Multifunctional engineered particle for a secondary battery and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneesULVAC Technologies, Inc., Sisom Thin Films LLC
InventorsIsaiah O. Oladeji, Akiyoshi Suzuki, Koukou Suu
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Abstract
An engineered particle for an energy storage device, the engineered particle includes an active material particle, capable of storing alkali ions, comprising an outer surface, a conductive coating disposed on the outer surface of the active material particle, the conductive coating comprising a MxAlySizOw film; and at least one carbon particle disposed within the conductive coating. For the MxAlySizOw film, M is an alkali selected from the group consisting of Na and Li, and 1≤x≤4, 0≤y≤1, 1≤z≤2, and 3≤w≤6.
Claims33
An engineered particle for an energy storage device, the engineered particle comprising:
- an active material particle comprising an outer surface, the active material particle comprising an intercalating material selected from the group consisting of a lithium-containing intercalating material, a sodium-containing intercalating material, graphite, SiO2, SnO2, sulfur, graphene oxide, activated carbon, and a combination thereof;
- an alkali ion conductive coating disposed on the outer surface of the active material particle;
- and
- at least one carbon particle disposed within the alkali ion conductive coating,
- wherein the alkali ion conductive coating conducts an alkali ion selected from the group consisting of a Na ion and a Li ion.
A method of fabricating a cathode for an alkali-ion battery, comprising the steps of:
- a) forming coated particles by:
- forming particles of an alkali-intercalating material, the alkali-intercalating material comprising an intercalating material selected from the group consisting of a lithium-containing intercalating material, a sodium-containing intercalating material, graphite, SiO2, SnO2, sulfur, graphene oxide, activated carbon, and a combination thereof;
- mixing the particles of the alkali-intercalating material with an aqueous solution comprising an aluminum salt and an alkali metal salt to form a first slurry;
- adding a water-soluble alkali silicate into the first slurry;
- adding electrically-conductive carbon nanoparticles into the first slurry;
- sonicating the first slurry to produce a gel;
- drying the first gel to form individual dry green coated gel particles;
- and,
- heat treating the green coated gel particles to produce coated particles comprising the particles of the alkali-intercalating material, an alkali ion conductive coating comprising an alkali aluminosilicate, wherein the alkali ion conductive coating conducts an alkali ion selected from the group consisting of a Na ion and an Li ion, and carbon nanoparticles disposed within the alkali ion conductive coating;
- b) blending the coated particles with conductive particles, an organic binder, and at least one non-aqueous solvent to form a second slurry;
- c) applying a coating of the second slurry to a metal substrate with the substrate heated between 80 and 200° C. in air;
- d) calendaring the coated substrate at 10 tons or greater;
- and
- e) curing the coated substrate in nitrogen at 250 to 400° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.