Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110287318 | MULTIDIMENSIONAL ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVE STRUCTURES FOR BATTERY ELECTRODES - Provided are novel multidimensional electrode structures containing high capacity active materials for use in rechargeable electrochemical cells. These structures include main support structures and multiple nanowires attached to the support structures and extending into different directions away from these supports. The active material may be deposited as a layer (uniform or non-uniform) surrounding the nanowires and, in certain embodiments, the main supports and even substrate. The active material layer may be sufficiently thin to prevent pulverization of the layer at given operating conditions. Interconnections between the electrode structures and/or substrate may be provided by overlaps formed during deposition of the active layer. Silicide-based nano wires structures may be formed on the main supports in a fluidized bed reactor by suspending the metal-containing main supports in a silicon-containing process gas. A layer of silicon may be then deposited over these silicide nanowires. | 11-24-2011 |
20120045670 | AUXILIARY ELECTRODES FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS CONTAINING HIGH CAPACITY ACTIVE MATERIALS - Provided are novel electrochemical cells that include positive electrodes, negative electrodes containing high capacity active materials such as silicon, and auxiliary electrodes containing lithium. An auxiliary electrode is provided in the cell at least prior to its formation cycling and is used to supply lithium to the negative electrode. The auxiliary electrode may be then removed from the cell prior or after formation. The transfer of lithium to the negative electrode may be performed using a different electrolyte, a higher temperature, and/or a slower rate than during later operational cycling of the cell. After this transfer, the negative electrode may remain pre-lithiated during later cycling at least at a certain predetermined level. This pre-lithiation helps to cycle the cell at more optimal conditions and to some degree maintain this cycling performance over the operating life of the cell. Also provided are methods of fabricating such cells. | 02-23-2012 |
20120070741 | HIGH CAPACITY BATTERY ELECTRODE STRUCTURES - Provided are battery electrode structures that maintain high mass loadings (i.e., large amounts per unit area) of high capacity active materials in the electrodes without deteriorating their cycling performance. These mass loading levels correspond to capacities per electrode unit area that are suitable for commercial electrodes even though the active materials are kept thin and generally below their fracture limits. A battery electrode structure may include multiple template layers. An initial template layer may include nanostructures attached to a substrate and have a controlled density. This initial layer may be formed using a controlled thickness source material layer provided, for example, on a substantially inert substrate. Additional one or more template layers are then formed over the initial layer resulting in a multilayer template structure with specific characteristics, such as a surface area, thickness, and porosity. The multilayer template structure is then coated with a high capacity active material. | 03-22-2012 |
20120100438 | COMPOSITE STRUCTURES CONTAINING HIGH CAPACITY POROUS ACTIVE MATERIALS CONSTRAINED IN SHELLS - Provided are novel electrode material composite structures containing high capacity active materials formed into porous base structures. The structures also include shells that encapsulate these porous base structures. During lithiation of the active material, the shell mechanically constrains the porous base structure. The shell allows lithium ions to pass through but prevents electrolyte solvents from interacting with the encapsulated active material. In certain embodiments, the shell contains carbon, while the porous base structure contains silicon. Although silicon tends to swell during lithiation, the porosity of the base structure and/or void spaces inside the shell helps to accommodate this additional volume within the shell without breaking it or substantially increasing the overall size of the composite structure. This allows integration of the composite structures into various types of battery electrodes and cycling high capacity active materials without damaging the electrodes' internal structures and deteriorating cycling characteristics of batteries. | 04-26-2012 |
20120301789 | TEMPLATE ELECTRODE STRUCTURES FOR DEPOSITING ACTIVE MATERIALS - Provided are examples of electrochemically active electrode materials, electrodes using such materials, and methods of manufacturing such electrodes. Electrochemically active electrode materials may include a high surface area template containing a metal silicide and a layer of high capacity active material deposited over the template. The template may serve as a mechanical support for the active material and/or an electrical conductor between the active material and, for example, a substrate. Due to the high surface area of the template, even a thin layer of the active material can provide sufficient active material loading and corresponding battery capacity. As such, a thickness of the layer may be maintained below the fracture threshold of the active material used and preserve its structural integrity during battery cycling. | 11-29-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130011736 | TEMPLATE ELECTRODE STRUCTURES WITH ENHANCED ADHESION CHARACTERISTICS - Provided herein are novel template electrode materials and structures for lithium ion cells. Related methods are also provided. According to various embodiments, an electrode can include a nanostructured template, an electrochemically active material layer coating the template, and a first intermediate layer between the nanostructured template and the electrochemically active material layer. In one arrangement, the nanostructured template includes silicide nanowires. The electrochemically active material may be any of silicon, tin, germanium, carbon, metal hydrides, silicides, phosphides, and nitrides. The first intermediate layer may facilitate adhesion between the nanostructured template and the electrochemically active material layer, electronic conductivity within the electrode, and/or stress relaxation between the nanostructured template and the electrochemically active material layer. | 01-10-2013 |
20130320582 | INTERCONNECTED HOLLOW NANOSTRUCTURES CONTAINING HIGH CAPACITY ACTIVE MATERIALS FOR USE IN RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES - Provided are electrode layers for use in rechargeable batteries, such as lithium ion batteries, and related fabrication techniques. These electrode layers have interconnected hollow nanostructures that contain high capacity electrochemically active materials, such as silicon, tin, and germanium. In certain embodiments, a fabrication technique involves forming a nanoscale coating around multiple template structures and at least partially removing and/or shrinking these structures to form hollow cavities. These cavities provide space for the active materials of the nanostructures to swell into during battery cycling. This design helps to reduce the risk of pulverization and to maintain electrical contacts among the nanostructures. It also provides a very high surface area available ionic communication with the electrolyte. The nanostructures have nanoscale shells but may be substantially larger in other dimensions. Nanostructures can be interconnected during forming the nanoscale coating, when the coating formed around two nearby template structures overlap. | 12-05-2013 |
20130344383 | TEMPLATE ELECTRODE STRUCTURES FOR DEPOSITING ACTIVE MATERIALS - Provided are examples of electrochemically active electrode materials, electrodes using such materials, and methods of manufacturing such electrodes. Electrochemically active electrode materials may include a high surface area template containing a metal silicide and a layer of high capacity active material deposited over the template. The template may serve as a mechanical support for the active material and/or an electrical conductor between the active material and, for example, a substrate. Due to the high surface area of the template, even a thin layer of the active material can provide sufficient active material loading and corresponding battery capacity. As such, a thickness of the layer may be maintained below the fracture threshold of the active material used and preserve its structural integrity during battery cycling. | 12-26-2013 |
20140234715 | PROTECTIVE COATINGS FOR CONVERSION MATERIAL CATHODES - Battery systems using coated conversion materials as the active material in battery cathodes are provided herein. Protective coatings may be an oxide, phosphate, or fluoride, and may be lithiated. The coating may selectively isolate the conversion material from the electrolyte. Methods for fabricating batteries and battery systems with coated conversion material are also provided herein. | 08-21-2014 |
20140302232 | DEPOSITION ON TWO SIDES OF A WEB - Apparatuses and methods for depositing materials on both side of a web while it passes a substantially vertical direction are provided. In particular embodiments, a web does not contact any hardware components during the deposition. A web may be supported before and after the deposition chamber but not inside the deposition chamber. At such support points, the web may be exposed to different conditions (e.g., temperature) than during the deposition. | 10-09-2014 |