# US 2014/0154572 A1 · Coated particles for lithium battery cathodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154572 A1 - Document ID: US20140154572A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/889,335 - Filed: 2013-05-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-07 - Assignees: Seeo, Inc. - Applicants: Seeo, Inc. - Inventors: MOHIT SINGH; HANY BASAM EITOUNI; RUSSELL CLAYTON PRATT; SCOTT ALLEN MULLIN; XIAO-LIANG WANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154572A1 ## CPC - H01M 4/624: {Electric conductive fillers} - B05D 1/34: Applying different liquids or other fluent materials simultaneously - H01M 4/366: {as layered products} - H01M 4/485: of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy (H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence) - H01M 4/505: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy - H01M 4/525: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy - H01M 4/5825: {Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines} - H01M 4/622: {being polymers} - H01M 4/623: {fluorinated polymers} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Particles of cathodic materials are coated with polymer to prevent direct contact between the particles and the surrounding electrolyte. The polymers are held in place either by a) growing the polymers from initiators covalently bound to the particle, b) attachment of the already-formed polymers by covalently linking to functional groups attached to the particle, or c) electrostatic interactions resulting from incorporation of cationic or anionic groups in the polymer chain. Carbon or ceramic coatings may first be formed on the surfaces of the particles before the particles are coated with polymer. The polymer coating is both electronically and ionically conductive. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A material for use in a positive electrode, comprising: a particle comprising positive electrode active material; a polymer layer coating the particle; wherein the polymer layer comprises a first polymer that is ionically conductive and a second polymer that is electronically conductive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the positive electrode active material is selected from the group consisting of layered Li2MO3—LiMO2 (M=Mn, Co or Ni), concentration-gradient LiMO2 (M=Mn, Co or Ni), LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2, and spinel-LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, LiNiPO4, LiMnxFe1-xPO4, LiCoPO4, spinel-LiMn2O4, LiNixCoyMnzO2 (x+y+z=1), LiCoO2, LiNiO2 and LiMnO2. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1, wherein the material further comprises one or more intervening layer(s) positioned between the positive electrode particle and the polymer layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The material of claim 3 wherein the intervening layer(s) comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbon nanotubes, amorphous carbon, lithium single-ion conductors, LiPON, LiSICON, LiCoO2, lithium iron phosphate, aluminum, copper, silica, alumina, zirconia, aluminum fluoride, and lithium phosphate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the polymer layer further comprises lithium salts and/or dopants. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the first polymer comprises are one or more selected from the group consisting of polyphosphates, high-voltage-stable polymers, ionically conductive high-voltage-stable polymers, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyphosphates, and PAN derivatives. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the second polymer comprises are one or more selected from the group consisting of polythiophene (PT), PT derivatives, poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT), polyfluorenes, and polyphosphates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the polymer layer comprises a block copolymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The material of claim 8 wherein the polymer layer comprises a diblock or triblock copolymer whose first blocks are the first polymers and comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyphosphates, and PAN derivatives. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The material of claim 9 wherein the polymer layer comprises a diblock or triblock copolymer whose second blocks are the second polymers and are one or more selected from the group consisting of polythiophene (PT), PT derivatives, poly(3-hexyl thiophene (P3HT)), polyfluorenes, and polyphosphates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The material of claim 10 wherein the polymer layer comprises a triblock copolymer whose third blocks are selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polymethacrylate, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyvinylpyridine, polyvinylcyclohexane, polyimide, polyamide, polypropylene, polyolefins, poly(t-butyl vinyl ether), poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate), poly(cyclohexyl vinyl ether), poly(t-butyl vinyl ether), polyethylene, fluorocarbons, polyvinylidene fluoride, and copolymers that contain styrene, methacrylate, and/or vinylpyridine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the polymer layer is stable to voltages more than +3.8 Volts vs Li+/Li. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the polymer layer reacts to form stable decomposition products at voltages more than +3.8 Volts vs Li+/Li. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The material of claim 1 wherein the polymer layer coats at least 95% of the particle. ### Claim 15 A method of applying a polymer coating to a particle, comprising: providing a particle comprising positive electrode active material; and initiating first polymer growth and second polymer growth from active sites on the particle surface, the first polymer being ionically conductive and the second polymer being electronically conductive. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the positive electrode particle further comprises a surface layer whose composition is different from the composition of the particle. ### Claim 17 A battery cell, comprising: a positive electrode comprising a first electrolyte and a positive electrode material comprising; a particle comprising positive electrode active material; a polymer layer coating the particle; wherein the polymer layer comprises a first polymer that is ionically conductive and a second polymer that is electronically conductive. a negative electrode comprising graphite and/or Li metal; a second electrolyte between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the second electrolyte providing ionic communication and separation between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The battery cell of claim 17 wherein the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte are the same. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The battery cell of claim 17 wherein the first electrolyte and/or the second electrolyte are liquid electrolytes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The battery cell of claim 17 wherein the first electrolyte and/or the second electrolyte are solid polymer electrolytes.