth between the cathode and the anode, and may have any suitable thickness or shape, for example, a thickness of at least about 1 micrometer, at least about 3 micrometers, at least about 5 micrometers, at least about 10 micrometers, at least about 20 micrometers, at least about 30 micrometers, at least about 50 micrometers, etc.
In this example, the anode 12, positioned adjacent to the nonporous electrode, is in electrical communication with an anode current collector 17, such as a metal current collector (e.g., Cu). The anode may comprise, e.g., lithium and/or carbon, and/or other materials as described herein. The anode current collector may have any suitable thickness, for example, at least about 1 micrometer, at least about 3 micrometers, at least about 5 micrometers, at least about 10 micrometers, at least about 25 micrometers, at least about 50 micrometers, at least about 75 micrometers, at least about 100 micrometers, etc., and may or may not be the same thickness and/or comprise the same materials as the cathode current collector, depending on the embodiment and the application. In instances where nonporous electrolyte 16 conformally coats the surface of electrode 15, anode 12 may also conformally coat the film of electrolyte 16 in some cases, or may fill the space between the protrusions of electrode 15 while remaining everywhere separated from the electrode 15 by the electrolyte 16 in certain embodiments.
In some embodiments the electrode 15 is the initial source of the alkali ions that are stored in the electrodes during charge and discharge, and no anode is used, but simply a negative current collector. In some cases, the alkali ions, such as lithium, are deposited at the negative current collector as alkali metal upon charging of the battery, and are removed and deposited in the positive electrode upon discharge. As mentioned above, the ceramic may be formed, for example, by sintering particles together, e.g., forming a unitary material. Techniques for sintering particles to form a ceramic are known to those of ordinary skill in the art, e.g., forming a sintered ceramic by pressing and/or heating a precursor to form the ceramic. In one set of embodiments, such sintering may be used to form a porous unitary structure. As discussed, porosity may be created within the sintered ceramic material, for example, by controlling the sintering temperature and pressure, and such process conditions can be optimized to create a desired density or porosity using routine optimization techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The desired shape of the electrode may be fashioned using micromachining techniques such as laser micromachining. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be familiar with such techniques. For instance, in laser micromachining, a laser is directed at the unitary ceramic material. The laser light, when interacting with the ceramic material, may melt, ablate, or vaporize the material, which may be used to control the shape of the final electrode. Thus, laser micromachining can produce an object having a desired shape by removing, in some fashion using a laser, everything that does not belong to the final shape. The laser may have any suitable frequency (wavelength) and/or power able to destroy or otherwise remove such ceramic materials in order to produce the final structure for use in a battery or other electrochemical device.
The following is a non-limiting example of a method of manufacturing an embodiment of the invention. Referring now to
Next, the counterelectrode is added to substantially fill the remaining space. In one technique, the interior space defined by the walls of the electrode is filled with a colloidal suspension, the colloidal particles being the negative electrode material and optionally additive particles such as conductive additives or binders. However, in another technique, a “flux and solder” approach is used, which Au is first sputtered onto the separator, then Li (e.g., Li solder) is melted onto the Au. Such a technique may be useful in cases where the electrode and/or the electrolyte contains a material that Li metal, when in a liquid state, will not “wet” or substantially adhere to. In such cases, gold or another compatible metal that Li will “wet” when Li is in a liquid state, is used to facilitate bonding. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that Li is able to react with the metal to wet the surface. The top current collector (e.g., a metal, such as Cu, is then added, and optionally, the battery is sealed. The battery can then be packaged, e.g., by depositing parylene and/or a metal hermetic oxide or thick film onto the battery.
In another set of embodiments, a battery, such as a microbattery, having a plurality of protrusions and a wall surrounding the plurality of protrusions can be created as follows. Referring again to
Additional examples are illustrated with reference to
The binder was prepared by mixing Kureha 7208 solution (31 parts by weight), vapor grown carbon fiber (2 parts by weight), and ECP (high surface area carbon black) (2 parts by weight). A small amount of the mixture was applied on one of the two surfaces to be bonded and the two surfaces pressed together gently. The binder was dried under air for at least one hour with no disturbance of the bonded parts. Further drying was performed under vacuum at temperatures higher than 60° C. and for at least 6 hours.
A solid electrolyte, such as those discussed above, separates the cathode compartment from the anode compartment. The anode compartment contains lithium in this example, although other anode materials can also be used. The anode compartment is contained within a “can” formed from copper, and the compartments are bound together using UV-cured epoxy in this example, forming an insulating, hermetic seal. One or both of the metal containers can be partially coated with insulators in some cases to minimize corrosion and/or shorting problems. A drill-hole can optionally be used for liquid infiltration (e.g., of a liquid electrolyte), venting, or the like (the drill-hole may also be sealed afterwards in some cases). In addition, although metals were used to form the containers for the anode and cathode in this example, this is by way of example only, and other materials, such as insulators (e.g., having appropriate metallization contacts and/or feedthroughs) can be used. For instance, one of the containers can be made of an insulator material with metallization, while the other container can be made of a metal. In some cases, the metallization layer on the insulator material can be used to facilitate bonding of the components, e.g., by interdiffusion or ultrasonic welding.
Another non-limiting example is illustrated in
Yet another example is shown in
A “tube cell” is illustrated in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/021,740, filed Oct. 22, 2001, entitled “Reticulated and Controlled Porosity Battery Structures,” by Chiang, et al., published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0082446 on May 1, 2003, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/206,662, filed Jul. 26, 2002, entitled “Battery Structures, Self-Organizing Structures, and Related Methods,” by Chiang, et al., published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0099884 on May 29, 2003, are incorporated herein by reference. Also incorporated herein by reference are U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/126,841, filed May 23, 2008, entitled “Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Chiang, et al.; International Patent Application No. PCT/US2008/006604, filed May 23, 2008, entitled “Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Chiang, et al.; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/323,983, filed on Nov. 26, 2008, entitled “Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Chiang, et al. Also incorporated herein by reference are U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/027,842, filed Feb. 12, 2008, entitled “Small Scale Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Marinis, et al.; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/118,122, filed Nov. 26, 2008, entitled “Small Scale Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Marinis, et al.
The following examples are intended to illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention, but do not exemplify the full scope of the invention.
This example illustrates an integrally packaged, solid-state lithium rechargeable microbattery with a 3-dimensional interpenetrating-electrode internal architecture, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Such microbatteries may have the capability for outer package aspect ratios of (for example) less than 5:1 for maximum to minimum dimensions (i.e., not restricted to thin planar configurations), active materials packaging fraction of >75% in a 1 mm3 volume, under which conditions they will exceed an initial energy density target of 350 W h/l by a factor of 2 to 4. The approach in this example will use currently available and proven cathode and anode materials, but does not exclude higher energy or higher rate active materials in the future.
The microbatteries in this example will allow energy densities of about 350 W h/l to about 1500 W h/L to be achieved, depending on the electrochemical couple used, and specific design parameters, as discussed below. Microbatteries of this form could be used to power a wide variety of small systems from simple sensors to systems with integrated ultrahigh density packaging.
The technical approach is founded on a microfabricated structure of 3D electrode arrays co-fabricated with an integral hermetic package, e.g., as is illustrated in
Using the microfabricated electrode/package structures as the starting template, three example paths to fabrication of the completed battery are demonstrated, with reference to
In one path, conformal deposition of a solid inorganic electrolyte film (e.g., Lipon) is performed by sputtering, which can create an electronically insulating layer of 1 micrometer to 3 micrometer thickness, which may cover the upward-facing surfaces. The taper of these electrode features can be “tuned” through instrumental parameters to allow conformal coating. At such thickness, the impedance of the electrolyte film during subsequent use as a battery may be low enough that the rate capability can be primarily determined by the electrodes. After electrolyte deposition, the remaining free volume within the cell can be filled by the counterelectrode. The counterelectrode will, in one instance, be Li or a Li alloy, melt-infiltrated (about 180° C.) into the coated electrode array using a “flux and solder” process to enable high surface tension liquid lithium to wet oxide surfaces, as discussed above. An advantage of using lithium metal is that its high volumetric capacity allows the negative electrode to be of small volume, for example only about one-fourth that of the positive electrode, if LiCoO2 is used. Thus, a negative electrode film of only several micrometer dimensions filling the pore space of the electrode array may be needed for cell balancing. Alternatively, the counterelectrode can be applied in the form of a powder suspension where a solid polymer electrolyte (e.g., PEO-based) is included in the formulation to provide a fully solid-state device. Subsequently, a top current collector can be applied by physical vapor deposition or thick film paste technology, following which a hermetic sealing layer including a sputtered oxide or CVD-applied polymer layer (parylene) is used to complete the packaging.
In another path, similar to the path outlined above, the electrolyte film is an electrodeposited layer of a solid polymer electrolyte. Methods for the electrodeposition of electronically insulating polymer films can be applied in this project to form electrolytic layers. Alternatively, a layer-by-layer deposition approach may be used. The counterelectrode may be powder suspension based, since even the modest melting temperature of Li alloys could damage polymeric electrolytes. The subsequent packaging steps are similar as described above.
In yet another path, a colloidal-scale self-organization approach may be applied. LiCoO2 and graphite immersed in a suitable solvent may be mutually repulsive due to short-range dispersion and electrostatic forces.
The energy densities are determined in these devices by the volume fraction of active materials present in the cell, and the degree of electrochemical utilization of those materials. In
In this example, 3D batteries having periodic or aperiodic interpenetrating electrodes are used since their electronic conductivity is typically higher than ionic conductivity in battery materials. Interpenetrating electrodes of high aspect ratio can have shorter ion diffusion length between electrodes while still taking advantage of the higher electronic conductivity along the electrodes to extract current. In the solid-state diffusion limit, the dimension that may determine the utilization of the battery capacity is the half-width x of the electrode features, for which the discharge time is t=x2/DLi.
Using tabulated room-temperature lithium chemical diffusivities (DLi) for spinel and layered structure intercalation oxides, which fall in the range 1×10−9 cm2/sec to 5×10−9 cm2/sec, for a maximum 2 C discharge rate (t=1800 sec), a half-thicknesses of about 6 to about 30 micrometers is useful. These kinetics and their limitations on particle dimensions are well-known to the battery field; LiCoO2 is typically used as particles of 5 to 10 micrometers dimension, while LiMn2O4 has a higher and also isotropic lithium diffusion coefficient allowing roughly 25 micrometer particles to be used. LiFePO4, on the other hand, has a much lower lithium diffusion coefficient requiring particle dimensions of <100 nm for high energy and power. Li4Ti5O12 is similar to LiFePO4 in this respect. Such materials may be used as fine-scale porous materials filled with suitable electrolytes. For LiCoO2 and LiMn2O4, as well as related layered oxide and spinel compounds, a total electrode dimension of 10 micrometers to 30 micrometers may be desired. Also, for any reticulated structure, the smaller the feature size, the greater the inactive volume occupied by electrolyte/separators, binders and/or conductive additives. The results plotted in
For non-planar form factors, a second issue in the fabrication of microbatteries is the electrode aspect ratio or feature height. While various lithography-based processes have been used recently to fabricate 3D electrodes, these experiments focus on laser micro-machining due to its suitability for fabricating highly aspected features with controlled taper.
Too high of an aspect ratio may be undesirable in some cases from the viewpoint of electronic polarization (voltage drop along the electrode), for example, in highly reticulated electrodes of thin cross-section. For LiCoO2 and LiMn2O4 and related compositions, which have electronic conductivities >10−3 S/cm at room temperature, the voltage drop at these aspect ratios is negligible (<0.1 V).
While laser-machining with a single focused beam is one approach, resulting in individually fabricated devices, scale-up to fabrication methods capable of producing many simultaneous devices from an oxide “wafer” (e.g., produced by hot-pressing) is also possible. Laser-machining remains an option for scaleup, using diffuse beams and physical masks, for example. However, other methods used in MEMS fabrication such as deep reactive ion etching are also possible.
The electrolyte layer may be deposited using Lipon. Lipon is a thin film electrolyte, which at 1 micrometer to 2 micrometers thickness provides a low impedance, high rate, low self-discharge electrolyte. The fabricated 3D electrode structures can be sputtered with Lipon. The uniformity of Lipon coverage can be evaluated by electron microscopy and electrical tests after deposition of the counterelectrode.
An alternative to Lipon is the electrodeposition of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) such as PEO-based compositions, or a polyelectrolyte multilayer approach. Recent work on electrophoretically formed batteries shows that electrodeposition is an effective conformal deposition technique for PEO-based electrolytes. For typical room temperature conductivities of 10−5 skin to 10−4 S/cm, the electrolyte is not limiting, at a few micrometers thickness.
Selection and deposition of the counterelectrode may be performed as follows. 3D micromachined structures may be formed out of the positive electrode for electronic conductivity reasons discussed earlier. For the negative electrode that will fill the pore space after deposition of the electrolyte film, lithium metal, a lithium metal allow such as LiAl, or a graphite-based suspension can be used, with a cell structure designed to achieve cell balance. Graphite based anodes such as MCMB can be formulated similarly to conventional lithium ion anodes, except that in the absence of liquid electrolytes, SPE can be used as a binder phase. These suspensions can be used to infiltrate the pore space in the electrolyte-coated 3D structure.
For the deposition of 0.5 mm to 1 mm thick lithium metal, given the low melting point (181° C.) of lithium metal, it would be attractive to use liquid metal infiltration to fill the 3D structure. A difficulty is that, like other liquid metals, lithium has a high surface tension and does not as easily wet oxides or polymers. Thus, a “flux and solder” method is used in this example, by which liquid lithium can be made to wet oxide surfaces. By first sputtering a thin layer of a metal that alloys with Li, such as Au, reactive wetting of the sputtered surface occur readily. This was demonstrated on glass surfaces, as shown in
Self-organization as an assembly method may also be used for selection and deposition of the counterelectrode. A colloidal-scale self-assembly method for bipolar-devices may be used in which repulsive forces between dissimilar materials are used to form electrochemical junctions at the same time that attractive forces between like material are used to form percolating conductive networks of a single electrode material. A demonstration of this approach is shown in
One of the challenges in microbattery technology, including thin-film batteries, has been the development of effective hermetic packaging with minimal contributed volume. The 3D design in this example uses densified oxide for hermetic sealing on all except the top surface (
In this example, it is shown that a porous sintered electrode of LiCoO2 of greater than 0.5 mm minimum cross-sectional dimension that is infused with a liquid electrolyte can, surprisingly and unexpectedly, be electrochemically cycled while obtaining nearly all of the available ion storage capacity over at least 20 cycles at C/20 rate with minimal capacity fade and no apparent detrimental mechanical damage to the electrode. This shows that such electrodes can effectively be used in certain batteries of the invention.
A battery grade LiCoO2 powder from Seimi Corporation (Japan) having 10.7 micrometers d50 particle size was pressed and fired at 1100° C. in air to form a porous sintered ceramic having about 85% of the theoretical density of LiCoO2. In one instance, a plate of this electrode having 0.66 mm thickness was prepared, as shown in
Remarkably, this sample was found to exhibit no apparent signs of mechanical failure after this electrochemical test, as shown in
In other instances, the electrodes shown in
In this example, it is shown that a battery can be made using a porous sintered electrode of LiCoO2 infiltrated with a liquid electrolyte in a can-lid package.
A battery grade LiCoO2 powder from Seimi Corporation (Japan) was ball-milled to a d50 particle size of 5.7 micrometer. The powders was pressed and fired at 950° C. in air to form a porous sintered ceramic having about 75% of the theoretical density of LiCoO2. The 0.4 mm thick electrode was attached to an electroformed gold can using PVDF and carbon binder and vacuum dried at 65° C. overnight. A porous polymer separator of 25 micrometer thickness was glued onto the flange of a electroformed gold can using UV-curing adhesive. A small piece of Li was attached to a 10 um copper foil lid using thermal bonding at 100° C. for 15 minutes. The lid was glued onto the can using the same adhesive. The assembly was infiltrated with a liquid electrolyte having a 1.33 to M concentration of LiPF6 in a mixture of organic carbonates, through a small hole drilled in the copper foil. The cell was charged to 4.2 V at a constant current at C/15. Finally the drill hole was sealed with the adhesive and the whole assembly is shown in
This example describes the fabrication of a 5 mm2 battery package, according to one set of embodiments. The package was fabricated as two separate pieces: a “can” used to house the battery and a cover comprising the electrodes. After assembling the components of the battery within the can and the cover, the two pieces were bonded to form a hermetically sealed package.
To begin, an 8×8 array of square molds measuring approximately 2.5 mm by 2.5 mm were etched into a silicon wafer using standard microfabrication processes. After the molds were etched into the wafer, a 100 micron-thick layer of copper was electroformed on the surface of the wafer, resulting in a substantially even coating of the interiors of the mold volumes. The deposited copper was etched to form a pattern of release tabs, as shown in
While this example describes the fabrication of cans from copper, a variety of materials may be used. For example, cans may be formed from a Ni/Cu alloy and coated with gold. In some embodiments, the cans may be replated (once, twice, or more) with gold. In some embodiments, the bulk of the can may be formed from a material other than copper such as, for example, gold, aluminum, or ceramic. In addition to plating metals within a mold, cans may be formed, for example, by stamping or vacuum forming a metal (e.g., aluminum) foil. An example of aluminum cans fabricated by stamping aluminum foil over a mandrel is shown in
The cover was fabricated using MicroConnex Liquid Crystal Polymer. Suitable materials in which the cover may be formed include, for example, metallized liquid crystal polymer, gold-free metallized liquid crystal polymer, and alumina. To begin, a piece of polymer measuring roughly 2.35×2.8 mm was provided. A hole was formed through the body of the cover, roughly in its center. The center hole acted as a via, connecting the front and back side metallization and allowing for electrical access to the anode from outside the package. Using standard metal deposition techniques, metallization was deposited on both sides of the cover. Two metallization designs were investigated. In the coplanar terminal design, the metallization patterns on the top and bottom of the polymer are substantially the same, and are illustrated in
This example describes the assembly of batteries using the packages described in Example 1. To assemble the battery, a can was cut from the array. A cathode was provided for positioning within the can. Cathodes were attached to cans using a variety of methods. In one set of experiments, the bottom of the cathode was coated with metal (e.g., copper) via sputter deposition. A solder paste was applied to the bottom surface of the inside of the can. The solder paste was used to form a bond between the bottom surface of the can and the sputter-deposited copper layer of the cathode.
In other experiments, an LCO cathode was bonded to Au using a PvDF/carbon suspension.
In another set of experiments, a gold bump process was used to attach the cathode to the bottom of the can. In this process, a series of gold bumps were applied to the bottom surface of the can. Additionally, gold was sputtered onto the bottom surface of the cathode. The cathode was inserted into the can, with the gold sputtered surface of the cathode in contact with the gold-dotted surface of the can. A 400-gram weight was applied, and the stack was heated to 380° C., resulting in a permanent bond between the cathode and the can.
In yet another set of experiments, a piece of aluminum foil was placed at the bottom of the can. Gold was sputtered onto the bottom surface of the cathode. The cathode was inserted into the can, with the gold sputtered surface of the cathode in contact with the aluminum foil. An 800-gram weight was applied, and the stack was heated to 380° C., resulting in a permanent bond between the cathode and the can. Not wishing to be bound by any theory, the bond may have formed due to the interdiffusion between gold and aluminum at the cathode/can interface.
Prior to sealing the package, an anode was mounted to the side of the cover to be oriented facing the cavity of the can. In one set of experiments, a Li anode was mounted to the inside surface of the cover in a glove box. The lithium was oriented such that it was in contact with the gold via through the polymer cover, as illustrated schematically in
In some experiments, a separator layer was positioned over the cathode in order to separate the anode and cathode upon final assembly. In one set of experiments, a substantially conformal coating of LiPON was deposited on the cathode. Examples of suitable separator materials include polymers (e.g., Celgard, etc.), LiPON, a machined glass sleeve, etc.
Once the cathode and anode were mounted, the can and the cover were positioned and sealed. In one set of experiments, the batteries were sealed using solder. A layer of solder was deposited around the perimeter of the top side of the can. A layer of tin was applied over the metallization on the perimeter of the cover, as shown in
In other experiments, Locktite 3972 acrylic, a UV curable adhesive was used to seal the can/cover interface. In this set of experiments, a thin layer of acrylic was stamped onto the flange on the upper portion of the can. The cover was then placed over the can. Finally, the stack was irradiated from each side, each for 30 seconds, producing a seal.
In still other experiments, a film of Tack Rflex 1000 adhesive was used to seal the cover to the can. To produce a seal, the adhesive film is positioned over the can, the cover is positioned over the film, and the stack is heated.
Once the cover was sealed on the can, the interior of the package was filled with electrolyte by introducing it through the access port. Sealed cells were immersed in liquid electrolyte in a glove box. The pressure in the glove box was cycled between 1 atm in argon and a partial vacuum 4 or 5 times. The cells was then allowed to soak for 16 hours. Next, the pressure in the glove box was again cycled between 1 atm in argon and partial vacuum 4 or 5 times. Finally, excess electrolyte was removed, and the access port(s) and center via were sealed using solder, as shown in
This example describes the study of electrochemical corrosion within the fabricated cells during operation. Exposed Ni/Cu can lead to electrochemical corrosion in some cases. Ni/Cu remained exposed in some cases due to incomplete Au plating. Also, the cut tabs of the can included exposed Ni/Cu at their edges.
Systematic cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests were performed to determine sources of electrochemical corrosion of components used for attachment and packaging in assembled cells. From the CV tests, it was determined that Pb—Sn solder (e.g., for attachment of cathodes and/or covers to cans) was electrochemically unstable at battery operating voltages if it is in contact with any electrolyte.
Au-coated Ni—Cu was stable as long as the Au coating layer was not damaged to expose Ni—Cu.
The epoxies included residual impurities that were oxidized during the first charge, but were otherwise stable.
Finally, a set of experiments was performed using cans fabricated substantially entirely from gold. These cans showed very low corrosion, with a maximum corrosion current of about 0.0012 mA at 4.4 V, as shown in
Examples of designs that have been verified as corrosion-proof are shown in
This example describes the testing of sealed and unsealed cells.
In some instances, it may be advantageous to use an anode-less cell. A schematic illustration of an anode-less cell is shown in
In this example, the lithium metal anode is replaced with a carbon anode. An example of such an alternative is shown in
The techniques used to fabricated the cells described herein may be scaled to produce, in parallel, a large number of cells simultaneously. An array of cathodes can be simultaneously fabricated using thick-film processing, laser trimming, and LiPON deposition. An example of the alignment of an array of battery components is shown in
While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.
All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.
The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”
The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.
In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/027,842, filed Feb. 12, 2008, entitled “Small Scale Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Marinis, et al., and of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/118,122, filed Nov. 26, 2008, entitled “Small Scale Batteries and Electrodes For Use Thereof,” by Marinis, et al. Each of these is incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US09/00901 | 2/12/2009 | WO | 00 | 12/10/2010 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 61027842 | Feb 2008 | US |
| Child | 12866966 | US | |
| Parent | 61118122 | Nov 2008 | US |
| Child | 61027842 | US |
