# US 8,785,054 B2 · Lithium ion battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,054 B2 - Document ID: US8785054B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/642,313 - Filed: 2009-12-18 - Published: 2011-06-23 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-18 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: Ion C. Halalay; Stephen J. Harris; Timothy J. Fuller - Inventors: Ion C. Halalay; Stephen J. Harris; Timothy J. Fuller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785054B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/628: {Inhibitors, e.g. gassing inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors} - H01M 4/622: {being polymers} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - H01M 50/417: Polyolefins - H01M 50/423: Polyamide resins - H01M 50/426: Fluorocarbon polymers - H01M 50/44: Fibrous material - H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - H01M 2300/0025: Organic electrolyte - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract In a lithium ion battery, one or more chelating agents may be attached to a microporous polymer separator for placement between a negative electrode and a positive electrode or to a polymer binder material used to construct the negative electrode, the positive electrode, or both. The chelating agents may comprise, for example, at least one of a crown ether, a podand, a lariat ether, a calixarene, a calixcrown, or mixtures thereof. The chelating agents can help improve the useful life of the lithium ion battery by complexing with unwanted metal cations that may become present in the battery's electrolyte solution while, at the same time, not significantly interfering with the movement of lithium ions between the negative and positive electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microporous polymer separator for use in a lithium ion battery, comprising: one or more chelating agents attached to the microporous polymer separator, wherein the one or more chelating agents complex with metal cations but do not strongly complex with lithium ions so that the movement of lithium ions across the microporous polymer separator during operation of the lithium ion battery is not substantially affected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 1, wherein the one or more chelating agents comprise at least one of a crown ether, a podand, a lariat ether, a calixarene, a calixcrown, or a mixture of two or more of these chelating agents. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 1, wherein the metal cations comprise at least one of Mn2+, Co2+, or Fe2+. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 1, wherein the microporous polymer separator comprises a polyolefin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 4, wherein the polyolefin comprises pendent groups that comprise the one or more chelating agents. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 4, wherein the polyolefin comprises insoluble polymer bound groups that comprise the one or more chelating agents. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 4, wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 4, wherein the polyolefin comprises polypropylene. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 4, wherein the polyolefin is provided as a layer that forms the entirety of the microporous polymer separator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 4, wherein the polyolefin is provided as a layer that forms part of the microporous polymer separator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The microporous polymer separator set forth in claim 10, further comprising one or more additional polymer layers that comprise polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylidene fluoride, or a polyamide. ### Claim 12 A lithium ion battery comprising: a negative electrode comprising a lithium host material and a polymer binder material; a positive electrode comprising a lithium-based active material and a polymer binder material; and a microporous polymer separator situated between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; wherein one or more chelating agents are attached to at least one of the microporous polymer separator, the binder material of the negative electrode, or the binder material of the positive electrode, and wherein the one or more chelating agents complex with metal cations but do not strongly complex with lithium ions so that the movement of lithium ions between the negative and positive electrodes is not substantially affected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The lithium ion battery set forth in claim 12, wherein the negative electrode further comprises graphite, and wherein the positive electrode further comprises at least one of spinel lithium manganese oxide, lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The lithium ion battery set forth in claim 13, wherein the polymer binder material of the negative electrode and the polymer binder material of the positive electrode comprise at least one of polyvinyldiene fluoride, an ethylene polypropylene diene monomer rubber, or carboxymethoxyl cellulose. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The lithium ion battery set forth in claim 12, wherein the chelating agents comprise at least one of a crown ether, a podand, a lariat ether, a calixarene, a calixcrown, or a mixture of two or more of these chelating agents. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The lithium ion battery set forth in claim 12, further comprising an interruptible external circuit that connects the negative electrode and the positive electrode and transmits an electric current therebetween, and an electrolyte solution, which is capable of conducting lithium ions, soaked into the negative electrode, the positive electrode, and the microporous polymer separator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The lithium ion battery set forth in claim 12, wherein the microporous polymer separator comprises a polyolefin that comprises pendent groups that comprise the one or more chelating agents. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The lithium ion battery set forth in claim 17, wherein the polyolefin comprises at least one of polyethylene or polypropylene. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The lithium battery set forth in claim 12, wherein the microporous polymer separator comprises insoluble polymer bound groups that comprise the one or more chelating agents. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The lithium battery set forth in claim 12, wherein the polymer binder of the negative electrode comprises insoluble polymer bound groups that comprise the one or more chelating agents. ### Claim 21 A lithium ion battery comprising: a negative electrode comprising graphite; a positive electrode comprising a lithium transitional metal oxide; an interruptible external circuit that connects the negative electrode and the positive electrode and transmits an electric current therebetween; a microporous polymer separator situated between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, the microporous polymer separator comprising a polyolefin to which one or more chelating agents are attached, the polyolefin comprising at least one of polyethylene or polypropylene and having a pendent groups or insoluble polymer bound groups that comprise the chelating agents, wherein the chelating agents can complex with transition metal cations that leach from the positive electrode, and wherein the chelating agents comprise at least one of a crown ether, a podand, a lariat ether, a calixarene a calixcrown, or a mixture of two or more of these chelating agents; and an electrolyte solution, which is capable of conducting lithium ions, soaked into the negative electrode, the positive electrode, and the microporous polymer separator. ### Claim 22 A method comprising: attaching one or more chelating agents to a polyolefin, the one or more chelating agents being capable of complexing with metal cations but not strongly complexing with lithiums ions; incorporating the polyolefin to which the one or more chelating agents are attached into a microporous polymer separator; and situating the microporous polymer separator between a negative electrode and a positive electrode of a lithium ion battery. ### Claim 23 A lithium ion battery comprising: a negative electrode comprising a lithium host material and a polymer binder material; a positive electrode comprising a lithium-based active material and a polymer binder material; and a microporous polymer separator situated between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; wherein one or more chelating agents are attached to the microporous polymer separator, and wherein the one or more chelating agents complex with metal cations but do not strongly complex with lithium ions so that the movement of lithium ions between the negative and positive electrodes is not substantially affected. ### Claim 24 A lithium ion battery comprising: a negative electrode comprising a lithium host material and a polymer binder material; a positive electrode comprising a lithium-based active material and a polymer binder material; and a microporous polymer separator situated between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; wherein one or more chelating agents are attached to the binder material of the negative electrode, and wherein the one or more chelating agents complex with metal cations but do not strongly complex with lithium ions so that the movement of lithium ions between the negative and positive electrodes is not substantially affected. ### Claim 25 A lithium battery comprising: a negative electrode comprising a lithium host material and a polymer binder material; a positive electrode comprising a lithium-based active material and a polymer binder material; and a microporous polymer separator situated between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; wherein one or more chelating agents are attached to the binder material of the positive electrode, and wherein the one or more chelating agents complex with meta cations but do not strongly complex with lithium ions so that the movement of lithium ions between the negative and positive electrodes is not substantially affected.