Selectively permeable nanostructured materials for lithium anode compositions
AssigneeConamix Inc.
InventorsStephen Burkhardt, Christopher A. Simoneau, Larry Beck, Jay J. Farmer
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Abstract
This application relates to nanostructured materials having selectively permeable structures that separate a liquid phase contained within the nanostructure from a volume outside of the nanostructure, and methods of making same. Such materials may be used in the manufacture of lithium anode compositions for secondary batteries or other energy storage devices.
Claims31
A nanostructured material comprising a contained volume that is physically separated from a volume outside of the nanostructure, wherein the contained volume encloses a contained electroactive substance comprising lithium metal or a lithium alloy and a contained liquid phase in contact with the contained electroactive substance.
A nanostructured material comprising a contained volume that is physically separated from a volume outside of the nanostructure by a selectively permeable membrane, wherein the contained volume encloses an electroactive substance comprising lithium metal or a lithium alloy and a contained liquid phase in contact with the electroactive substance.
The nanostructured material of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electroactive substance comprises about 5% to about 80% of the contained volume.
The nanostructured material of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contained liquid phase comprises about 20% to about 95% of the contained volume.
The nanostructured material of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nanoparticle has a substantially spherical shape.
An electrode composition comprising the nanostructured material of any one of the preceding claims.
A system comprising a nanostructured material in contact with a first liquid phase, the nanostructured material comprising a contained volume that encloses a contained electroactive substance comprising lithium metal or a lithium alloy and a contained liquid phase in contact with the electroactive substance, wherein the contained liquid phase is physically separated from the first liquid phase by a selectively permeable membrane and wherein at least one of the first liquid phase and the contained liquid phase comprises substances to which the selectively permeable structure is substantially impermeable.
A method of making a nanostructure comprising the steps of:
- forming a nanoscale particle of a porous electroactive substance comprising lithium metal or a lithium alloy;
- coating the nanoscale particle with a permeable encapsulant to contain the porous electroactive substance;
- introducing a liquid phase into the pore volume of the porous electroactive substance;
- and
- coating the nanoscale particle with a second encapsulant that is impermeable to one or more of the substances in the liquid phase.
A method of making a nanostructure comprising the steps of:
- forming a nanoscale particle of a porous electroactive substance comprising lithium metal or a lithium alloy;
- coating the nanoscale particle with a permeable encapsulant to contain the porous electroactive substance;
- introducing a liquid phase into the pore volume of the porous electroactive substance;
- and
- modifying the encapsulant to make it less permeable to one or more substances in the liquid phase.
A method of making a nanostructure comprising the steps of:
- forming a hollow structure with a permeable encapsulant;
- introducing a nanoscale particle of an electroactive substance comprising lithium metal or a lithium alloy into the hollow structure;
- introducing a liquid phase into the void space;
- and
- modifying the encapsulant to make it less permeable to one or more substances in the liquid phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.