POROUS ELECTRODES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
    1.
    发明申请
    POROUS ELECTRODES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS 有权
    多孔电极及相关方法

    公开(公告)号:US20110008531A1

    公开(公告)日:2011-01-13

    申请号:US12811576

    申请日:2009-01-08

    IPC分类号: B05D5/12

    摘要: The present invention relates to electrochemical cells, electrodes, and related methods. In some embodiments, a removable filler material may be employed during fabrication of an electrochemical cell, or component thereof, to produce electrochemical devices having improved cell performance and rate capability. Electrochemical cells may exhibit enhanced utilization of electroactive species and/or increased accessibility of electroactive species within the electrochemical cell during operation. In some cases, the invention may provide electrodes which advantageously possess both high loading of an electroactive species (e.g., greater than 1.5 mg/cm2), while also maintaining the stability and good mechanical properties of the electrode.

    摘要翻译: 本发明涉及电化学电池,电极和相关方法。 在一些实施例中,可以在制造电化学电池或其组件期间使用可移除的填充材料,以产生具有改善的电池性能和速率能力的电化学装置。 在操作期间,电化学电池可以表现出电活性物质的增强的利用和/或电活性物质在电化学电池内的可接近性。 在一些情况下,本发明可以提供有利地具有电活性物质的高负载(例如,大于1.5mg / cm 2)的电极,同时还保持电极的稳定性和良好的机械性能。

    APPLICATION OF FORCE IN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
    2.
    发明申请
    APPLICATION OF FORCE IN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS 有权
    力在电化学电池中的应用

    公开(公告)号:US20100035128A1

    公开(公告)日:2010-02-11

    申请号:US12535328

    申请日:2009-08-04

    摘要: The present invention relates to the application of a force to enhance the performance of an electrochemical cell. The force may comprise, in some instances, an anisotropic force with a component normal to an active surface of the anode of the electrochemical cell. In the embodiments described herein, electrochemical cells (e.g., rechargeable batteries) may undergo a charge/discharge cycle involving deposition of metal (e.g., lithium metal) on a surface of the anode upon charging and reaction of the metal on the anode surface, wherein the metal diffuses from the anode surface, upon discharging. The uniformity with which the metal is deposited on the anode may affect cell performance. For example, when lithium metal is redeposited on an anode, it may, in some cases, deposit unevenly forming a rough surface. The roughened surface may increase the amount of lithium metal available for undesired chemical reactions which may result in decreased cycling lifetime and/or poor cell performance. The application of force to the electrochemical cell has been found, in accordance with the invention, to reduce such behavior and to improve the cycling lifetime and/or performance of the cell.

    摘要翻译: 本发明涉及一种用于增强电化学电池性能的力的应用。 在一些情况下,力可以包括垂直于电化学电池的阳极的活性表面的成分的各向异性力。 在本文所述的实施例中,电化学电池(例如,可再充电电池)可以经历充电/放电循环,该充电/放电循环包括在阳极表面上充电和反应金属时在金属表面上沉积金属(例如锂金属),其中 在放电时,金属从阳极表面扩散。 金属沉积在阳极上的均匀性可能影响电池性能。 例如,当将锂金属重新沉积在阳极上时,在某些情况下,可能不均匀地沉积形成粗糙表面。 粗糙表面可能增加可用于不期望的化学反应的锂金属的量,这可能导致循环寿命降低和/或不良的电池性能。 已经发现根据本发明,向电化学电池施加力以减少这种行为并改善电池的循环寿命和/或性能。

    POROUS STRUCTURES FOR ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES
    5.
    发明申请
    POROUS STRUCTURES FOR ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES 审中-公开
    能源储存装置的多孔结构

    公开(公告)号:US20110206992A1

    公开(公告)日:2011-08-25

    申请号:US13033419

    申请日:2011-02-23

    IPC分类号: H01M4/80 H01M4/04

    摘要: The present invention relates to porous structures for energy storage devices. In some embodiments, the porous structure can comprise sulfur and be used in electrochemical cells. Such materials may be useful, for example, in forming one or more electrodes in an electrochemical cell. For example, the systems and methods described herein may comprise the use of an electrode comprising a conductive porous support structure and a plurality of particles comprising sulfur (e.g., as an active species) substantially contained within the pores of the support structure. The inventors have unexpectedly discovered that, in some embodiments, the sizes of the pores within the porous support structure and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can be tailored such that the contact between the electrolyte and the sulfur is enhanced, while the electrical conductivity and structural integrity of the electrode are maintained at sufficiently high levels to allow for effective operation of the cell. Also, the sizes of the pores within the porous support structures and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can be selected such that any suitable ratio of sulfur to support material can be achieved while maintaining mechanical stability in the electrode. The inventors have also unexpectedly discovered that the use of porous support structures comprising certain materials (e.g., metals such as nickel) can lead to relatively large increases in cell performance. In some embodiments, methods for forming sulfur particles within pores of a porous support structure allow for a desired relationship between the particle size and pore size. The sizes of the pores within the porous support structure and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can also be tailored such that the resulting electrode is able to withstand the application of an anisotropic force, while maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode.

    摘要翻译: 本发明涉及能量储存装置的多孔结构。 在一些实施方案中,多孔结构可以包含硫并用于电化学电池中。 这样的材料可用于例如在电化学电池中形成一个或多个电极。 例如,本文所述的系统和方法可以包括使用包括导电多孔支撑结构的电极和包含基本上包含在支撑结构的孔内的硫(例如,作为活性物质)的多个颗粒。 发明人意外地发现,在一些实施例中,多孔支撑结构内的孔的尺寸和/或孔内的颗粒的尺寸可以被调整为使得电解质和硫之间的接触增强,而 电极的导电性和结构完整性保持在足够高的水平以允许电池的有效操作。 此外,可以选择多孔支撑结构内的孔的尺寸和/或孔内的颗粒的尺寸,使得可以在保持电极中的机械稳定性的同时实现硫与载体材料的任何合适比例。 本发明人还意外地发现,使用包含某些材料(例如金属如镍)的多孔支撑结构可导致电池性能的相对较大的增加。 在一些实施方案中,用于在多孔载体结构的孔内形成硫颗粒的方法允许颗粒尺寸和孔径之间的所需关系。 多孔支撑结构内的孔的尺寸和/或孔内的颗粒的尺寸也可以被调整,使得所得的电极能够承受施加各向异性的力,同时保持电极的结构完整性。

    ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS COMPRISING POROUS STRUCTURES COMPRISING SULFUR

    公开(公告)号:US20110070491A1

    公开(公告)日:2011-03-24

    申请号:US12862551

    申请日:2010-08-24

    摘要: The present invention relates to the use of porous structures comprising sulfur in electrochemical cells. Such materials may be useful, for example, in forming one or more electrodes in an electrochemical cell. For example, the systems and methods described herein may comprise the use of an electrode comprising a conductive porous support structure and a plurality of particles comprising sulfur (e.g., as an active species) substantially contained within the pores of the support structure. The inventors have unexpectedly discovered that, in some embodiments, the sizes of the pores within the porous support structure and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can be tailored such that the contact between the electrolyte and the sulfur is enhanced, while the electrical conductivity and structural integrity of the electrode are maintained at sufficiently high levels to allow for effective operation of the cell. Also, the sizes of the pores within the porous support structures and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can be selected such that any suitable ratio of sulfur to support material can be achieved while maintaining mechanical stability in the electrode. The inventors have also unexpectedly discovered that the use of porous support structures comprising certain materials (e.g., metals such as nickel) can lead to relatively large increases in cell performance. In some embodiments, methods for forming sulfur particles within pores of a porous support structure allow for a desired relationship between the particle size and pore size. The sizes of the pores within the porous support structure and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can also be tailored such that the resulting electrode is able to withstand the application of an anisotropic force, while maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode.