# US 10,483,598 B2 · Lithium replenishment cell to enhance beginning of life capacity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,598 B2 - Document ID: US10483598B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/674,186 - Filed: 2017-08-10 - Published: 2019-02-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-10 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Christian Edward Shaffer; Rutooj D. Deshpande; Satish B. Chikkannanavar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483598B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/4242: {Regeneration of electrolyte or reactants} - H01M 10/0413: {Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes} - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - H01M 10/0583: of accumulators with folded construction elements except wound ones, i.e. folded positive or negative electrodes or separators, e.g. with "Z"-shaped electrodes or separators - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A method for fabricating an electrode sandwich includes, responsive to an amount of cyclable lithium lost being greater than a predefined threshold, initiating, by a controller, current flow between the sandwich and a lithium replenishment electrode in ionic conductivity with the sandwich via replenishment gaps to transfer lithium thereto, and, responsive to an amount of transferred lithium corresponding to the amount lost, hot-press sealing the replenishment gaps and detaching the replenishment electrode from the sandwich. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating an electrode sandwich, comprising: responsive to an amount of cyclable lithium lost being greater than a predefined threshold, initiating, by a controller, current flow between the sandwich and a lithium replenishment electrode in ionic conductivity with the sandwich via replenishment gaps to transfer lithium thereto; and, responsive to an amount of transferred lithium corresponding to the amount lost, hot-press sealing the replenishment gaps and detaching the replenishment electrode from the sandwich. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising hot-press sealing a gassing gap between the sandwich and a gassing pouch, and detaching the pouch from the sandwich. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the cyclable lithium is lost during a solid electrolyte interphase layer formation phase of the fabrication. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transferred amount corresponds to a plurality of lithium ions released by the replenishment electrode in response to the current flow. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the lost amount corresponds to a plurality of ionic voids in electrodes of the sandwich, and wherein the transferred ions fill the voids. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the current flow defines a charge transfer loop beginning at one of negative and positive terminals of the sandwich, each connected with a corresponding sandwich electrode, and entering the replenishment electrode via a replenishment terminal prior to being directed to the sandwich electrode therefrom. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein a direction of the transferred lithium is according to a direction of the loop. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ionic conductivity is established using electrolyte material that envelops the replenishment electrode and extends through the replenishment gap to envelop at least a portion of the electrode sandwich. ### Claim 9 A battery cell, comprising: an electrode sandwich having a pair of opposing walls; a gassing pouch connected along the first wall and defining a gassing gap therebetween, the gassing gap configured to transfer gasses from the electrode sandwich to the gassing pouch; and a lithium replenishment electrode region connected along a second wall and defining a replenishment gap therebetween, the replenishment gap configured to transfer lithium ions from the region to the sandwich. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cell of claim 9, wherein both the gassing gap and the replenishment gap are further configured to be heat-press sealed to detach a corresponding one of the pouch and the region from the sandwich. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The cell of claim 9, wherein the replenishment electrode region includes a lithium replenishment electrode configured to release the ions responsive to being exposed to an electrical current flow between the sandwich and the replenishment electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The cell of claim 9, wherein the replenishment electrode defines one of lithium foil, LiFePO4, LiMnO2, LiCoO2, lithiated graphite, lithiated Si, lithiated Sn, or lithium titanate material. ### Claim 13 A method for fabricating an electrode sandwich of a battery cell, comprising: responsive to a solid electrolyte interphase layer forming in the sandwich, initiating, by a controller, current flow between the sandwich and a lithium replenishment electrode in ionic conductivity therewith via a replenishment gap to cause the replenishment electrode to supply lithium to the sandwich; and, responsive to an amount of the supplied lithium corresponding to an amount of lithium lost during the forming, hot-press sealing the replenishment gap and detaching the replenishment electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the forming is during a controlled charging and discharging of the sandwich. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising hot-press sealing a gassing gap between the sandwich and a gassing pouch, and detaching the pouch from the sandwich. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the supplied amount corresponds to a plurality of lithium ions released by the replenishment electrode in response to the current flow. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the current flow defines a charge transfer loop beginning at one of negative and positive terminals of the sandwich, each connected with a corresponding sandwich electrode, and entering the replenishment electrode via a replenishment terminal prior to being directed to the sandwich electrode therefrom. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a direction of the supplied ions is according to a direction of the loop. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the lost amount corresponds to a plurality of ionic voids in electrodes of the sandwich and the supplied ions fill the voids. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the ionic conductivity is established using electrolyte material that envelops the replenishment electrode and extends through the replenishment gap to envelop at least a portion of the sandwich.