Alkali-metal anode with alloy coating applied by friction
AssigneeWilliam Marsh Rice University
InventorsJames M. TOUR, Rodrigo Villegas SALVATIERRA, Duy Xuan LUONG
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Abstract
An electrochemical cell with a lithium-metal anode that suppresses dendrite formation and can be fabricated using a simple, inexpensive, and solvent-free process. The anode is coated with a layer of disordered nanomaterial, saturated with lithium ions, that suppresses dendrite formation during charging. The dendrite-suppression coating can be applied simply using a dry, abrasive technique in which the lithium-metal anode is alternately abraded to roughen the surface and polished using a polishing powder of a material that alloys with the lithium.
Claims19
1-20. (canceled)
A method comprising:
- (a) applying a material under pressure to a surface of an alkali metal;
- and
- (b) moving the applied material relative to the surface of the alkali metal under pressure to produce a friction that alloys the material with the alkali metal and produces a coating on the surface of the alkali metal.
The method of claim 1, wherein the material consists essentially of particles.
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- (a) an anode having
- (i) a layer of an alkali metal, and
- (ii) a coating, directly on the layer of the alkali metal, of an alloy of the alkali metal and a disordered nanomaterial;
- (b) an electrolyte adjacent and in contact with the coating;
- and
- (c) a cathode adjacent and in contact with the electrolyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.