Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Thomas A Yersak

James R Salvador

Ryan Curtis Sekol

Mei Cai

Raffaello Ardanese

Dmitriy Bruder

Mahmoud H Abd Elhamid

Anne M Dailly

Debejyo Chakraborty

Sean R Wagner

Ronald Michael Lesperance

Thanh-Son Dao

Madhusudan Raghavan

Xingcheng Xiao

Wei Ping Li

Fang Dai

Li Yang

Charles W Wampler, Ii

Azeem Sarwar

John Anthony Cafeo

Ran Yehoshua Gazit

Charles Weldon Wampler, Ii

Anil Bika

Jerome P Ortmann

Winson Ng

Han Nguyen

A quality control system analyzes the quality of a battery cell, with the battery cell defining a gas pouch configured to expand from a deflated configuration to an inflated configuration when filled with a gas formed during a cell formation process. The system comprises a computational system comprising a processor and a memory and a measurement instrument in electronic communication with the computational system. The measurement instrument is arranged to measure a distance defined by the gas pouch and transmit a signal to the computational system corresponding to the distance. The computational system is arranged to analyze the distance with the processor and determine a volumetric measurement of the gas within the gas pouch and compare the volumetric measurement to a threshold in the memory to assess a quality score for the battery cell. A corresponding method analyzes the quality of the battery cell with the quality control system.

Quality control system for analyzing the quality of a battery cell through a volumetric measurement of gas formed during a cell formation process and a method of analyzing the same

Aspects of the disclosure include degas equipment and degassing process schemes for providing high throughput extraction of battery cell formation gas. An exemplary method can include loading a battery cell in a sampling chamber of a degas station and creating an opening in the battery cell to release formation gas. A first portion of the formation gas can be routed to a collection chamber of the degas station while the formation gas is prevented from venting. After routing the first portion of the formation gas to the collection chamber, a second portion of the formation gas can be vented until degassing is complete. The first portion of the formation gas can be diluted with a dilution fluid and the diluted first portion of the formation gas can be routed to a cell quality control gas manifold configured to measure battery cell formation gas compositions.

High throughput extraction of battery cell formation gas

A quality control system analyzes the quality of a battery cell, with the battery cell defining a gas pouch configured to be filled with a gas. The quality control system includes a computational system including a processor and a memory, a manifold defining a passageway extending between an inlet port for receiving the gas and an outlet port, and at least one sensor in electronic communication with the computational system. The sensor is arranged to measure a physical property of the gas and transmit a signal to the computational system corresponding to the physical property of the gas. The computational system analyzes the physical property of the gas, accesses a threshold value corresponding to the physical property, compares the physical property to the threshold value, and assess a quality score for the battery cell. A corresponding method analyzes the quality of the battery cell with the quality control system.

Quality control system for analyzing the quality of a battery cell through analysis of a physical property of a gas formed during a cell formation process and a method of analyzing the same

A method for identifying a cell quality during cell formation includes: conducting a beginning of life cycling following an initial cell formation charge of multiple cells; collecting and preprocessing a discharge data set generated by one of the multiple cells during the beginning of life cycling; calculating a statistical variance from the discharge data set identifying an estimated probability of meeting a target cell usage time; and projecting a life span of the multiple cells.

Electrochemical methods for identification of cell quality

A method of analyzing the quality of a battery cell includes performing a high-throughput quality check on the battery cell with a quality control system, assessing a quality score to the battery cell, with quality score identifying the battery cell as low-quality or high-quality, and performing a comprehensive quality check on the battery cell if identified as low-quality. The method further includes assessing an enhanced quality score to the battery cell superseding the quality score of the quality control system identifying the battery cell as confirmed low-quality or confirmed high-quality and providing revised production instructions for manufacturing successive battery cells if confirmed low-quality.

Method of analyzing the quality of a battery cell by performing a comprehensive quality check on battery cells assessed as low-quality from a high-throughput quality check

A composite electrode for use in an all-solid-state electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided. The composite electrode comprises a solid-state electroactive material that undergoes volumetric expansion and contraction during cycling of the electrochemical cell and a solid-state electrolyte. The solid-state electroactive material is in the form of a plurality of particles and each particle has a plurality of internal pores formed therewithin. Each particle has an average porosity ranging from about 10% to about 75%, and the composite electrode has an interparticle porosity between the solid-state electroactive material and solid-state electrolyte particles ranging from about 5% to about 40%. The intraparticle pores and the interparticle porosity accommodate the volumetric expansion and contraction of the solid-state electroactive material so to minimize outward expansion of the electroactive particles, micro-cracking of the solid-state electrolyte, and delamination within the electrochemical cell.

Low-expansion composite electrodes for all-solid-state batteries

A vehicle including a hybrid battery pack includes a first battery pack and a second battery pack. The first battery pack has a higher energy density than the second battery pack. The second battery pack has a higher power density than the first battery pack. A power inverter module is connected between the hybrid battery pack and a motor generator unit (MGU) that is connected to a powertrain of the vehicle. The power inverter module is configured to regulate power flow between the hybrid battery pack and the MGU. A battery management module is configured to: control switching of the power inverter module; selectively charge and discharge at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack; and selectively charge the first battery pack with power from the second battery pack.

Energy sharing system and method for a vehicle

A storage vessel includes a plurality of storage cells arranged in series. The storage vessel defines a first port that opens into at least one of the storage cells. A fill conduit is connected to the storage vessel at the port. A valve is connected with the fill conduit and is configured to control a supply of fluid through the fill conduit to fill the storage vessel. A heat sink is disposed in the storage vessel and is configured to reduce heat of the fluid during the fill of the storage vessel.

Innovative thermal management approaches of conformable tanks

An electrolyte system for an electrochemical cell includes an aprotic solvent, such as an ether-based solvent and a lithium salt, and a solid component. The aprotic solvent has a dielectric constant of &#x2265;3. The solid component is in direct communication with the aprotic solvent. The solid component includes a sulfide or oxy-sulfide, glass or glass-ceramic electrolyte. The sulfide or oxy-sulfide, glass or glass-ceramic electrolyte has a weighted average bond dissociation enthalpy of greater than or equal to about 380 kJ/mol, which corresponds to a glass having strong bonds. The sulfide or oxy-sulfide, glass or glass-ceramic electrolyte is therefore insoluble in the aprotic solvent. The solid component is lithium ion-conducting and electrically insulating. The electrolyte system may be disposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode in an electrochemical cell. In various aspects, the negative electrode includes lithium metal and the positive electrode includes sulfur.

Sulfide and oxy-sulfide glass and glass-ceramic solid state electrolytes for electrochemical cells

Fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes suitable for use in a cell employing an anode comprising an alkali metal are disclosed. Such fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes may be at least partially amorphous and prepared by compacting, at elevated temperatures, powders of an ion-conducting composition appropriate to the anode alkali metal. The separators/solid electrolytes may employ discrete high aspect ratio fibers and fiber mats or plate-like mineral particles to reinforce the separator solid electrolyte. The reinforcing fibers may be inorganic, such as silica-based glass, or organic, such as a thermoplastic. In the case of thermoplastic fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes, any of a wide range of thermoplastic compositions may be selected provided the glass transition temperature of the polymer reinforcement composition is selected to be higher than the glass transition temperature of the amorphous portion of the separator/solid electrolyte.

Ionically-conductive reinforced glass ceramic separators/solid electrolytes

Thin amorphous or partially crystalline lithium-containing and conducting sulfide or oxysulfide glass electrode/separator members are prepared from a layer of molten glass or of glass powder. The resulting glass films are formed to lie face-to face against a lithium metal anode or a sodium metal anode and a cathode and to provide for good transport of lithium ions between the electrodes during repeated cycling of the cell and to prevent shorting of the cell by dendrites growing from the lithium metal or sodium metal anode.

Sulfide and oxy-sulfide glass and glass-ceramic films for batteries incorporating metallic anodes

Certain glass, glass-ceramic, and ceramic electrolyte bodies formed from lithium or sodium sulfides and glass-forming sulfides, sulfoxides and/or certain glass-forming oxides provide good conductivity of lithium ions or sodium ions for use in lithium metal electrode or sodium metal electrode battery cells. The stability of the lithium or sodium metal anode-glass electrolyte interface is improved by forming a metal oxide passivation layer by atomic layer deposition on the facing surface of the electrolyte and activating the coating by contact of the passivated surface with the lithium or sodium electrode material.

Passivation of sulfide, oxide, and oxysulfide glass electrolyte films for lithium metal batteries

An electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode that contains lithium and an electrolyte system. In one variation, the electrolyte system includes a first liquid electrolyte, a solid-dendrite-blocking layer, and an interface layer. The solid dendrite-blocking layer is ionically conducting and electrically insulating. The dendrite-blocking layer includes a first component and a distinct second component. The dendrite-blocking layer has a shear modulus of greater than or equal to about 7.5 GPa at 23&#xb0; C. The interface layer is configured to interface with a negative electrode including lithium metal on a first side and the dendrite blocking layer on a second opposite side. The interface layer includes a second liquid electrolyte, a gel polymer electrolyte, or a solid-state electrolyte. The dendrite-blocking layer is disposed between the first liquid electrolyte and the interface layer.

Lithium metal battery with hybrid electrolyte system

An electrochemical cell comprising an alkali metal anode and a solid electrolyte is disclosed. The surface of the electrolyte is roughened, mechanically, chemically or by ablation and the cell is operated at a pressure of between 3 MPa and 10 MPa. Such a cell exhibits higher power density than a like-dimensioned cell employing a smooth-surfaced electrolyte surface and operated at pressures of less than 1 MPa.

High energy density alkali metal batteries incorporating solid electrolytes

A product may include a storage vessel that may define a first port opening into the storage vessel, and that may define a second port opening into the storage vessel. A first fill conduit may be connected to the storage vessel at the first port. A second fill conduit may be connected to the storage vessel at the second port. A control mechanism may be connected with the first and second fill conduits. A supply conduit may be connected to the control mechanism. The control mechanism may provide a flow path from the supply conduit to at least one of the first or second fill conduits to fill the storage vessel.

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Ferndale, MI, United States of America

Thomas A Yersak