Patents by Inventor Zhangfeng Zheng
Zhangfeng Zheng has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11955613Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan, Kee-Chan Kim
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Publication number: 20220311068Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan, Kee-Chan Kim
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Publication number: 20210391606Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2021Publication date: December 16, 2021Inventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan, Kee-Chan Kim
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Publication number: 20210384563Abstract: A method for recycling anode materials from a comingled recycling stream derived from exhausted Li ion batteries includes receiving a precipitate quantity remaining from a cathode recycling stream. This precipitate is almost exclusively graphite used for the anode material in the recycled batteries. The precipitate results from an acid leach of charge material from the lithium battery recycling stream. A strong acid is added to the precipitate for removal of residual cathode and separator materials and the mixture heated. The strong acid removes residual aluminum oxide from the separator by transformation to aluminum sulfate. Washing the acid treated precipitate removes water soluble contaminants, such as the aluminum sulfate reacted from the aluminum oxide and sulfuric acid, to generate substantially pure graphite. Any residual material remaining from the cathode recycling phase is also removed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventors: Eric Gratz, Zhangfeng Zheng
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Patent number: 11127992Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan
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Publication number: 20200144591Abstract: A dry electrode manufacturing process is employed for low cost battery through a dry mixing and formation process. A thermal activation renders the dry fabricated electrode comparable to conventional slurry casted electrodes. The dry electrode mixture results from a combination of a plurality of types of constituent particles, including at least an active charge material and a binder, and typically a conductive material such as carbon. The process heats the deposited mixture to a moderate temperature for activating the binder for adhering the mixture to the substrate, and compresses the deposited mixture to a thickness for achieving an electrical sufficiency of the compressed, deposited mixture as a charge material in a lithium-ion battery. In order to increase the bonding between the current collector and charge materials, an adhesive interlayer is applied through dry printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2019Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Yan Wang, Zhangfeng Zheng, Brandon Ludwig, Heng Pan, Jin Liu, Yangtao Liu
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Patent number: 10547044Abstract: A dry electrode manufacturing process employed for low cost battery through a dry mixing and formation process. A thermal activation renders the dry fabricated electrode comparable to conventional slurry casted electrodes. The dry electrode mixture results from a combination of a plurality of types of constituent particles, including at least an active charge material and a binder, and typically a conductive material such as carbon. The process heats the deposited mixture to a moderate temperature for activating the binder for adhering the mixture to the substrate; and compresses the deposited mixture to a thickness for achieving an electrical sufficiency of the compressed, deposited mixture as a charge material in a battery.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignees: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, The Curators of the University of MissouriInventors: Yan Wang, Zhangfeng Zheng, Brandon Ludwig, Heng Pan
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Patent number: 10522884Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan
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Publication number: 20190123402Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2018Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan
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Publication number: 20170077564Abstract: Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Yan Wang, Eric Gratz, Qina Sa, Zhangfeng Zheng, Joseph Heelan
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Publication number: 20170062798Abstract: A dry electrode manufacturing process employed for low cost battery through a dry mixing and formation process. A thermal activation renders the dry fabricated electrode comparable to conventional slurry casted electrodes. The dry electrode mixture results from a combination of a plurality of types of constituent particles, including at least an active charge material and a binder, and typically a conductive material such as carbon. The process heats the deposited mixture to a moderate temperature for activating the binder for adhering the mixture to the substrate; and compresses the deposited mixture to a thickness for achieving an electrical sufficiency of the compressed, deposited mixture as a charge material in a battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2016Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventors: Yan Wang, Zhangfeng Zheng, Brandon Ludwig, Heng Pan