Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Jin Liu

Xingcheng Xiao

Mei Cai

Ryan Curtis Sekol

Michael P Balogh

Meinan He

Shaomao Xu

Erik Damon Huemiller

Raffaello Ardanese

Hongliang Wang

Dmitriy Bruder

Lei Wang

Sherman H Zeng

Nicholas P Irish

Jiagang Xu

Jiazhi Hu

Presented are lithium-metal electrodes for electrochemical devices, systems and methods for manufacturing lithium-metal foils, and vehicle battery packs containing battery cells with lithium-metal anodes. A method of melt spinning lithium-metal foils includes melting lithium (Li) metal stock in an actively heated vessel to form molten Li metal. Using pressurized gas, the molten Li metal is ejected through a slotted nozzle at the base of the vessel. The ejected molten Li metal is directly impinged onto an actively cooled and spinning quench wheel or a carrier sheet that is fed across a support roller underneath the vessel. The molten Li metal is cooled and solidified on the spinning wheel/carrier sheet to form a Li-metal foil. The carrier sheet may be a polymeric carrier film or a copper current collector foil. An optional protective film may be applied onto an exposed surface of the Li-metal foil opposite the carrier sheet.

Melt spinning methods for forming lithium-metal foils and electrodes of electrochemical devices

A method for fabricating an anode for a lithium ion battery cell is described and includes forming a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on a raw anode prior to assembly into a battery cell by applying a first SEI-generating electrolyte to the raw anode to form a first intermediate anode, applying a second SEI-generating electrolyte to the first intermediate anode to form a second intermediate anode, and applying a third SEI-generating electrolyte to the second intermediate anode to form a cell anode, wherein the cell anode includes the raw anode having the SEI layer. Thus, a cell anode is formed by sequentially applying SEI-generating electrolytes to a raw anode to form the cell anode with an SEI layer, and a lithium ion battery cell is formed by assembling the cell anode into a cell pack, with a cathode, and a separator, and adding a cell electrolyte prior to sealing.

Method for fabricating an anode for a lithium battery cell

An electrode including an electrode active material and a mesoporous film coating at least a portion of the electrode active material is provided. The mesoporous film coats at least a portion of the electrode active material and includes MSiO, MAlO, MO&#x2014;AlO&#x2014;SiO, or combinations thereof, where M is lithium (Li), sodium (Na), or a combination thereof. Methods of fabricating the electrode are also provided.

Ceramic coating for lithium or sodium metal electrodes

A method of making a calendered electrode for a battery cell comprises introducing a coated electrode having a first surface extending thereover. The coated electrode has a predetermined density of active materials for ion transport. The method further comprises selectively modifying the coated electrode by patterning the first surface to define a patterned electrode having a first portion and a second portion. After the step of selectively modifying, the method further comprises compressing the patterned electrode by calendering the first surface to provide the first portion having a first density of active materials and the second portion having a second density of active materials. The second density is greater than the first density to define the calendered electrode having a spatial variation of active material density.

Calendered electrode and method of making same

Solvent-free methods of making a component, like an electrode, for an electrochemical cell are provided. A particle mixture is processed in a dry-coating device having a rotatable vessel defining a cavity with a rotor. The rotatable vessel is rotated at a first speed in a first direction and the rotor at a second speed in a second opposite direction. The particle mixture includes first inorganic particles (e.g., electroactive particles), second inorganic particles (e.g., ceramic HF scavenging particles), and third particles (e.g., electrically conductive carbon-containing particles). The dry coating creates coated particles each having a surface coating (including second inorganic particles and third particles) disposed over a core region (the first inorganic particle). The coated particles are mixed with polymeric particles in a planetary and centrifugal mixer that rotates about a first axis and revolves about a second axis. The polymeric particles surround each of the plurality of coated particles.

Solvent-free dry powder process to incorporate ceramic particles into electrochemical cell components

An electrode including an electrode active material and a ceramic hydrofluoric acid (HF) scavenger is provided. The ceramic hydrofluoric acid (HF) scavenger includes MSiO, MAlO, MO&#x2014;AlO&#x2014;SiO, or combinations thereof, where M is lithium (Li), sodium (Na), or combinations thereof. Methods of making the electrode are also provided.

Electrode additives and coatings for minimizing cathode transition metal dissolution

A negative electrode according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes a negative electroactive material and a layer. The negative electroactive material includes a lithium-aluminum alloy. The layer is disposed directly on at least a portion of the negative electroactive material and coupled to the negative electroactive material. The layer includes anodic aluminum oxide and has a plurality of pores. The present disclosure also provides an electrochemical cell including the negative electrode. In certain aspects, the negative electroactive material is electrically conductive and functions as a negative electrode current collector such that the electrochemical cell is free of a distinct negative electrode current collector component. In certain aspects, the layer is ionically conductive and electrically insulating and functions as a separator such that the electrochemical cell is free of a distinct separator component. In various aspects, the present disclosure also provides a method of making the negative electrode.

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Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

Jin Liu