# US 10,873,106 B2 · Composite solid electrolytes for lithium batteries

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- Number: US 10,873,106 B2
- Document ID: US10873106B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/085,956
- Filed: 2017-03-16
- Published: 2019-03-28
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-16
- Assignees: University of Utah Research Foundation
- Applicants: University of Utah Research Foundation
- Inventors: Jan D. Miller; Xuming Wang; Yue Lin; Jin Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873106B2

## CPC

- H01M 10/056: characterised by the materials used as electrolytes, e.g. mixed inorganic/organic electrolytes
- H01M 4/38: of elements or alloys
- H01M 4/382: {Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence)}
- H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators
- H01M 10/0585: of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
- H01M 2004/027: {Negative electrodes}
- H01M 2300/0071: Oxides
- H01M 2300/0082: Organic polymers
- H01M 2300/0091: in the form of mixtures
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A composite solid electrolyte (100) for lithium batteries can include a solid polymer (110), phyllosilicate nanoparticles (120) distributed in the solid polymer, and a lithium salt (130) distributed in the solid polymer. In one example, the composite solid electrolyte can be used in a solid state lithium battery cell (400) made up of composite solid electrolyte, an anode (420) containing lithium in contact with a first surface of the composite solid electrolyte, and a cathode (430) in contact with a second surface of the composite solid electrolyte.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composite solid electrolyte for solid-state lithium batteries, comprising:
a solid polymer;
phyllosilicate nanoparticles distributed in the solid polymer, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are bilayer phyllosilicates; and
a lithium salt distributed in the solid polymer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the solid polymer comprises one or more of polyethylene oxide, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polysiloxane, starch, sugar, fiber, polyvinyl alcohol, polyphosphazene and polystyrene.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 2, wherein a molar ratio of ethylene oxide units to lithium ions (EO:Li) in the composite solid electrolyte is from 8:1 to 25:1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the composite solid electrolyte is formed as a thin film having a thickness from 1 μm to 300 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 4, wherein the thickness is from 10 μm to 100 μm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are in the form of nanotubes, nanoplatelets, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles comprise an aluminum based phyllosilicate, a magnesium based phyllosilicate, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the bilayer phyllosilicate nanoparticles comprise one or more of halloysite, kaolinite, chrysotile, and antigorite.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are chemically modified with a lithium ion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are functionalized by one or more of carbonate, ethylene oxide, and phosphazene.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are in the form of nanotubes having a liquid polymer electrolyte impregnated in an interior volume of the nanotubes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are bilayer halloysite nanotubes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the composite solid electrolyte has a lithium ion conductivity of at least 10−4 S cm−1 at 25° C.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the lithium salt is LiTFSI.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are present in an amount from 1 wt % to 30 wt %.

### Claim 16

A solid state lithium battery cell, comprising:
a composite solid electrolyte layer comprising:
a solid polymer,
phyllosilicate nanoparticles distributed in the solid polymer, wherein the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are bilayer phyllosilicates, and
a lithium salt distributed in the solid polymer;
an anode containing lithium in contact with a first surface of the composite solid electrolyte layer;
a cathode in contact with a second surface of the composite solid electrolyte layer; and
a casing that encloses the solid state lithium battery cell and excludes oxygen from within the solid state lithium battery cell.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The solid state lithium battery cell of claim 16, wherein the cathode comprises sulfur and the anode consists of lithium metal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The solid state lithium battery cell of claim 16, wherein the solid polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and the phyllosilicate nanoparticles are halloysite nanotubes.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The composite solid electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the solid polymer comprises polyethylene oxide.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The solid state lithium battery cell of claim 16, wherein the solid state lithium battery cell including the solid polymer is a lithium polymer battery.