# US 2010/0167124 A1 · Organic/Inorganic Composite Electrolyte and Electrochemical Device Prepared Thereby > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167124 A1 - Document ID: US20100167124A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/223,826 - Filed: 2007-02-16 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-16 - Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd. - Inventors: Dae-Jong Seo; Sang-Young Lee; Seok-Koo Kim; Jang-Hyuk Hong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167124A1 ## CPC - H01M 4/13: Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof - H01M 4/0402: {Methods of deposition of the material} - H01M 4/139: Processes of manufacture - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/4235: {Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte (H01M10/4242 takes precedence)} - H01M 50/46: Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes - H01M 4/131: Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx - H01M 4/1391: of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx - H01M 2004/021: {Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area} - 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 Disclosed is an electrode whose surface includes an organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer comprising porous inorganic particles and a binder polymer, wherein the porous inorganic particles have pores having such a size that lithium ions (Li+) solvated in an electrolyte solvent can pass therethrough. A method for manufacturing the electrode and an electrochemical device using the electrode are also disclosed. The organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer formed on the electrode according to the present invention provides an additional pathway for lithium ion conduction due to a plurality of pore structures present in the porous inorganic particles. Thus, when the organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer is used instead of a conventional polymer-based separator in a battery, the battery can provide improved quality and an increased energy density per unit weight due to a reduced weight of the organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrode whose surface comprises an organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer comprising porous inorganic particles and a binder polymer, wherein the porous inorganic particles have pores having such a size that lithium ions (Li+) solvated in an electrolyte solvent can pass therethrough. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles have pores with an average diameter of 2 nm or more. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles have pores with an average diameter of 50 nm˜1 μm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pores in the porous inorganic particles are interconnected among themselves. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles have a porosity of 30˜95%. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles have a density of 1˜4 g/cc and a surface area of 10˜50 m2/g. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles have the pore structure by dispersing inorganic precursors and heat-decomposable compounds that are pyrolyzed at a temperature lower than a melting temperature of the inorganic particles in a dispersion medium, misting the inorganic precursor solution, and performing thermal decomposition and crystallization processes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, which comprises an organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer formed by coating a mixture of the porous inorganic particles and the binder polymer onto a surface of an electrode comprising electrode active material particles bound to a collector while forming a pore structure, wherein the porous inorganic particles are interconnected and fixed among themselves by the binder polymer, and interstitial volumes among the porous inorganic particles form a pore structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer serves as a separator preventing a cathode and an anode from being in direct contact with each other and permitting lithium ions (Li+) to pass therethrough. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particle is at least one particle selected from the group consisting of: (a) inorganic particles having a dielectric constant of 5 or more; and (b) inorganic particles having lithium ion conductivity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles have a size of 0.01˜10 μm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binder polymer has a solubility parameter of 15˜45 MPa1/2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous inorganic particles and the binder polymer are used in a weight ratio of 10:90˜99:1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer has a thickness of 1˜100 μm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An electrochemical device comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte, wherein either or both of the cathode and the anode are the electrode as defined in claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrochemical device as claimed in claim 15, which further comprises a microporous separator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electrochemical device as claimed in claim 15, which is a lithium secondary battery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing the electrode having an organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer as defined in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: (a) dispersing inorganic precursors and heat-decomposable compounds in a dispersion medium, misting the inorganic precursor solution, and performing a thermal decomposition and a crystallization processes, to thereby prepare porous inorganic particles; (b) adding and mixing the porous inorganic particles to a polymer solution in which a binder polymer is dissolved; and (c) coating the mixture of step (b) onto a preliminarily formed electrode and drying the coating layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein heat-decomposable compounds are polymer or foaming agent decomposed or pyrolyzed at a temperature lower than a melting point of the inorganic compound. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the thermal decomposition of step (a) is performed at a temperature lower than the melting point of the inorganic compound and higher than a decomposition temperature of the heat-decomposable compounds.