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US 7,019,494 B2Granted
Methods of charging lithium sulfur cells
AssigneeMoltech Corporation
InventorYuriy V. Mikhaylik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method of charging a lithium-sulfur electrochemical cell wherein the lithium-sulfur cell comprises a cathode comprising an electroactive sulfur-containing material, an anode comprising lithium, and a nonaqueous electrolyte.
Claims20
A method of charging a lithium-sulfur electrochemical cell wherein the method comprises:
- (A) supplying electrical energy to the cell at a constant current;
- (B) monitoring the voltage during charging;
- and
- (C) terminating the charge when the monitored voltage is in the range of about 2.35 volts to about 2.7 volts;
- and wherein the cell comprises:
- (a) a cathode comprising an electroactive sulfur-containing material;
- (b) an anode comprising lithium;
- and
- (c) a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte comprises:
- (i) one or more nonaqueous solvents selected from the group consisting of acyclic ethers, cyclic ethers, polyethers, and sulfones;
- and
- (ii) one or more N—O additives.
9 more elements
A method of charging a lithium-sulfur electrochemical cell wherein the method comprises:
- (A) supplying electrical energy to the cell at a constant current;
- (B) monitoring the voltage during charging;
- (C) supplying electrical energy until the monitored voltage reaches about 2.5 volts;
- (D) holding the cell voltage at about 2.5 volts while monitoring the current density;
- and
- (E) terminating the charge when the charge current density is less than 0.025 mA/cm2;
- and wherein the cell comprises:
- (a) a cathode comprising an electroactive sulfur-containing material;
- (b) an anode comprising lithium;
- and
- (c) a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte comprises:
- (i) one or more nonaqueous solvents selected from the group consisting of acyclic ethers, cyclic ethers, polyethers, and sulfones;
- and
- (ii) one or more N—O additives.
11 more elements
A method of charging a lithium-sulfur electrochemical cell wherein the method comprises:
- (A) supplying electrical energy to the cell at a constant current;
- (B) monitoring the voltage during charging;
- (C) calculating the rate of change of voltage with time (dV/dt);
- and
- (D) terminating the charge when the value of dV/dt increases by more than 5 times;
- and wherein the cell comprises:
- (a) a cathode comprising an electroactive sulfur-containing material;
- (b) an anode comprising lithium;
- and
- (c) a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte comprises:
- (i) one or more nonaqueous solvents selected from the group consisting of acyclic ethers, cyclic ethers, polyethers, and sulfones;
- (ii) one or more lithium salts;
- and
- (iii) one or more N—O additives.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.