Ut-battelle, Inc.

Hsin Wang

Beth Louise Armstrong

Gabriel M Veith

Sergiy Kalnaus

Katie L Browning

Kevin M Cooley

Srikanth Allu

Nancy Johnston Dudney

Jianlin Li

Michael Naguib Abdelmalak

Srdjan Simunovic

Keith Douglas Kepler

Wyatt Evan Tenhaeff

Sreekanth Pannala

Brian H Shen

A battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a porous separator having a surface and percolating pores providing a porosity of from 20% to 80%. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte includes an electrolyte and electrically non-conducting particles that enable shear thickening. The particles can have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of from 50 nm to 1 μm, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV. The shear thickening enabling particles can be from 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % of the total weight of the separator and shear thickening particles. Between 20-40 wt. % of the shear thickening enabling particles are located in the pores of the separator.

Battery with shear thickening, impact resistant electrolytes

A battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a porous separator having a surface and percolating pores providing a porosity of from 20% to 80%. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte includes an electrolyte and electrically non-conducting particles that enable shear thickening. The particles can have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of from 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than &#xb1;40 mV. The shear thickening enabling particles can be from 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % of the total weight of the separator and shear thickening particles. Between 20-40 wt. % of the shear thickening enabling particles are located in the pores of the separator.

A method of making a passively impact resistant battery includes the steps of providing a porous separator material having pores and a surface, and providing a suspension composition including shear thickening enabling particles and a particle suspension solvent for suspending the shear thickening enabling particles. The shear thickening particles have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than &#xb1;40 mV. The suspension composition is applied to the separator material, wherein a portion of the particles and suspension solvent penetrate the pores. The suspension solvent is evaporated from the separator material. An anode layer and a cathode layer are applied. An electrolyte composition is applied between the anode layer and the cathode layer. The electrolyte composition includes an electrolyte solvent and an electrolyte salt.

Method of making a passively impact resistant battery

A method of making a passively impact resistant composite electrolyte and separator layer includes providing a suspension composition including electrically non-conducting particles that enable shear thickening. The particles can have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of from 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than &#xb1;40 mV. A particle suspension solvent is provided for suspending the particles. The suspension composition is applied to a porous separator material. A portion of the particles and suspension solvent penetrate the pores and the remainder of the particles in the suspension composition are distributed across the surface of the separator material. The suspension solvent is evaporated from the separator material to provide a shear thickening particle loaded separator. A separator assembly and a passivated battery are also disclosed.

Fabrication of films and coatings used to activate shear thickening, impact resistant electrolytes

A battery electrode assembly includes a current collector with conduction barrier regions having a conductive state in which electrical conductivity through the conduction barrier region is permitted, and a safety state in which electrical conductivity through the conduction barrier regions is reduced. The conduction barrier regions change from the conductive state to the safety state when the current collector receives a short-threatening event. An electrode material can be connected to the current collector. The conduction barrier regions can define electrical isolation subregions. A battery is also disclosed, and methods for making the electrode assembly, methods for making a battery, and methods for operating a battery.

Current collectors for improved safety

A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition includes an electrolyte solvent, up to 6M of an electrolyte salt, and shear thickening ceramic particles having an outer surface. The shear thickening ceramic particles have an absolute zeta potential of greater than &#xb1;40 mV. The shear thickening ceramic particles have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, and an average particle size of in a range of 50 nm to 1 um. The ceramic particles have bonded to the outer surface steric stabilizing polymers. The steric stabilizing polymers have a chain length of from 0.5 nm to 100 nm. A passively impact resistant laminated battery and a method of making the electrolyte composition are also disclosed.

Shear activated impact resistant electrolyte

A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition includes an aprotic electrolyte solvent, from 0.5 to 6M of an electrolyte salt, and shear thickening particles having a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than &#xb1;40 mV. The shear thickening particles have thereon an electrochemical double layer. The composition further includes a stabilizing surfactant. The stabilizing surfactant includes a first portion for adsorbing to the particles, and a second portion that is absorbed in the solvent. The length of the surfactant from the first portion to the second portion is greater than twice the thickness of the electrochemical double layer. Batteries and electrochemical devices incorporating the electrolyte composition are disclosed. Methods of making the electrolyte composition and of operating a battery are also disclosed.

Stabilized shear thickening electrolyte

A lithium ion battery includes a cathode in electrical and thermal connection with a cathode current collector. The cathode current collector has an electrode tab. A separator is provided. An anode is in electrical and thermal connection with an anode current collector. The anode current collector has an electrode tab. At least one of the cathode current collector and the anode current collector comprises a thermal tab for heat transfer with the at least one current collector. The thermal tab is separated from the electrode tab. A method of operating a battery is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Hsin Wang