Storagenergy Technologies, Inc.

Uchicago Argonne, LLC

Ceramatec, Inc.

Feng Zhao

Jinyun Liao

Junhua Song

Nick Iacopino

Zhengcheng Zhang

Joseph Jay Hartvigsen

S Elangovan

Zheng Xue

Joel Kirner

Rui Zhang

Systems and methods for direct recycling and upcycling of spent cathode materials using Flame-Assisted Spray Pyrolysis Technology (FAST). In illustrative embodiments, cathode layers are separated and collected from spent battery cells. The cathode laminate is ground to a powdered form and treated to remove contaminants by sifting into a hot stream of air which heats the powders, burning off contaminants. After cooling and particle collection, the powders may be dispersed into leaching solution to dissolve metal oxides and create an acid metal solution or ground into nano-sized primary particles and mixed with dispersing liquids to form a solution. The solution may be mixed with glycerol and additional metal salts to create a final precursor solution, which may undergo spray pyrolysis followed by drying and calcination to create cathode materials with high consistency and repeatability, or mixed with an alkaline metal salt solution and undergo electrodeposition to recover desired metal salts.

Process for recycling spent cathode materials

Methods and processes for flame-assisted direct recycling and upcycling of spent cathode materials

Described herein are semi-solid polymer electrolytes (SSPEs) based on a polymer backbone incorporating a flame-retardant crosslinker and fluorinated counterions that are useful in the production of high energy rechargeable lithium metal batteries. The described SSPEs are not liquid electrolytes, are not solid state electrolytes (SSEs), and are differentiated from standard state-of-the-art gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs). The described SSPEs are formed from a first solvent, an optional second solvent, a crosslinker, a lithium salt, and an initiator. The unique coordination structure of the described SSPEs yields non-flammable, low-volatility, non-vaporizable, high Coulombic efficiency (CE), stable solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI)-forming electrochemical devices, such as lithium metal rechargeable batteries, that are easily adaptable to existing mass-production lines.

Semi-solid polymer electrolyte and uses thereof in electrochemical devices

A liquid catholyte for a Li&#x2014;S battery comprises a non-aqueous solution of at least one lithium polysulfide of formula LiS(wherein x is selected from 4, 6, and 8) and an anion receptor compound capable of complexing with polysulfide anion. The non-aqueous solution typically is composed of the LiSand the anion receptor compound dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent (e.g., one or more organic ether or fluorinated ether solvents). The anion receptor compound typically is present in the catholyte at a concentration of about 0.1 M to about 4 M. Li&#x2014;S batteries comprise a metallic lithium anode; a porous conductive substrate; a separator membrane between the anode and the porous conductive substrate; and the liquid catholyte composition within pores of the substrate.

Lithium-sulfur battery with lithium polysulfide catholyte

An electrolyzer cell is disclosed which includes a cathode to reduce an oxygen-containing molecule, such as H2O, CO, or a combination thereof, to produce an oxygen ion and a fuel molecule, such as H, CO, or a combination thereof. An electrolyte is coupled to the cathode to transport the oxygen ion to an anode. The anode is coupled to the electrolyte to receive the oxygen ion and produce oxygen gas therewith. In one embodiment, the anode may be fabricated to include an electron-conducting phase having a perovskite crystalline structure or structure similar thereto. This perovskite may have a chemical formula of substantially (Pr(La)(z-y)A'BO(3-&#x2202;), wherein 0&#x3c;x&#x3c;1, 0&#x2266;y&#x2266;0.5, and 0.8&#x2266;z&#x2266;1.1. In another embodiment, the cathode includes an electron-conducting phase that contains nickel oxide intermixed with magnesium oxide.

Efficient reversible electrodes for solid oxide electrolyzer cells

Growing community of inventors

Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Feng Zhao