Carbonaceous electrodes for lithium cells
AssigneeMoli Energy Limited
InventorsRosamaria Fong, Harith Al-Janby, Jeffrey R. Dahn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rechargeble battery of alkali metal, organic electrolyte type has a low surface area particulate carbonaceous electrode intercalable with the alkali metal and experiences little capacity loss upon intercalation of the carbonaceous electrode with the alkali metal. The carbonaeous electrode may include a multi-phase composition including both highly graphitized and less graphitized phases or may include a single phase, highly graphitized composition which has been subjected to interlation of lithium at above about 50.degree. C. Incorporation of an electrically conductive filamentary material such as carbon black intimately interspersed with the carbonaceous composition minimizing capacity loss upon repeated cycling.
Claims29
A rechargeable battery comprising a first electrode and a counterelectrode each capable of reversibly incorporating an alkali metal, an alkali metal incorporated in at least one of said electrodes, and an electrolyte comprising an organic solvent and a salt of said alkali metal wherein said first electrode includes a particulate composition including carbon, substantially every particle of said composition including a first carbonaceous phase and a second carbonaceous phase intimately admixed with said first carbonaceous phase, said first phase having a higher degree of graphitization than said second phase.
A rechargeable battery comprising a first electrode, and a counterelectrode each capable of reversibly incorporating an alkali metal, an alkali metal incorporated in at least one of said electrodes and an electrolyte comprising an organic solvent and a salt of said alkali metal wherein said first electrode comprises a particulate composition including carbon, said composition having a surface area subsequent to intercalation with said alkali metal which is substantially the same as surface area of said composition prior to intercalation with said alkali metal, and wherein at least a portion of said composition is carbon having a degree of graphitization greater than about 0.40.
A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first electrode includes a composition consisting essentially of carbon having a degree of graphitization greater than about 0.40 which has been intercalated with lithium at a temperature greater than about 50.degree. C.
A rechargeable battery comprising a first electrode and a counterelectrode each capable of reversibly incorporating an alkali metal, an alkali metal incorporated in at least one of said electrodes and an electrolyte including an organic solvent and a salt of said alkali metal wherein said first electrode includes a particulate composition including carbon and carbon black interspersed with said particulate carbon composition, and wherein said battery is essentially free of pressure on said first electrode.
A rechargeable battery comprising a first electrode and a counterelectrode each capable of reversibly incorporating an alkaline metal, an alkaline metal incorporated in at least one of said electrodes and an electrolyte comprising an organic solvent and a salt of said alkaline metal wherein said first electrode includes a particulate composition including carbon, said particulate composition having a surface area of less than about 8 m.sup.2 /gm and a degree of graphitization less than about 0.40.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.