Lyten, Inc.

Quantumscape Corporation

Jingning Shan

Elena Rogojina

Jesse Baucom

You Li

Jerzy Gazda

Chandra B Kc

Ratnakumar Bugga

Wei Zhang

Tim Holme

Rainer Johannes Fasching

Karel Vanheusden

Jeffrey Bell

Anurag Kumar

Qianwen Huang

John Thorne

Tomoya Wada

Yiguang Ju

Nan Yao

Wenting Sun

A method of manufacturing a lithium-sulfur battery in a cylindrical cell format is provided. In some aspects, the method includes providing an anode current collector and providing an anode on the anode current collector. The method may include depositing a protective layer on and along the length of the anode, providing a cathode current collector opposite to the anode, and providing a cathode on the cathode current collector. The method may include providing a separator between the anode and the cathode, disposing an adhesive carbon-containing layer along the bottom edge of the anode (e.g., to replace one or more conventional anode tabs), and dispersing an electrolyte throughout the lithium-sulfur battery. The method may include forming the lithium-sulfur battery in the cylindrical cell format by collectively winding into a jelly roll.

Method of manufacturing tab-less cylindrical cells

An lithium-sulfur battery including an anode structure, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte is provided. The electrolyte may be dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode. An artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (A-SEI) may form on the anode, and a protective layer (e.g., that may be pinhole free) may form within and/or on the A-SEI to face the cathode. The protective layer may be formed from carbonaceous materials, which may provide exposed carbon atoms grafted with one or more ions, such as fluorine anions (F−), uniformly dispersed throughout the protective layer. In addition, the protective layer may include polymeric chains positioned generally opposite to each other. The polymeric chains may cross-link upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) energetic radiation to form a three-dimensional (3D) lattice having a defined cross-linking density suitable to trap one or more anions during discharge-charge operational cycling of the lithium-sulfur battery.

Polymeric-inorganic hybrid layer for a lithium anode

A lithium-sulfur battery may include a cathode, an anode structure positioned opposite to the cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte. In some instances, the anode structure may include an artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (A-SEI) that may form on and within the anode structure. A protective layer may form within and on the A-SEI, and may include exposed carbon surfaces formed by coalescence of several wrinkled graphene nanoplatelets with one another. Metal-containing substances may be decorated on and/or attached with at least some exposed carbon surfaces and regulate flow of lithium (Li) cations within the lithium-sulfur battery and correspondingly moderate one or more of a plating rate or a de-plating rate of lithium onto the anode structure. The separator may be positioned between the anode structure and the cathode. The electrolyte may be dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode structure.

Anode protective layer for lithium-sulfur cells

A lithium-sulfur battery including an anode, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte is provided. The lithium-sulfur battery may be formed as a jelly roll. The anode may output lithium cations (Li) and a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) may be formed on the anode. A protective layer may be formed at least partially within and on the SEI. In addition, the protective layer may be positioned proximal to the anode and include wrinkled graphene nanoplatelets and fluorinated poly(meth)acrylates. For example, multiple wrinkled graphene nanoplatelets may be adjoined to one another by flexure points, where each flexure point may provide exposed carbon atoms. In this way, the fluorinated poly(meth)acrylates may be grafted onto at least some exposed carbon atoms. At least some fluorinated poly(meth)acrylates may be compatible with polymerization and cross-linking with one another responsive to exposure to one or more of free-radical initiators or an ultraviolet (UV) energetic environment.

Anode protective layer for lithium-sulfur cylindrical cells

A lithium-sulfur battery including an anode structure, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte is provided. A protective layer may form within the anode structure responsive to operational discharge-charge cycling of the lithium-sulfur battery. The protective layer may include a polymeric backbone chain formed of interconnected carbon atoms collectively defining a segmental motion of the protective layer. Additional polymeric chains may be cross-linked to one another and at least some carbon atoms of the polymeric backbone chain. Each additional polymeric chain may be formed of interconnected monomer units. A plasticizer may be dispersed throughout the protective layer without covalently bonding to the polymeric backbone chain. The plasticizer may separate adjacent monomer units of at least some additional polymeric chains. Increasing separation of adjacent monomer units increases a cooperative segmental mobility of the additional polymeric chains and ionic conductivity of the protective layer.

Plasticizer-inclusive polymeric-inorganic hybrid layer for a lithium anode in a lithium-sulfur battery

A battery is disclosed that includes an anode, a graded interface layer disposed on the anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, an electrolyte, and a separator. The anode may output lithium ions during cycling of the battery. A graded interface layer may be disposed on the anode and include a tin fluoride layer. A tin-lithium alloy region may form between the tin fluoride layer and the anode. The tin-lithium alloy region may produce a lithium fluoride uniformly dispersed between the anode and the tin fluoride layer during operational cycling of the battery. The electrolyte may disperse throughout the cathode and the anode. The separator may be positioned between the anode and cathode. In some aspects, the battery may also include lithium electrodeposited on one or more exposed surfaces of the anode.

Protective layer including tin fluoride disposed on a lithium anode in a lithium-sulfur battery

An lithium-sulfur battery including an anode, a cathode, and a solid-state electrolyte is provided. The anode may be formed as a single layer of lithium and/or as a cavity. In some aspects, the cavity may receive lithium deposits based on lithium output from the cathode. The cathode may be formed from a composition of matter including pores. A solid-state electrolyte may be dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode. The solid-state electrolyte may be formed as a membrane and may provide ionic conduction capabilities associated with a separator. The solid-state electrolyte includes a polymer matrix formed of glass fibers interconnected with each other. The polymer matrix has an ionic conductivity and includes polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polyetheramine having repeated oxypropylene units in its backbone, and one or more lithium-containing salts including one or more of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) or lithium iodide (LiI).

Solid-state electrolyte for lithium-sulfur batteries

The present invention is directed to energy storage devices and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for forming lithiated electrode material. In various embodiments, a conversion material is processed using n-BuLi solution to form iron nanoparticles and lithiated fluoride and/or oxide material. There are other embodiments as well.

Method and system for processing lithiated electrode material

Provided are methods and apparatus for forming electrode active materials for electrochemical cells. These materials include a metal (e.g., iron, cobalt), lithium, and fluorine and are produced using plasma synthesis or, more specifically, non-equilibrium plasma synthesis. A metal containing material, organometallic lithium containing material, and fluorine-containing material are provided into a flow reactor, mixed, and exposed to the electrical energy generating plasma. The plasma generation enhances reaction between the provided materials and forms nanoparticles of the electrode active materials. The nanoparticles may have a mean size of 1-30 nanometers and may have a core-shell structure. The core may be formed by metal, while the shell may include lithium fluoride. A carbon shell may be disposed over the lithium fluoride shell. The nanoparticles are collected and may be used to form an electrochemical cell. Besides fluoride components, these methods may be used to form oxides, chlorides, nitrides, and sulfides.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jingning Shan