# US 12,191,491 B2 · Lithium-sulfur battery including a cathode formed from multiple adjacent carbonaceous regions

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- Number: US 12,191,491 B2
- Document ID: US12191491B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/693,984
- Filed: 2022-03-14
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-23
- Assignees: Lyten, Inc.
- Applicants: LytEn, Inc.
- Inventors: Bruce Lanning; Michael W. Stowell; Jerzy Gazda; Jeffrey Bell; Anurag Kumar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191491B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/13: Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
- H01M 4/583: Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
- H01M 4/04: Processes of manufacture in general
- H01M 4/366: {as layered products}
- H01M 4/58: of inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy; of polyanionic structures, e.g. phosphates, silicates or borates
- H01M 4/587: for inserting or intercalating light metals
- H01M 4/62: Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
- 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 10/0565: Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- H01M 4/622: {being polymers}
- H01M 10/0585: of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
- H01M 2004/021: {Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area}
- H01M 2300/0065: Solid electrolytes
- H01M 2300/0088: Composites
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A cathode with one or more carbonaceous regions positioned adjacent to one another. At least one region includes carbonaceous particles, where each particle includes carbon fragments and a deformable perimeter that may coalesce with adjacent particles. At least one region may include aggregates, where each aggregate may be formed of several particles joined to one another. Pores may be interspersed throughout the aggregates. At least one region may include agglomerates, where each agglomerate may be formed of a multitude of the aggregates joined to one other. At least one region has an electrical conductivity in an approximate range between 500 S/m to 20,000 S/m at a pressure of 12,000 pounds per square in (psi).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cathode for a battery, wherein the cathode includes one or more regions positioned adjacent to one another, at least one region including:
a plurality of carbonaceous particles configured to coalesce with adjacent carbonaceous particles, each carbonaceous particle including:
a plurality of porous regions nested within each other, wherein each of the respective porous regions is characterized by one or more of a corresponding porosity or a corresponding pore density;
a plurality of carbon fragments disposed across the plurality of porous regions, wherein each carbon fragment is separated from an adjacent carbon fragment by mesopores; and
a deformable perimeter:
a plurality of aggregates, each aggregate formed of several carbonaceous particles joined to one another;
a plurality of pores interspersed throughout the plurality of aggregates; and
a plurality of agglomerates, each agglomerate formed of a multitude of the aggregates joined to one other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein the at least one region further includes a permeable shell configured to form a separated liquid phase on the permeable shell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, further comprising at least one electrically conductive region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein the at least one region has an electrical conductivity in an approximate range between 500 S/m to 20,000 S/m at a pressure of 12,000 pounds per square in (psi).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, further comprising at least one polymer-based binder dispersed throughout the at least one region, the at least one polymer-based binder configured to adhere adjacent aggregates to one another.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein the plurality porous regions nested within each other includes:
a first porosity region located at and around a center of the respective carbonaceous particle; and
a second porosity region surrounding the first porosity region.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The cathode of claim 6, wherein the first porosity region has a first pore density, and the second porosity region has a second pore density.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The cathode of claim 7, wherein the second pore density is different than the first pore density.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional porous regions positioned adjacent to and coupled with the one or more regions of the cathode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cathode of claim 9, wherein the one or more additional porous regions are arranged in order of incrementally decreasing concentration levels of materials relative to the one or more regions of the cathode.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, wherein at least some pores of the plurality of pores include sulfur.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The cathode of claim 11, wherein the cathode has a sulfur to carbon weight ratio between approximately 1:5 and 10:1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, further comprising one or more electrically conductive additives dispersed within the one or more regions of the cathode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The cathode of claim 1, further comprising a protective sheath disposed on the cathode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The cathode of claim 14, wherein the protective sheath comprises a tri-functional epoxy compound and a di-amine oligomer-based compound, the tri-functional epoxy compound and the di-amine oligomer-based compound being configured to chemically react with each other.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The cathode of claim 15, wherein the tri-functional epoxy compound is one or more of trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether (TMPTE), tris(4-hydroxyphenyl) methane triglycidyl ether, or tris(2,3-epoxypropyl) isocyanurate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The cathode of claim 15, wherein the protective sheath is configured to prevent polysulfide migration within a lithium-sulfur battery associated with the cathode, based on chemical bonding between the protective sheath and one or more lithium-containing polysulfide intermediates generated during operational discharge-charge cycling of the lithium-sulfur battery.