Method of producing flame-resistant quasi-solid electrolytes and lithium batteries containing same

A method of producing a rechargeable lithium battery cell comprising an anode, a cathode, a separator, and a quasi-solid electrolyte in ionic communication with the anode and the cathode, the method comprising (a) preparing a liquid electrolyte solution comprising an ion-conducting polymer dissolved or dispersed in a first liquid solvent, wherein the first liquid solvent includes a first lithium salt dissolved therein;

• (b) impregnating the electrolyte solution into the cathode, the anode, a porous structure of the separator, or the battery cell;
• (c) removing the first liquid solvent;
• and (d) impregnating a second liquid solvent into the cathode, the anode, the separator porous structure, or the battery cell, wherein the second liquid solvent includes a second lithium salt dissolved therein;
• wherein the ion-conducting polymer comprises a polymer having an ion conductivity from 10−8 S/cm to 10−2 S/cm when measured at room temperature without the presence of liquid solvent and the polymer does not occupy more than 30% by weight of the cathode, not counting a current collector weight, and a second liquid solvent-to-polymer ratio is from 1/100 to 95/5;
• and wherein at least one of the first liquid solvent and the second liquid solvent contains from 0.1% to 50% by weight of lithium salt relative to the ion-conducting polymer weight, wherein the cathode is made by combining particles of a cathode active material, a conductive additive, and a resin binder that bonds the cathode active material particles and the conductive additive together to form a cathode active layer having pores and wherein the pores are filled with the ion-conducting polymer and the second liquid solvent wherein the ion-conducting polymer is different than the resin binder in chemical composition or structure.

A method of producing a rechargeable lithium battery cell comprising an anode, a cathode, a separator, and a quasi-solid electrolyte in ionic communication with the anode and the cathode, the method comprising (a) preparing a liquid electrolyte solution comprising an ion-conducting polymer dissolved or dispersed in a first liquid solvent, wherein the first liquid solvent includes a first lithium salt dissolved therein;

• (b) impregnating the electrolyte solution into the cathode, the anode, a porous structure of the separator, or the battery cell;
• (c) removing the first liquid solvent;
• and (d) impregnating a second liquid solvent into the cathode, the anode, the separator porous structure, or the battery cell, wherein the second liquid solvent includes a second lithium salt dissolved therein;
• wherein the ion-conducting polymer comprises a polymer having an ion conductivity from 10−8 S/cm to 10−2 S/cm when measured at room temperature without the presence of liquid solvent and the polymer does not occupy more than 30% by weight of the cathode, not counting a current collector weight, and a second liquid solvent-to-polymer ratio is from 1/100 to 95/5;
• and wherein at least one of the first liquid solvent and the second liquid solvent contains from 0.1% to 50% by weight of lithium salt relative to the ion-conducting polymer weight, wherein the anode is made by combining particles of an anode active material, a conductive additive, and a resin binder that bonds the anode active material particles and the conductive additive together to form an anode active layer having pores and wherein the pores are filled with the ion-conducting polymer and the second liquid solvent wherein the ion-conducting polymer is different than the resin binder in chemical composition or structure.