Electrode for a lithium battery
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRobert L. Turner, Donald J. McClure, Larry J. Krause, Mary M. Buckett, Jeffery R. Dahn, Ou Mao
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Abstract
An electrode for a lithium battery that includes (a) an electrochemically active metal element which, prior to cycling, is in the form of an intermetallic compound or an elemental metal and (b) a non-electrochemically active metal element. The electrode have high initial capacities that are retained even after repeated cycling. The electrode also exhibit high coulombic efficiencies.
Claims25
An electrode for a lithium battery comprising a composition that includes (a) an electrochemically active metal element which, prior to cycling, is in the form of an intermetallic compound or an elemental metal and (b) a non-electrochemically active metal element,
- wherein said composition has a microstructure characterized by one of (i) a single phase that includes said electrochemically active metal element and said non-electrochemically active metal element, (ii) a first phase that includes said electrochemically active metal element and a second, phase that includes said non-electrochemically active metal element in which said first and second phases share a common phase boundary, or (iii) a combination thereof,
- wherein said composition, after said electrode has been cycled through one full charge-discharge cycle in the lithium battery, comprises crystalline regions having at least one dimension that is no greater than about 500 angstroms and that does not substantially increase after a total of at least 10 cycles.
A lithium battery comprising:
- (a) a first electrode comprising a composition that includes an electrochemically active metal element which, prior to cycling is in the form of an intermetallic compound or an elemental metal and a non-electrochemically active metal element,
- wherein said composition has a microstructure characterized by one of (i) a single phase that includes said electrochemically active metal element and said non-electrochemically active metal element, (ii) a first phase that includes said electrochemically active metal element and a second phase that includes said non-electrochemically active metal element in which said first and second phases share a common phase boundary, or (iii) a combination thereof,
- wherein said composition, after said battery has been cycled through one full charge-discharge cycle, comprises crystalline regions having at least one dimension that is no greater than about 500 angstroms and that does not substantially increase after a total of at least 10 cycles;
- (b) a counterelectrode;
- and
- (c) an electrolyte separating said electrode and said counterelectrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.