Intercalation electrode based on ordered graphene planes
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsMark W. Verbrugge, Xingcheng Xiao, Leonid C. Lev, Anil K. Sachdev
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Abstract
An intercalation electrode includes an electron current collector and graphene planes deposited normal to the surface of the current collector substrate. The graphene planes are deposited on the current collector substrate from a carbon-precursor gas using, for example, chemical vapor deposition. In an embodiment of an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the graphene planes are intercalated with lithium atoms. A lithium-ion battery may include this anode, a cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. In repeated charging and discharging of the anode, lithium atoms and ions are readily transported between the graphene planes of the anode and the electrolyte.
Claims11
A method of making a negative electrode that intercalates and deintercalates lithium during charging and discharging, respectively, for a lithium-ion electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
- providing a metallic foil comprising an electrode surface region;
- forming a ductile metallic layer onto the electrode surface region;
- directly growing graphene planes onto the ductile metallic layer generally perpendicular to the electrode surface region and coextensive with the electrode surface region by chemical vapor deposition of a gas composition comprising carbon-precursor molecules, wherein an electrically insulating polymeric binder and conductive diluents are not included along with the graphene planes
- heating the ductile metallic layer to above 950° C. after the graphene planes have been formed on the ductile metallic layer to flow and wet the ductile metallic layer around edges of the graphene planes;
- cooling the ductile metallic layer to bond the edges of the graphene planes to the ductile metallic layer;
- and
- intercalating lithium into the graphene planes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.