Imprint Energy, Inc.

University of California

Ccl Label Gmbh

Christine Chihfan Ho

Jesse Smithyman

James William Evans

John Devin MacKenzie

Paul K Wright

Karthik Yogeeswaran

Konstantin Tikhonov

Po-Jen Cheng

Qiang Zheng

Chaojun Shi

Ehsan Faegh

J Devin Mackenzie

Pavel Khokhlov

Albert Aumentado

Keith Michael Crane

Alex Gurr

John Devin Mackenzie

Danny Hellebusch

Michael Coleman

Greg Roberts

Alexander Gurr

James Evans

Provided are printed electrochemical cells, which utilize zinc salts for ionic transfer, and methods of fabricating such cells. In some examples, a printed electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode with a positive current collector having a two-dimensional shape and comprising an electrolyte-facing surface formed by the graphite. For example, the positive current collector may be a graphite foil or an aluminum foil with a graphite coating. The cell also comprises electrolyte comprising an electrolyte salt and an electrolyte solvent. For example, the electrolyte salt comprises a zinc salt with a concentration of at least 30% by weight in the electrolyte. The cell is fabricated by printing a positive active material layer over the positive current collector, printing one or more electrolyte layers on various cell components, and laminating a separator layer between the positive and negative electrodes while soaking the separator layer with the electrolyte.

Printed electrochemical cells with zinc salts and methods of fabricating thereof

Provided are electrochemical cells and methods of manufacturing these cells. An electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode and an electrolyte layer, printed over the positive electrode. In some examples, each of the positive electrode, electrolyte layer, and negative electrode comprises an ionic liquid enabling ionic transfer. The negative electrode comprises a negative active material layer (e.g., comprising zinc), printed over and directly interfacing the electrolyte layer. The negative electrode also comprises a negative current collector (e.g., copper foil) and a conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer. The conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed between and adhered to, directly interfaces, and provides electronic conductivity between the negative active material layer and the negative current collector. In some examples, the conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprises carbon and/or metal particles (e.g., nickel, copper, indium, and/or silver). Furthermore, the conductive pressure sensitive adhesive layer may comprise an acrylic polymer, encapsulating these particles.

Solvent-free electrochemical cells with conductive pressure sensitive adhesives attaching current collectors

Provided are flexible multi-battery assemblies and methods of manufacturing these assemblies. In some examples, a flexible multi-battery assembly comprises a first current collector, parsed into a first plurality of current collector portions such that each portion contacts one of a plurality of electrochemically active stacks. The second current collector may be continuous (e.g., to provide support to the electrochemically active stacks) or similarly parsed into a second plurality of current collector portions. Each electrochemically active stack forms one of flexible electrochemical cells in the flexible multi-battery assembly. Furthermore, at least one outer surface of the first current collector or the second outer surface is fully exposed, e.g., to allow forming electrical and mechanical connections directly to one or both current collectors. In some examples, an insulator layer covers a non-exposed surface of the other current collector.

Flexible multi-battery assemblies, flexible electrochemical cells forming such assemblies, and methods of fabricating thereof

Provided are electrochemical cells, comprising water-retaining components, and methods of fabricating such electrochemical cells. A water-retaining component is configured to deliver water to the positive active material during the operation of the electrochemical cell. The water-retaining component may be a part of the positive active material layer, a part of the electrolyte layer, and/or a standalone component. In some examples, the water-retaining component comprises one or more crystal hydrates (e.g., MgSO, MgCl, NaSO, NaHPO, CuSO, CaCl, KAl(SO), and Mg(NO)), one or more water-retaining polymers (e.g., sodium polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate, ammonium polyacrylate, and a cellulose derivative), one or more inorganic compounds (e.g., fumed silica, precipitated silica). In some examples, a method of forming an electrochemical cell comprises printing a positive active material layer, a negative active material layer, and an electrolyte layer, e.g., printing the electrolyte layer directly over the positive active material layer or the negative active material layer.

Electrochemical cells comprising water-retaining components and methods of fabricating

Described herein are smart labels, each comprising multiple wireless radios, and methods of operating such labels. For example, a smart label comprises a battery and two wireless radios having different power requirements. When the battery is no longer able to support a high-power radio (e.g., NB-IoT), the battery can still power a low-power (e.g., BLE). A battery can be specially configured and/or controlled to support the multi-radio operation of the smart label. For example, a battery can include multiple battery cells with configurable connections among these cells and radios. Furthermore, some battery components can be shared by wireless radios. The battery can also power other components of the smart label, such as sensors (e.g., temperature, acceleration, pressure, package integrity, global positioning), memory, and input/output components. In some examples, multiple smart labels form a mesh network, designed to lower the total power consumption by the radios of these labels.

Smart labels comprising multiple wireless radios and methods of operating thereof

Provided are electronic circuits, comprising electrochemical cells directly integrated with other devices of the circuits, and methods of manufacturing these circuits. The direct integration occurs during cell manufacturing, which allows sharing components, reducing operation steps and failure points, and reducing cost and size of the circuits. For example, a portion of a cell enclosure may be formed by a circuit board, providing direct mechanical integration. More specifically, the cell is fabricated right on the circuit board. In the same or other examples, one or both cell current collectors extend outside of the cell boundary and used by other devices, providing direct electrical integration without a need for intermediate connections and eliminating additional failure points. Furthermore, printing one or more components of electrochemical cells, such as electrolytes and current collectors, allows achieving higher levels of mechanical and electrical integration that are generally not available in conventional cells.

Electronic circuits with directly integrated electrochemical cells

The disclosure concerns an electrolyte, an electrolyte ink, a battery or other electrochemical cell including the same, and methods of making the electrolyte and electrochemical cell. The electrolyte includes an ionic liquid comprising a hydrophilic or hydrophobic anion, a multi-valent metal cation suitable for use in a battery cell, a polymer binder, and optional additives (e.g., a solid filler). The electrolyte ink includes components of the electrolyte and a solvent. The solvent and the polymer binder (or, when present, the solid filler) have a hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity or polarity similar to or matching that of the ionic liquid's anion, or form hydrogen bonds with the ionic liquid's anion. The electrolyte includes a solid inorganic filler that provides mechanical support form hydrogen bonds with the anion and/or a counterpart anion of the multi-valent metal cation, and links with a material in an adjacent layer of the electrochemical cell.

Ionic liquid gel for electrolyte, method of and ink for making the same, and printed batteries including such ionic liquid gels and/or electrolytes

An electrical or electrochemical cell, c a cathode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an anode layer is disclosed. The cathode layer includes a first material providing a cathodic electric transport, charge storage or redox function. The electrolyte layer includes a polymer, a first electrolyte salt, and/or an ionic liquid. The anode layer includes a second material providing an anodic electric transport, charge storage or redox function. At least one of the cathode and anode layers includes the ionic liquid, a second electrolyte salt, and/or a transport-enhancing additive.

Electrolytic doping of non-electrolyte layers in printed batteries

An electrochemical cell includes solid-state, printable anode layer, cathode layer and non-aqueous gel electrolyte layer coupled to the anode layer and cathode layer. The electrolyte layer provides physical separation between the anode layer and the cathode layer, and comprises a composition configured to provide ionic communication between the anode layer and cathode layer by facilitating transmission of multivalent ions between the anode layer and the cathode layer.

Ionic gel electrolyte, energy storage devices, and methods of manufacture thereof

An electrical or electrochemical cell, including a cathode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an anode layer is disclosed. The cathode layer includes a first material providing a cathodic electric transport, charge storage or redox function. The electrolyte layer includes a polymer, a first electrolyte salt, and/or an ionic liquid. The anode layer includes a second material providing an anodic electric transport, charge storage or redox function. At least one of the cathode and anode layers includes the ionic liquid, a second electrolyte salt, and/or a transport-enhancing additive.

Electrochemical cells with a protective film that is permeable to hydrogen, or that include a catalyst that facilitates formation of mobile hydrogen species, that promotes sequestration or gettering of hydrogen or oxygen, and/or that facilitates conversion of hydrogen or oxygen to HO, are disclosed.

Protective films for printed electrochemical cells and methods of packaging electrochemical cells

The disclosure concerns an electrochemical cell including a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode including an elemental metal or metal alloy. The electrolyte includes an electrolyte salt, an ionic liquid, and an optional first polymer binder. The electrolyte and/or the anode further includes a protective metal salt in an amount sufficient to (i) reduce or eliminate hydrogen evolution or open circuit side reactions in the electrochemical cell, or (ii) plate out onto or alloy with the anode metal or conductive additives in the anode. The electrochemical cell may further include a first current collector in contact with the cathode, and a second current collector in contact with the anode. The second current collector may include a metal or metal alloy. In such cells, the second current collector may further include the protective metal salt, and the protective metal salt may plate out onto or alloy with the metal or metal alloy of the second current collector.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Christine Chihfan Ho