Patents Examined by Austin Murata
  • Patent number: 12237491
    Abstract: A method for forming one or more layers of a lithium-ion battery includes a step of sequentially depositing a wet coating and a free-standing material layer onto a moving substrate to form a first bilayer on the substrate. The first bilayer including a wet coating-derived layer and the free-standing material layer. The first bilayer is heat roll pressed to form a second bilayer in which the wet coating-derived layer is at least partially dried and adhered to the free-standing material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gunho Kwak, Patrick Pietrasz, Chi Paik
  • Patent number: 12237475
    Abstract: The disclosure herein relates to rechargeable batteries and solid electrolytes therefore which include lithium-stuffed garnet oxides, for example, in a thin film, pellet, or monolith format wherein the density of defects at a surface or surfaces of the solid electrolyte is less than the density of defects in the bulk. In certain disclosed embodiments, the solid-state anolyte, electrolyte, and catholyte thin films, separators, and monoliths consist essentially of an oxide that conducts Li+ ions. In some examples, the disclosure herein presents new and useful solid electrolytes for solid-state or partially solid-state batteries. In some examples, the disclosure presents new lithium-stuffed garnet solid electrolytes and rechargeable batteries which include these electrolytes as separators between a cathode and a lithium metal anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: QuantumScape Battery, Inc.
    Inventors: David Cao, Cheng-Chieh Chao, Zhebo Chen, Lei Cheng, Niall Donnelly, Wes Hermann, Timothy Holme, Tommy Huang, Kian Kerman, Yang Li, Harsh Maheshwari
  • Patent number: 12224424
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a positive electrode which includes forming a solid electrolyte by mixing a lithium salt and a polymer for a solid electrolyte in a dry atmosphere, forming a dry mixture by stirring after adding a conductive agent and a positive electrode active material to the solid electrolyte in a dry atmosphere, and pressing after coating a current collector with the dry mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Wan Koo, Ki Tae Kim, Sang Hoon Choy
  • Patent number: 12224422
    Abstract: A solventless method of making a dry electrode for an electrochemical cell is provided. A solventless electrode material mixture includes 85-99% electrode active material and from 0-10% conductive carbon additive. A polymer binder system is present from 1-15%. The polymer binder system includes one or more polymer binders. The electrode material mixture is mixed at a temperature greater than a softening point or a melting point of at least one polymer binder of the polymer binder system. The electrode material mixture is kneaded into an electrode material dough. The electrode material dough is formed into an electrode material sheet. At least a portion of the electrode material sheet is affixed to a metal current collector to form an electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited
    Inventors: Soon Yee Liew, Yong Zhu, Yam Chong, Yu Tat Tse, Kevin Tan, Shengbo Lu, Li Fu, Chenmin Liu
  • Patent number: 12221698
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of lithium metal and lithium alloy mouldings, wherein solutions of metallic lithium in ammonia having the composition Li(NH3)4+n and n=0-10 are brought into contact with metallic or electronically conductive deposition substrates and the ammonia is removed at temperatures of ?100 to 100° C. by overflowing with inert gas or at pressures of 0.001 to 700 mbar, so that the remaining lithium is deposited on the deposition substrate or/and it is doped with lithium or alloyed by it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: ALBEMARLE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Ulrich Wietelmann, Dirk Dawidowski
  • Patent number: 12224160
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate that includes: flowing a gas including a fluorocarbon to a plasma processing chamber; sustaining a plasma generated from the gas; depositing a carbonaceous layer over the substrate by exposing the substrate to the plasma, the substrate having a recess having an aspect ratio between 10:1 and 100:1, the depositing including a pulsed plasma process including: during a first time duration, setting a source power (SP) at a first SP level and a bias power (BP) at a first BP level, where the plasma includes fluorocarbon ions polymerizing on a bottom surface to form the carbonaceous layer, and during a second time duration, setting the SP at a second SP level higher than the first SP level and the BP at a second BP level lower than the first BP level, where the plasma includes fluorine radicals trimming the carbonaceous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shyam Sridhar, Peter Lowell George Ventzek, Alok Ranjan
  • Patent number: 12209355
    Abstract: Disclosed are a thermally insulating SiC—BN aerogel felt, a preparation method and use thereof. The preparation method includes: heating and mixing a nitrogen source, a boron source, a solvent, and a silica aerogel powder to obtain a hot mixture, wherein the solvent is capable of dissolving the nitrogen source and the boron source; impregnating a graphite felt in the hot mixture, and cooling to obtain a gel felt; removing the solvent from the gel felt to obtain an aerogel felt; and in a protective atmosphere or in vacuum, heating the aerogel felt for a pyrolytic reaction to obtain the thermally insulating SiC—BN aerogel felt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Inventors: Jiaxuan Liao, Lichun Zhou, Pengkai Tang
  • Patent number: 12209332
    Abstract: Carbon fibre precursors for use in the formation of carbon fibre materials. The carbon fibre precursors comprise fibres of polymeric material which have a coating layer thereon, the coating layer comprising a material susceptible to dielectric heating, for example carbon nanotubes. The carbon fibre precursors may be suitable for forming into carbon fibres using a dielectric heating step, despite the fibres of polymeric material not being susceptible to dielectric heating, without adversely affecting the structure and physical properties of the main body of the carbon fibre so formed. A method of preparing a carbon fibre precursor for a carbon fibre formation process and a method forming a carbon fibre are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK
    Inventors: Maurice N. Collins, Mario Culebras Rubio, Patrick Terence McGrail
  • Patent number: 12198867
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor of the present disclosure includes first to third steps. In the first step, a capacitor element is prepared that includes an anode body on which a dielectric layer is formed. In the second step, the capacitor element is impregnated with a first treatment solution containing at least a conductive polymer and a first solvent. In the third step, the capacitor element is, after the second step, impregnated with a second treatment solution that contains a polyol compound having 3 or more hydroxyl groups per molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Tsubaki, Tatsuji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 12199272
    Abstract: Process for making a coated electrode active material wherein said process comprises the following steps: (a) providing a particulate electrode active material according to general formula Li1+xTM1?xO2, wherein TM is a combination of Ni, Co and, optionally, Mn, and, optionally, at least one metal selected from Mg, Al, Ba, Ti and Zr, and x is in the range of from zero to 0.2, wherein at least 15 mole-% of the transition metal of TM is Ni, (b) treating said electrode active material with a compound of M1, wherein M1 is selected from Li, Al, B, Mg, Si, Sn, and from transition metals, or a combination of at least two of the foregoing, with or without a solvent, wherein said compound of M1 does not act as a cathode active material on its own, (c) optionally, removing compound of M1 which is not deposited on said particulate electrode active material, (d) performing a post-treatment by heating the material obtained after the step (b) or (c), if applicable, at a temperature from 250 to 950° C. in a fluidized bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Benedikt Kalo, Dominik Garella
  • Patent number: 12186769
    Abstract: An object is to provide a spray coating device and a coating method, with which a uniform coating film can be formed by spray coating with two liquids having reactivity, and in which precipitation of a reaction product on a periphery can also be prevented. The object is achieved by providing a transporting unit for transporting a substrate downward; a first spray nozzle; a second spray nozzle disposed below the first spray nozzle; a holding plate for holding the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle such that an angle formed by center lines of the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle is 5° to 150°; and a liquid film forming unit for forming a liquid film which flows from above to below on a surface of the holding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Eijiro Iwase
  • Patent number: 12180583
    Abstract: A method of forming a conformal layer including TiN in a via includes introducing a precursor into a reaction chamber according to a first exposure schedule. The precursor includes non-halogenated metal-organic titanium. The first exposure schedule indicates precursor exposure periods. Each precursor exposure period is associated with a particular duration of time and a particular duty cycle over which to introduce the precursor during the particular duration of time. The method includes introducing a co-reactant into the reaction chamber according to a second exposure schedule. The co-reactant includes nitrogen. The second exposure schedule indicates co-reactant exposure periods. Each co-reactant exposure period is associated with a particular duration of time and a particular duty cycle over which to introduce the co-reactant during the particular duration of time. The method includes providing the conformal layer including TiN in the via based on said introducing the precursor and the co-reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Andrew Kummel, Cheng-Hsuan Kuo, SeongUk Yun, Ravindra Kanjolia, Mansour Moinpour, Daniel Moser
  • Patent number: 12174259
    Abstract: A method for testing a battery cell includes directing a laser radiation from a laser at a radiation-receiving location on a can of the battery cell to trigger a thermal runaway event. A power, a wavelength, and a beam size of the laser radiation are selected based on a test stability of the battery cell when triggering the thermal runaway event. The test stability includes a likelihood that the can will breach in response to triggering the thermal runaway event. The method also includes ceasing to contact the radiation-receiving location with the laser radiation in response to the thermal runaway event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Angad Mehrotra, John J. Darst, Eric Darcy, Romil Patil, Safan Abbasi
  • Patent number: 12176511
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery including a patterned lithium metal that homogenizes the electron distribution in the lithium electrode and prevents the growth of the lithium dendrites when driving the lithium secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Ohbyong Chae, Yoonah Kang, Junhyuk Song, Eun Kyung Kim, Sangwook Woo
  • Patent number: 12172891
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of lithium battery material preparation technologies, particularly to a method for preparing lithium iron phosphate using the by-product ferrous sulfate from titanium dioxide. The method comprises the following steps: dissolving by-product ferrous sulfate from titanium dioxide in acidic aqueous solution, stirring with iron powder for reaction; adding iron phosphate or lithium iron phosphate waste powder to the solution, heating and stirring the mixture, allowing the mixture to settle and cool, and filtering the cooled mixture to obtain a purified ferrous sulfate solution; and adding phosphoric acid and a lithium hydroxide solution in an autoclave, and finally adding the purified ferrous sulfate solution, heating the mixture under stirring, then filtering, washing, and drying the mixture to obtain lithium iron phosphate powder; Using it as an iron source to prepare positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries has excellent electrochemical performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN WARRANT NEW ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yihong Tian
  • Patent number: 12129382
    Abstract: A platelet-shaped magnetic effect pigment is provided for use in a printing ink, and includes a layer construction with a magnetic layer and at least one optical functional layer, such that the magnetic layer is based on a magnetic material having a column-shaped nanostructure and the magnetic columns respectively have a largely uniform preferential magnetic direction deviating from the platelet plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Rahm, Manfred Heim, Raphael Dehmel, Winfried Hoffmuller
  • Patent number: 12132191
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method for applying a functional compound on sulfur particles by means of an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge including a gas or an activated gas flow resulting from the atmospheric pressure plasma discharge. The coating composition includes an inorganic electrically conductive compound, an electrically conductive carbon compound, an organic precursor compound of a conjugated polymer, a precursor of a hybrid organic-inorganic compound, or a mixture, and the functional compound provides the sulfur particles with an electrically conductive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Danny Havermans, Sébastien Sallard, Ahmed Shafique, Dirk Vangeneugden, Annick Vanhulsel, An Hardy
  • Patent number: 12132192
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for high volume roll-to-roll direct coating of electrodes for silicon-dominant anode cells. A slurry that includes silicon particles and a binder material may be applied to a current collector film, and the slurry may be processed to form a precursor composite film coated on the current collector film. The current collector film with the coated precursor composite film may be rolled into a precursor composite roll. A heat treatment may be applied to the current collector film with the coated precursor composite film in an environment including nitrogen gas, to convert the coated precursor composite film to a pyrolyzed composite film coated on the current collector film. The heat treatment may include applying the heat treatment to the precursor composite roll in whole and/or applying the heat treatment to the current collector film with the coated precursor composite film as it is continuously fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ENEVATE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fred Bonhomme, Benjamin Park, Kirk Shockley, Giulia Canton, David J. Lee
  • Patent number: 12126002
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a positive electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery including: (1) mixing a sulfur-carbon composite and a binder to prepare a slurry for a positive electrode active material; (2) applying the slurry for the positive electrode active material to one surface of the current collector; (3) a first drying step of drying the current collector, to which the slurry is applied, using hot air and medium wave infrared radiation; and (4) a second drying step of drying the current collector, to which the slurry is applied, using a laser heat source after the first drying step (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignees: LG Energy Solution, Ltd., LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hobeom Kwack, Yun Kyoung Kim, Hyun Min Song, Yoon Hyun Kim, Jeong Won Kim, Dongseok Shin
  • Patent number: 12113157
    Abstract: Methods of modifying the composition of layers using selectively absorbing films are described. The composition of a layer can be modified by applying a selectively absorbing film in proximity to the applied coating and components of the layer can be selectively removed to provide a modified layers. The methods can be used to increase the concentration of particles in the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: TECTUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hongjin Jiang, William Freeman