Silicon-containing alloys useful as electrodes for lithium-ion batteries
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorDinh Ba Le
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrode composition for a lithium ion battery having the formula SixSnqMyCz where q, x, y, and z represent atomic percent values and (a) (q+x)>2y+z; (b) q≧0, (c) z≧0; and (d) M is one or more metals selected from manganese, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten, tantalum, iron, copper, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zirconium, yttrium, or a combination thereof. The Si, Sn, M, and C elements are arranged in the form of a multi-phase microstructure comprising: (a) an amorphous phase comprising silicon; (b) a nanocrystalline phase comprising a metal silicide; and (c) a phase comprising silicon carbide phase when z>0; and (d) an amorphous phase comprising Sn when q>0.
Claims22
An electrode composition for a lithium ion battery having the formula SixMyCz where x, y, and z represent atomic percent values and
- (a) x>2y+z;
- (b) x, y and z are greater than 0;
- and
- (c) M is one or more metals selected from manganese, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten, tantalum, iron, copper, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zirconium, yttrium, or combinations thereof,
- wherein the Si, M, and C elements are arranged in the form of a multi-phase microstructure comprising:
- (i) an amorphous phase comprising silicon;
- (ii) a nanocrystalline phase comprising metal silicide;
- and
- (iii) a phase comprising a silicon carbide.
A lithium ion battery comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- and
- an electrolyte,
- wherein the anode comprises a composition having the formula SixMyCz where x, y, and z represent atomic percent values and
- (a) x>2y+z;
- (b) x, y, and z are greater than 0;
- and
- (c) M is one or more metals selected from manganese, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten, tantalum, iron, copper, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zirconium, yttrium, or combinations thereof,
- wherein the Si, M, and C elements are arranged in the form of a multi-phase microstructure comprising:
- (i) an amorphous phase comprising silicon;
- (ii) a nanocrystalline phase comprising metal silicide;
- and
- (iii) a phase comprising a silicon carbide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.