Nissan North America, Inc.

Xiaoguang Hao

Kenzo Oshihara

Nilesh Dale

Taehee Han

Rameshwar Yadav

Gregory DiLeo

Ellazar Niangar

Peter Aurora

Ying Liu

Jessica Weber

Nagappan Ramaswamy

Kan Huang

A method of making an electrode for a lithium ion battery includes providing a restricting media having a main body with opposing planar surfaces and depositing alloying particles on the opposing planar surfaces to form a restrained active particle layer. The restricting media can be a magnetic, electrochemically inactive material with an affinity for the alloying particles. The restricting media restrains expansion of the alloying particles during lithiation to a respective side of the restricting media. Electrodes include a current collector and an electrode material layer adjacent the current collector including the restricting media, the alloying particles deposited on the restricting media to form a restrained active particle layer, and a carbon material in contact with the alloying particles.

Electrodes with directionally restrained active materials and methods of restraint

An active material layer for an electrode of a lithium ion battery has a first active material comprising silicon-based particles, a second active material comprising graphite and conduits between the first active material and the second active material, the conduits being a conductive material and providing area for expansion of the first active material due to lithiation while maintaining contact between the first active material and the second active material.

Active material with expansion structure for use in lithium ion batteries

A battery has a three dimensional electrode including a current collector, electron directing members, each electron directing member having a perimeter edge attached to a surface of the current collector with a polymer binder, the electron directing members extending from the surface of the current collector and configured to direct electron flow along a layered direction of the electrode, an active material layer on the current collector and a separator. The electron directing members extend into the active material layer and having a free end in spaced relation to the separator.

Three dimensional electrode having electron directing members and method of making the same

Electrodes having at least one current correcting layer between the current collector and the separator drive electron flow in a direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane. Such an electrode includes a current collector, a first active material layer coated on the current collector, a first current correcting layer on the first active material layer opposite the current collector and a second active material layer on the first current correcting layer opposite the first active material layer. The first current correcting layer is a highly conductive, porous material that is not electrochemically active, the first current correcting layer being uniformly formed along an X-Y plane of the electrode.

Electrode having current correcting layers

Electrodes having three dimensional current collectors provide stability to the electrode structure, improved contact between active material and the current collector, and improved charge transfer. An electrode includes a three dimensional current collector including a substantially planar base and spring-like structures extending from the substantially planar base in spaced relation along the substantially planar base. Each spring-like structure has an attachment end attached to the substantially planar base and a free distal end. Active material is layered on the three dimensional current collector, the active material filled between the spring-like structures. The active material comprises alloying particles having a high specific capacity, wherein the spring-like structures deflect as the alloying particles expand in volume due to lithiation and return to an initial position as the alloying particles contract due to delithiation.

Electrode with modified current collector structure and method of making the same

A method of making a three dimensional electrode having an active material layered between a current collector and a separator includes growing nanotubes at predetermined points on a first sheet of electron directing material, wherein the electron directing material is highly conductive and chemically inert; aligning the nanotubes in a direction perpendicular to the first sheet; functionalizing a distal end of each nanotube; bonding a second sheet of electron directing material to the functionalized distal end of each nanotube; depositing magnetic particles along the second sheet; applying a magnetic field to the magnetic particles to rotate the first sheet, the second sheet and the nanotubes ninety degrees to form an electron directing structure; and attaching the electron directing structure on a surface of the current collector with a polymer binder. The electron directing structure is configured to direct electron flow along a layered direction of the three dimensional electrode.

Provided are methods and apparatus for charging a lithium sulfur (Li&#x2014;S) battery. The Li&#x2014;S battery has at least one unit cell comprising a lithium-containing anode and a sulfur-containing cathode with an electrolyte layer there between. One method provides controlled application of voltage pulses at the beginning of the charging process. An application period is initiated after a discharge cycle of the Li&#x2014;S battery is complete. During the application period, voltage pulses are provided to the Li&#x2014;S battery. The voltage pulses are less than a constant current charging voltage. Constant current charging is initiated after the application period has elapsed.

Lithium sulfur battery pulse charging method and pulse waveform

Electrochemical cells for lithium-sulfur batteries include a cathode comprising a sulfur containing material, an anode comprising lithium, a separator between the anode and cathode and an interlayer extending from a perimeter of the separator in a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction. The interlayer is configured to prevent polysulfide migration from the cathode to the anode.

Two compartment lithium sulfur cell and assembly method

An electrode comprises a current collector and a multi-layer active material formed on the current collector. The multi-layer active material includes at least one active composite unit having a first layer consisting essentially of a first carbon material having electrochemical activity and a binder and a second layer formed on the first layer comprising a high energy density material. A top layer is formed on the active composite unit consisting essentially of a second carbon material having electrochemical activity and a binder. The electrode provides even current distribution and compensates for particle volume expansion.

Electrode structure having alternating composite layers

Electrodes made with a matrix selectively loaded with particular active particles provide uniform distribution and reduce issues due to particle expansion. The electrode has a current collector, a separator and a matrix having first pores having a first size and second pores having a second size, the first size being larger than the second size, the second pores being uniformly distributed throughout the matrix; first active particles deposited in the first pores, the first active particles having a first particle size smaller than the first pores and larger than the second pores; and second active particles deposited in the second pores, the second active particles having a second particle size smaller than the second pores.

Electrode having a selectively loaded matrix and method of manufacturing

Methods and apparatus are provided for discharging a Li&#x2014;S battery having at least one battery unit comprising a lithium-containing anode and a sulfur-containing cathode with an electrolyte layer there between. One method comprises electrochemically surface treating the sulfur-containing cathode during discharge of the battery. A method of electrochemically surface treating a cathode of a lithium-sulfide battery comprises applying at least one oxidative voltage pulse during a pulse application period while the lithium-sulfur battery discharges and controlling pulse characteristics during the pulse application period, the pulse characteristics configured to affect a morphology of lithium sulfide forming on the sulfur-containing cathode during discharge.

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Wixom, MI, United States of America

Xiaoguang Hao