# US 8,771,879 B2 · Lithium—sulfur battery with a substantially non-porous lisicon membrane and porous lisicon layer

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- Number: US 8,771,879 B2
- Document ID: US8771879B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/205,759
- Filed: 2008-09-05
- Published: 2009-03-05
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2007-09-05
- Assignees: Ceramatec, Inc.
- Applicants: John Howard Gordon; John Joseph Watkins
- Inventors: John Howard Gordon; John Joseph Watkins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771879B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/136: Electrodes based on inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy
- H01M 4/5815: {Sulfides}
- H01M 10/0562: Solid materials
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A lithium-sulfur battery is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including an anode containing lithium and a cathode comprising elemental sulfur. The cathode may include at least one solvent selected to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx. A substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane is provided between the anode and the cathode to keep sulfur or other reactive species from migrating therebetween. In certain embodiments, the lithium-sulfur battery may include a separator between the anode and the non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane. This separator may prevent the lithium in the anode from reacting with the non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane. In certain embodiments, the separator is a porous separator infiltrated with a lithium-ion-conductive electrolyte.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lithium-sulfur battery comprising:
an anode containing lithium;
a cathode consisting of elemental sulfur, Li2Sx and at least one solvent selected to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx;
a substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane separating the anode from the cathode, wherein the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane comprises a LISICON membrane; and
a porous structural layer attached to at least one side of the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane to provide support thereto, wherein the porous structural layer is a porous LISICON layer, wherein the porous structural layer directly contacts a portion of the anode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1, wherein the at least one solvent consists of at least one polar solvent to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and the Li2Sx.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1, wherein the at least one solvent consists of an apolar solvent to dissolve the elemental sulfur and a polar solvent to dissolve the Li2Sx.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The lithium-sulfur battery of claim 1, wherein the at least one solvent consists of tetraglyme.

### Claim 5

A lithium-sulfur battery comprising:
an anode containing lithium;
a cathode consisting of elemental sulfur, Li2Sx and at least one solvent selected to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx;
a substantially non-porous LISICON membrane separating the anode from the cathode, wherein the LISICON membrane is treated with a sealer to fill any pores thereof; and
a porous structural layer attached to at least one side of the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane to provide support thereto, wherein the porous structural layer is porous LISICON layer, wherein the porous structural layer directly contacts a portion of the anode.

### Claim 6

A method comprising:
generating lithium ions at a lithium-containing anode;
transporting the lithium ions through a substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane to a cathode, wherein the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane comprises a LISICON membrane;
supporting the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane with a porous structural layer, wherein the porous structural layer is a porous LISICON layer, wherein the porous structural layer directly contacts a portion of the lithium-containing anode; and
reacting the lithium ions with elemental sulfur at the cathode to generate Li2Sx, wherein the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx at least partially dissolve in at least one solvent in the cathode, wherein the cathode consists of the elemental sulfur, the Li2Sx and the at least one solvent selected to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising filling any pores of the LISICON membrane with a sealer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one solvent consists of at least one polar solvent to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and the Li2Sx.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one solvent consists of an apolar solvent to dissolve the elemental sulfur and a polar solvent to dissolve the Li2Sx.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one solvent consists of tetraglyme.