Enevate Corporation

University of California

Giulia Canton

Benjamin Yong Park

Ian Russell Browne

David J Lee

Fred Bonhomme

Kirk Shockley

Michael Buet

Hong Zhao

Sam Keene

Xianyang Li

Younes Ansari

Frederic C Bonhomme

Jill Renee Pestana

Xiaohua Liu

Ambica J Nair

Shiang Jen Teng

Liwen Ji

Alireza Mirsepassi

Monika Chhorng

Marc Madou

Derek Dunn-Rankin

Jose Vega

Gobind S Bisht

In various embodiments, a method of forming an electrode includes providing a current collector, providing a substantially solid layer of electrode attachment substance on a side of the current collector, providing electrochemically active material adjacent the substantially solid layer of the electrode attachment substance, and adhering the electrochemically active material to the side of the current collector via the electrode attachment substance. In some examples, the electrochemically active material is provided in powder form. In some examples, the electrochemically active material is provided between the substantially solid layer of electrode attachment substance and the current collector.

Solid film as binder for battery electrodes

Systems and methods are provided for high volume roll-to-roll transfer lamination of electrodes for silicon-dominant anode cells.

Transfer lamination of electrodes in silicon-dominant anode cells

Methods and systems are provided for key predictors and machine learning for configuring cell performance. One or more parameters relating to operation of a cell may be measured, via a measurement apparatus, with the cell including a cathode, a separator, and a silicon-dominant anode, and cell performance may be managed, based on the one or more parameters, with the managing including assessing the cell performance using a machine learning model. The cell may be within a battery pack that includes a plurality of cells, each of which including a cathode, a separator, and a silicon-dominant anode. One or more of the plurality of cells from the battery pack in response to a determination, based on the assessing, of a different performance of the one or more of the plurality of cells. The battery pack may be in an electric vehicle.

Method and system for key predictors and machine learning for configuring cell performance

Methods and systems are provided for key predictors and machine learning for configuring cell performance. One or more parameters relating to the cell may be measured, via a measurement apparatus, with the cell including a cathode, a separator, and a silicon-dominant anode, and the cell may be managed, based on the one or more parameters, with the managing including predetermining cycle life of the cell based on the one or more parameters using a machine learning model. The cell may be within a battery pack that includes a plurality of cells. The battery pack may be in an electric vehicle. At least one parameter may be measured before a formation process of the cell. At least one parameter may be measured during the formation process. At least one parameter may be measured during cycling of the cell.

Systems and methods are provided for high volume roll-to-roll direct coating of electrodes for silicon-dominant anode cells. A slurry that includes silicon particles and a binder material may be applied to a current collector film, and the slurry may be processed to form a precursor composite film coated on the current collector film. The current collector film with the coated precursor composite film may be rolled into a precursor composite roll. A heat treatment may be applied to the current collector film with the coated precursor composite film in an environment including nitrogen gas, to convert the coated precursor composite film to a pyrolyzed composite film coated on the current collector film. The heat treatment may include applying the heat treatment to the precursor composite roll in whole and/or applying the heat treatment to the current collector film with the coated precursor composite film as it is continuously fed.

Direct coating of electrodes in silicon-dominant anode cells

Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a roughness and/or thickness of the current collector, a metal used for the current collector, and/or a lamination process that adheres the active material to the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 μm thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

Anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes

In some embodiments, an electrode can include a first and second conductive layer. At least one of the first and second conductive layers can include porosity configured to allow electrolyte to flow therethrough. The electrode can also include an electrochemically active layer having electrochemically active material sandwiched between the first and second conductive layers. The electrochemically active layer can be in electrical communication with the first and second conductive layers.

Sandwich electrodes

Systems and methods for continuous lamination of battery electrodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode includes a current collector, a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, the anode comprising a polymeric adhesive layer coated onto the current collector, and an active material coated onto the polymeric adhesive layer such that the polymeric adhesive layer is arranged between the active material and the current collector, wherein the anode is subjected to a heat treatment to induce pyrolysis after application of the polymeric adhesive layer to the current collector and application of the active material to the polymeric adhesive layer, the heat being applied to the anode at a temperature between 500 and 850 degrees C.

Method and system for continuous lamination of battery electrodes

Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a thickness of the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 &#x3bc;m thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

Systems and methods for anisotropic expansion of silicon-dominant anodes may include a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, where the anode may include a current collector and an active material on the current collector. An expansion of the anode during operation may be configured by a metal used for the current collector, and/or a lamination process that adheres the active material to the current collector. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for thicker current collectors. A thicker current collector may be 10 &#x3bc;m thick or greater. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for more rigid materials used for the current collector. A more rigid current collector may include nickel and a less rigid current collector may include copper. The expansion of the anode may be more anisotropic for a rougher surface current collector.

Systems and methods for multiple carbon precursors for enhanced battery electrode robustness may include an electrode having an active material, the active material including two or more carbon precursor materials, wherein the carbon precursor materials have different pyrolysis temperatures. A battery may include the electrode. The carbon precursor materials may include polyimide (PI) and polyamide-imide (PAI). The active material may be pyrolyzed at a temperature such that a first carbon precursor material is partially pyrolyzed and a second carbon precursor material is completely pyrolyzed. The carbon precursor materials may include two or more of PI, PAI, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and sodium alginate. The active material may include silicon constituting at least 50% of weight of a formed anode after pyrolysis. The active material may include silicon constituting up to 97% of weight of a formed electrode after pyrolysis.

Method and system for multiple carbon precursors for enhanced battery electrode robustness

Disclosed are maleic anhydride-grafted cyclic olefin copolymers, methods for preparing maleic anhydride-grafted cyclic olefin copolymers, low temperature methods for laminating anodes comprising the maleic anhydride-grafted cyclic olefin copolymers, and anodes and alkali ion batteries that comprise the maleic anhydride-grafted cyclic olefin copolymers.

Composition and method for lamination of silicon dominant electrodes

Systems and methods for thermal gradient during electrode pyrolysis may include fabricating the battery electrode by pyrolyzing an active material on a metal current collector, wherein the active material comprises silicon particles in a binder material, the binder material being pyrolyzed such that a resistance at an inner surface of the active material in contact with the current collector is at least 50% higher than a resistance at an outer surface of the active material. The active material may be pyrolyzed by electromagnetic radiation, which may be provided by one or more lasers, which may include one or more COlasers. The electromagnetic radiation may be provided by one or more infrared lamps. An outer edge of the current collector may be gripped using a thermal transfer block that removes heat from the current collector during pyrolysis of the active material and subsequent cool down.

Method and system for thermal gradient during electrode pyrolysis

Systems and methods are provided for high volume roll-to-roll direct coating of electrodes for silicon-dominant anode cells and may include applying a slurry to a current collector film, the slurry comprising silicon particles and a binder material; drying the slurry to form a precursor composite film; rolling the current collector film into a precursor composite roll; and applying a heat treatment to the precursor composite film and the current collector film in a nitrogen gas environment, wherein the heat treatment is configured for converting the precursor composite film to a pyrolyzed composite film. The heat treatment may include one or both of: applying the heat treatment to a roll comprising the precursor composite roll in whole; and applying the heat treatment to the current collector film as it is continuously fed from the precursor composite roll.

Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising functional thiophene compounds are disclosed. The energy storage device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a Si-based electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, an electrolyte, and at least one electrolyte additive selected from a thiophene compound.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Giulia Canton