Nexeon Limited

Christopher Michael Friend

Charles Mason

Richard Taylor

William James Macklin

Tsuyonobu Hatazawa

Leigh Trevor Canham

James Farrell

Scott Brown

Joshua Whittam

Mauro Chiacchia

Fiona Scott

Judit Serra Moreno

Silo Meoto

This invention relates to a particulate material consisting of a plurality of composite particles comprising a porous particle framework and a plurality of nanoscale elemental silicon domains located within the pores of the porous particle framework. The porous particle framework comprises micropores and mesopores, wherein the total volume of micropores and mesopores in the porous particle framework as measured by gas adsorption is from 0.5 to 1.8 cm/g. The composite particles comprise from 30 to 70 wt % silicon, wherein at least 30 wt % of the silicon is surface silicon as determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA); no more than 1.2 wt % of hydrogen; and have a weight ratio of oxygen to silicon of no more than 0.15. The BET surface area of the composite particles is no more than 40 m/g.

Electroactive composite particles

The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm/g and no more than 2 cm/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a Dparticle size of less than 20 μm; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Electroactive materials for metal-ion batteries

This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and/or mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.6 cm 3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 2 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D 90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.1 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 20 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a Dparticle size of less than 20 μm; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm/g and no more than 2 cm/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a Dparticle size of less than 20 &#x3bc;m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

An electrode for a metal-ion battery is provided wherein the active layer of the electrode comprises a plurality of low porosity particles comprising an electroactive material selected from silicon, silicon oxide germanium, tin, aluminium and mixtures thereof and a plurality of carbon particles selected from one or more of graphite, soft carbon and hard carbon. The ratio of the Dparticles size of the carbon particles to the Dparticle diameter of the porous particles is in the range of from 1.5 to 30. Also provided are rechargeable metal-ion batteries comprising said electrode and compositions of porous particles and carbon particles which may be used to prepare the active layer of said electrode.

Electrodes for metal-ion batteries

This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and mesopores having a total volume of 0.5 to 1.5 cm/g; and (b) silicon located at least within the micropores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and mesopores. At least 20 wt % of the silicon is characterized as surface silicon by thermogravimetric analysis.

An electrode for a metal-ion battery is provided wherein the active layer of the electrode comprises a plurality of porous particles comprising an electroactive material selected from silicon, germanium, tin, aluminium and mixtures thereof and a plurality of carbon particles selected from one or more of graphite, soft carbon and hard carbon. The ratio of the Dparticles size of the carbon particles to the Dparticle diameter of the porous particles is in the range of from 1.5 to 30. Also provided are rechargeable metal-ion batteries comprising said electrode and compositions of porous particles and carbon particles which may be used to prepare the active layer of said electrode.

A composite particle is provided. The particle comprises a first particle component and a second particle component in which: (a) the first particle component comprises a body portion and a surface portion, the surface portion comprising one or more structural features and one or more voids, whereby the surface portion and body portion define together a structured particle; and (b) the second component comprises a removable filler; characterized in that (i) one or both of the body portion and the surface portion comprise an active material; and (ii) the filler is contained within one or more voids comprised within the surface portion of the first component. The use of the particle in applications such as electrochemical cells, metal-ion batteries such as secondary battery applications, lithium air batteries, flow cell batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, filters, sensors, electrical and thermal capacitors, micro-fluidic devices, gas or vapor sensors, thermal or dielectric insulating devices, devices for controlling or modifying the transmission, absorption or reflectance of light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation, chromatography or wound dressings is disclosed.

Structured silicon particles

A method of forming a particulate material comprising silicon, the method comprising the step of reducing a particulate starting material comprising silica-containing particles having an aspect ratio of at least 3:1 and a smallest dimension of less than 15 microns, or reducing a particulate starting material comprising silica-containing particles comprising a plurality of elongate structural elements, each elongate structural element having an aspect ratio of at least 3:1 and a smallest dimension of less than 15 microns.

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Abingdon, United Kingdom

Christopher Michael Friend