Seeo, Inc.

Michael Geier

Mohit Singh

William Hudson

Ilan Gur

An optimal architecture for a polymer electrolyte battery, wherein one or more layers of electrolyte (e.g., solid block-copolymer) are situated between two electrodes, is disclosed. An anolyte layer, adjacent the anode, is chosen to be chemically and electrochemically stable against the anode active material. A catholyte layer, adjacent the cathode, is chosen to be chemically and electrochemically stable against the cathode active material.

High energy lithium battery with separate anolyte and catholyte layers

An electrode/electrolyte assembly that has a well-integrated interface between an electrode and a solid polymer electrolyte film, which provides continuous, ionically-conducting and electronically insulating paths between the films is provided. A slurry is made containing active electrolyte material, a liquefied, ionically-conductive first polymer electrolyte with dissolved lithium salt, and conductive additive. The binder may have been liquefied by dissolving in a volatile solvent or by melting. The slurry is cast or extruded as a thin film and dried or cooled to form an electrode layer that has some inherent porosity. A liquefied second polymer electrolyte that includes a salt is cast over the electrode film. Some of the liquefied second polymer electrolyte fills at least some of the pores in the electrode film and the rest forms an electrolyte layer on top of the electrode film. After solidifying by either drying or cooling, the dual-cast electrode assembly includes both an electrode with low porosity and an adjacent solid polymer electrolyte film. A lithium secondary battery that employs the novel electrode assembly is also provided.

Electrodes with solid polymer electrolytes and reduced porosity

When electrode films are prepared for lithium electrochemical cells, problems are often encountered in laminating the films with an appropriate intervening electrolyte layer. This presents a significant challenge because proper alignment of the three layers and complete lamination at the interfaces are crucial to good cell performance. Often lamination is imperfect with gaps and defects at the interfaces. The disclosure herein describes a method of casting or extruding a polymer electrolyte directly onto an electrode film to create an electrode assembly with a continuous, defect-free interface. In some arrangements, there is some slight intermixing of the layers at the interface. A complete cell can be formed by laminating two such electrode assemblies to opposite sides of an additional electrolyte or to one another.

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Michael Geier