Porous, amorphous lithium storage materials and a method for making the same
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsXingcheng Xiao, Anil K. Sachdev, Mark W. Verbrugge
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Abstract
Porous, amorphous lithium storage materials and a method for making these materials are disclosed herein. In an example of the method, composite particles of a lithium storage material in an amorphous phase and a material that is immiscible with the lithium storage material are prepared. Phase separation is induced within the composite particles to precipitate out the amorphous phase lithium storage material and form phase separated composite particles. The immiscible material is chemically etched from the phase separated composite particles to form porous, amorphous lithium storage material particles.
Claims20
A method for making a porous, amorphous lithium storage material, comprising:
- preparing composite particles of a lithium storage material in an amorphous phase and a material that is immiscible with the lithium storage material;
- inducing phase separation within the composite particles to precipitate out the amorphous phase lithium storage material and form phase separated composite particles;
- and
- chemically etching the immiscible material from the phase separated composite particles, thereby forming porous, amorphous lithium storage material particles.
A lithium storage material, comprising:
- an amorphous silicon particle having a size ranging from about 100 nm to about 20 μm;
- and
- pores formed in the amorphous silicon particle, the pores having a controlled pore size ranging from about 5 nm to about 1 μm.
An anode for a lithium ion battery, comprising:
- amorphous lithium storage material particles, including:
- an amorphous lithium storage material matrix;
- and
- pores formed in the amorphous lithium storage material matrix, the pores having a controlled pore size ranging from about 5 nm to about 1 μm;
- a binder;
- and
- a conductive additive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.