Low energy milling method, low crystallinity alloy, and negative electrode composition
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsDinh B. Le, Mark N. Obrovac, Robert Y. Kube, James R. Landucci
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Abstract
A method of making nanostructured alloy particles includes milling a millbase in a pebble mill containing milling media. The millbase comprises: (i) silicon, and (ii) at least one of carbon or a transition metal, and wherein the nanostructured alloy particles are substantially free of crystalline domains greater than 50 nanometers in size. A method of making a negative electrode composition for a lithium ion battery including the nanostructured alloy particles is also disclosed.
Claims21
A method of making nanostructured alloy particles, the method comprising:
- providing a millbase comprising:
- (i) silicon, and (ii) at least one of carbon or a transition metal;
- milling the millbase in a pebble mill containing milling media to provide the nanostructured alloy particles, wherein the nanostructured alloy particles are substantially free of crystalline domains greater than 50 nanometers in size and wherein the pebble mill has a theoretical critical speed and wherein the pebble mill has a rotational speed in a range of from 50 to 120 percent of the theoretical critical speed.
A method of making a negative electrode composition for a lithium ion battery, the method comprising:
- (a) making nanostructured alloy particles by a method comprising providing a millbase comprising:
- (i) silicon;
- and
- (ii) at least one of carbon or a transition metal;
- and milling said millbase in a pebble mill containing milling media, wherein the nanostructured alloy particles are substantially free of crystalline domains greater than 50 nanometers in size;
- wherein the pebble mill has a theoretical critical speed and wherein the pebble mill has a rotational speed in a range of from 50 to 120 percent of the theoretical critical speed;
- and
- (b) dispersing the nanostructured alloy particles in a polymeric binder to provide the negative electrode composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.