Massachusetts Institute of Technology

ByoungWoo Kang

Gerbrand Ceder

Geoffroy Hautier

Jae Chul Kim

Anubhav Jain

Robert Daniel

Hailong Chen

Charles J Moore

Robert E Doe

The present invention generally relates to certain lithium materials, including lithium manganese borate materials. Such materials are of interest in various applications such as energy storage. Certain aspects of the invention are directed to lithium manganese borate materials, for example, having the formula LiMn(BO). In some cases, the lithium manganese borate materials may include other elements, such as iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium, etc. The lithium manganese borate materials, according to one set of embodiments, may be present as a monoclinic crystal system. Such materials may surprisingly exhibit relatively high energy storage capacities, for example, at least about 96 mA h/g. Other aspects of the invention relate to devices comprising such materials, methods of making such materials, kits for making such materials, methods of promoting the making or use of such materials, and the like.

Electrochemical device comprising lithium manganese borate compounds

This invention relates generally to electrode materials, electrochemical cells employing such materials, and methods of synthesizing such materials. The electrode materials have a crystal structure with a high ratio of Li to metal M, which is found to improve capacity by enabling the transfer of a greater amount of lithium per metal, and which is also found to improve stability by retaining a sufficient amount of lithium after charging. Furthermore, synthesis techniques are presented which result in improved charge and discharge capacities and reduced particle sizes of the electrode materials.

Mixed phosphate-diphosphate electrode materials and methods of manufacturing same

The present invention generally relates to carbophosphates and other compounds. Such compounds may be used in batteries and other electrochemical devices, or in other applications such as those described herein. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to carbophosphate compounds, i.e., compounds containing carbonate and phosphate ions. For example, according to one set of embodiments, the compound has a formula A(M)(PO)(CO), where M comprises one or more cations. A may include one or more alkali metals, for example, lithium and/or sodium. In some cases, x is greater than about 0.1, a is between about 0.1 and about 5.1, and b is between about 0.1 and about 5.1. In certain embodiments, the compound may have a unit cell atomic arrangement that is isostructural to unit cells of the minerals sidorenkite, bonshtedtite, bradleyite, crawfordite, or ferrotychite. In some embodiments, the compound may have a formula A(M)(YO)(XO), where A comprises one or more alkali metals, M comprises one or more cations, X includes B, C, and/or N, and Y includes Si, P, As, S, V, Nb, Mo, and/or W. In some cases, x is greater than about 0.1, a is between about 0.1 and about 5.1, and b is between about 0.1 and about 5.1. Other aspects of the invention are generally directed to techniques for making or using such compounds, kits involving such compounds, and the like.

Carbophosphates and related compounds

The present invention generally relates to unique coatings for use with energy storage particles, such as lithium oxide energy storage materials. The invention provides unique coatings for particles, unique particle/coating combinations, and unique methods for making coatings and/or coated particles. In one aspect of the invention, a particle is formed having a core and a coating. The particle may comprise a core having a material such as LiFePO, and a coating. The particle may be formed, in some embodiments, by using a non-stoichiometric combination of salts or other precursors, and sintering the same to form particles. LiFePOmay form as the core of the particle, while the remaining materials may form a coating around the LiFePO. Typically, the LiFePOis crystalline while the coating is generally amorphous, and in some instances, the coating may prevent large crystals of LiFePOfrom forming. However, in other embodiments, a coating may be applied to a particle after formation of the particle to form a core/coating structure. The particles disclosed herein may have a relatively high energy capacity, and thus may find use in batteries and other energy storage devices. Other aspects of the invention relate to devices comprising such particles, methods of making such particles, kits for making such particles, methods of promoting the making or use of such particles, and the like.

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

ByoungWoo Kang