The Alkali Metal Is Lithium Patents (Class 429/322)
  • Patent number: 7781102
    Abstract: Electrodes comprising an alkali metal, for example, lithium, alloyed with nanostructured materials of formula SizGe(z-1), where 0<z?1; formula SizGe(z-1), where 0<z<1; and/or germanium exhibit a combination of improved capacities, cycle lives, and/or cycling rates compared with similar electrodes made from graphite. These electrodes are useful as anodes for secondary electrochemical cells, for example, batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.)
    Inventors: Jason A. Graetz, Brent T. Fultz, Channing Ahn, Rachid Yazami
  • Patent number: 7776478
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making thin-film batteries having composite multi-layered electrolytes with soft electrolyte between hard electrolyte covering the negative and/or positive electrode, and the resulting batteries. In some embodiments, foil-core cathode sheets each having a cathode material (e.g., LiCoO2) covered by a hard electrolyte on both sides, and foil-core anode sheets having an anode material (e.g., lithium metal) covered by a hard electrolyte on both sides, are laminated using a soft (e.g., polymer gel) electrolyte sandwiched between alternating cathode and anode sheets. A hard glass-like electrolyte layer obtains a smooth hard positive-electrode lithium-metal layer upon charging, but when very thin, have randomly spaced pinholes/defects. When the hard layers are formed on both the positive and negative electrodes, one electrode's dendrite-short-causing defects on are not aligned with the other electrode's defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
    Inventor: Jody J. Klaassen
  • Patent number: 7771880
    Abstract: A solid composite electrolyte membrane for use in a lithium battery is provided which exhibits a conductivity ranging from about 10?4 S cm?1 to about 10?3 S cm?1 at ambient temperature. The membrane is formed by providing a glass or glass-ceramic powder formed from a mixture of lithium carbonate, alumina, titanium dioxide, and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate. The powder is mixed with a conditioning agent and at least one solvent, followed by the addition of a binder and one or more plasticizers. The resulting slurry is cast into a tape which is then subjected to a binder burn-off and sintering process to form the membrane. The resulting membrane may be a glass-ceramic composite having a porosity ranging from 0 to 50%, or the membrane may be further infiltrated with a polymer to form a water-impermeable polymeric-ceramic composite membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: University of Dayton
    Inventors: Binod Kumar, Joykumar Singh Thokchom
  • Patent number: 7771496
    Abstract: A method of a reducing impurities in an electrolyte includes contacting one or more components of an electrolyte with a zeolite. The method also includes activating one or more anode and one or more cathodes with the electrolyte. Contacting the one or more components with the zeolite can include contacting the electrolyte with the zeolite. In some instances, the method includes preparing the electrolyte after contacting the one or more components of the electrolyte with the zeolite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Quallion LLC
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakahara, Sang Young Yoon
  • Patent number: 7767349
    Abstract: Alloy compositions are described for use in anodes of lithium ion batteries. The alloy compositions contain (a) tin, (b) a second element that includes silicon, aluminum, or a combination thereof, (c) a third element that includes yttrium, a lanthanide element, an actinide element, or a combination thereof and an optional alkaline earth element, and (d) an optional transition metal. The alloy compositions are amorphous and remain amorphous even after multiple cycles of lithiation and delithiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mark N. Obrovac, Jeffrey R. Dahn, Richard Mar, Michael D. Fleischauer
  • Publication number: 20100151335
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte sheet including: 80 to 99 wt % of an inorganic solid electrolyte, and 1 to 20 wt % of a binder; the inorganic solid electrolyte being obtainable by firing a raw material containing lithium sulfide (Li2S) with phosphorus pentasulfide (P2S5), or elemental phosphorus and elemental sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Senga, Yoshikatsu Seino
  • Patent number: 7736811
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte of the present invention is represented by a general formula: LiaPbMcOdNe, where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, Ge, Al, C, Ga and S, and a, b, c, d and e respectively satisfy a=0.62 to 4.98, b=0.01 to 0.99, c=0.01 to 0.99, d=1.070 to 3.985, e=0.01 to 0.50, and b+c=1.0. The solid electrolyte hardly deteriorates in a wet atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Ugaji, Shinji Mino, Yasuyuki Shibano, Shuji Ito
  • Publication number: 20100143769
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods for manufacturing lithium-metal anode [18] assemblies for thin-film, thick-film and hulk secondary batteries that use liquid or gel-type electrolytes [14], and lithium-metal anode [18] assemblies for thick-film and bulk secondary batteries that use solid electrolytes [18]. These methods involve electrolytic formation of a lithium metal anode [18] between a protecting lithium-stable, solid electrolyte [18] material and an eieethcaiiy-Gonductive substance [20]. Secondary lithium_ batteries made by these methods aw also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Midwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Se-Hee Lee, Edwin C. Tracy, John Roland Pitts
  • Patent number: 7722988
    Abstract: A lithium electrochemical cell design incorporating a low molality electrolyte including LiI is disclosed. The resulting cell delivers excellent performance under a wide range of temperatures, conditions and drain rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Webber
  • Publication number: 20100112457
    Abstract: Electrochemical energy sources based on solid-state electrolytes are known in the art. These (planar) energy sources, or solid-state batteries, efficiently convert chemical energy into electrical energy and can be used as the power sources for portable electronics. The invention relates to an improved electrochemical energy source. The invention also relates to an electronic device provided with such an electrochemical energy source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Rogier Adrianus Henrica Niessen, Petrus Henricus Laurentius Notten
  • Publication number: 20100104948
    Abstract: Provided is an anode for use in electrochemical cells, wherein the anode active layer has a first layer comprising lithium metal and a multi-layer structure comprising single ion conducting layers and polymer layers in contact with the first layer comprising lithium metal or in contact with an intermediate protective layer, such as a temporary protective metal layer, on the surface of the lithium-containing first layer. Another aspect of the invention provides an anode active layer formed by the in-situ deposition of lithium vapor and a reactive gas. The anodes of the current invention are particularly useful in electrochemical cells comprising sulfur-containing cathode active materials, such as elemental sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Sion Power Corporation
    Inventors: Terje A. Skotheim, Christopher J. Sheehan, Yuriy V. Mikhaylik, John Affinito
  • Patent number: 7704639
    Abstract: A process for preparing membranes formed by (per) fluorinated ionomeric electrolytes salified with the lithium ion, comprising the following steps: a) obtaining of (per) fluorinated polymer membranes, containing —SO2F groups; b) partial or complete salification of (per)fluorinated polymer membranes containing —SO2F groups with basic lithium compounds and final washing with water; c) swelling and contemporaneous drying process of membranes by dipping in a heterogeneous biphasic system of a dipolar aprotic solvent wherein insoluble solid drying agents are dispersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Solvay Solexis S.p.A.
    Inventors: Walter Navarrini, Stefania Panero, Bruno Scrosati, Aldo Sanguineti
  • Patent number: 7700019
    Abstract: A process of co-extrusion of a thin electrode sheet with a thin electrolyte polymer sheet directly onto a current collector sheet for a lithium polymer battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Bathium Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Paul-André Lavoie, Richard Laliberté, Jonathan Dubé, Yvon Gagnon
  • Patent number: 7691536
    Abstract: An air lithium battery (10) is provided having two equal halves (11) that are joined together along a centerline (12). Each half includes a substrate (13), a carbon based cathode (14), a solid electrolyte (15), an anode (16), an anode current collector (17), and end seals (19). The solid electrolyte includes alternating layers of ion conductive glass (21) and ion conductive polymer (22) materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Excellatron Solid State, LLC
    Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20100062343
    Abstract: An inorganic solid electrolytic rechargeable battery having positive and negative electrodes and an inorganic electrolyte interposed therebetween is provided. The positive and negative electrodes each contain an active material layer and a current collector layer. The positive electrode collector layer or the negative electrode collector layer is a conductive metal oxide layer. The negative electrode active material layer contains lithium metal or lithium alloys. This negative active layer may optionally be made of a material which provides an operation voltage potential of the negative electrode to be more noble than 1.0 V with respect to the potential of a metallic lithium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Koichi HARADA, Hiroki Inagaki, Seiichi Suenaga
  • Patent number: 7674559
    Abstract: A lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having two electrodes and a separator interposed between the two electrodes, and a case for storing the electrode assembly, wherein the separator is formed by using a binder and a filler including a solid electrolyte having lithium ion conductivity. The lithium secondary battery has a separator and an electrolyte capable of increasing internal ion-conductivity. Also, a lithium secondary battery has a separator capable of safely preventing a short circuit between the electrodes in a possibly high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Yun Min, Won Chull Han, Jin Hee Kim
  • Publication number: 20100055573
    Abstract: A reverse configuration, lithium thin film battery (300) having a buried lithium anode layer (305) and process for making the same. The present invention is formed from a precursor composite structure (200) made by depositing electrolyte layer (204) onto substrate (201), followed by sequential depositions of cathode layer (203) and current collector (202) on the electrolyte layer. The precursor is subjected to an activation step, wherein a buried lithium anode layer (305) is formed via electroplating a lithium anode layer at the interface of substrate (201) and electrolyte film (204). The electroplating is accomplished by applying a current between anode current collector (201) and cathode current collector (202).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Se-Hee Lee, C. Edwin Tracy, Ping Liu
  • Publication number: 20100047696
    Abstract: A ceramic material that can exhibit sufficient compactness and lithium (Li) conductivity to enable the use thereof as a solid electrolyte material for a lithium secondary battery and the like is provided. The ceramic material contains aluminum (Al) and has a garnet-type crystal structure or a garnet-like crystal structure containing lithium (Li), lanthanum (La), zirconium (Zr) and oxygen (O).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro YOSHIDA, Akihiko HONDA, Yosuke SATO
  • Publication number: 20100040954
    Abstract: Metal complex salts may be used in lithium ion batteries. Such metal complex salts not only perform as an electrolyte salt in a lithium ion batteries with high solubility and conductivity, but also can act as redox shuttles that provide overcharge protection of individual cells in a battery pack and/or as electrolyte additives to provide other mechanisms to provide overcharge protection to lithium ion batteries. The metal complex salts have at least one aromatic ring. The aromatic moiety may be reversibly oxidized/reduced at a potential slightly higher than the working potential of the positive electrode in the lithium ion battery. The metal complex salts may also be known as overcharge protection salts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Khalil Amine, Zhengcheng Zhang, Zonghai Chen
  • Patent number: 7656125
    Abstract: A storage voltage of a battery pack is controlled with control electronics. The storage voltage of a battery pack is sensed, and a discharge mechanism is triggered if the storage voltage is within a predetermined range of voltage, to thereby adjust the storage voltage of the battery pack to below the predetermined range of voltage, or if the storage voltage is at or above a predetermined voltage, to thereby adjust the storage voltage of the battery pack to below the predetermined voltage. Control electronics sense a storage voltage of a battery pack and trigger a discharge mechanism if the storage voltage is within a predetermined range of voltage, to thereby adjust the storage voltage of the battery pack to below the predetermined range of voltage, or if the storage voltage is at or above a predetermined voltage, to thereby adjust the storage voltage of the battery pack to below the predetermined voltage. The control electronics are coupled to an electronic device and a battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Boston-Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Christina M. Lampe-Onnerud, Yanning Song, Richard V Chamberlain, II, Per Onnerud
  • Publication number: 20090317724
    Abstract: Liquid-free lithium-air cells are provided which incorporate a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport and catalytic activity. The solid electrolyte is positioned between a lithium anode and an oxygen cathode, and comprises a glass-ceramic and/or a polymer-ceramic electrolyte including a dielectric additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
    Inventors: Binod Kumar, Jitendra Kumar
  • Patent number: 7632607
    Abstract: A negative electrode for a battery has a collector, active material layer, and inorganic compound layer. The active material layer is formed on the collector. The inorganic compound layer is formed on the surface of the active material layer. The inorganic compound layer is expressed by general formula LixPTyOz or LixMOyNz. The compound composing the inorganic compound layer has lithium ion conductivity and excels in moisture resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Ugaji, Shinji Mino, Yasuyuki Shibano, Shuji Ito
  • Patent number: 7615316
    Abstract: In order to manufacture a lithium secondary battery having excellent performances in safety under overcharge condition, cycle property, electric capacity, and storage endurance, 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a tert-alkylbenzene compound is favorably incorporated into a non-aqueous electrolytic solution comprising a non-aqueous solvent and an electrolyte, preferably in combination with 0.1 wt. % to 1.5 wt. % of a biphenyl compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: UBE Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Abe, Yasuo Matsumori, Akira Ueki
  • Patent number: 7611804
    Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery comprising an electrode body which comprises a positive electrode and a negative electrode laminated with a separator interposed between them, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein said negative electrode comprises graphite as a negative electrode active material, and has a coating density of at least 1.70 g/cm3, pore diameter of the maximum of less than 0.5 ?m, and the logarithmic value of differential intrusion of at least 0.14 cm3/g at the pore diameter of the maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Sakata, Hayato Higuchi, Fusaji Kita
  • Publication number: 20090263725
    Abstract: A polymer that combines high ionic conductivity with the structural properties required for Li electrode stability is useful as a solid phase electrolyte for high energy density, high cycle life batteries that do not suffer from failures due to side reactions and dendrite growth on the Li electrodes, and other potential applications. The polymer electrolyte includes a linear block copolymer having a conductive linear polymer block with a molecular weight of at least 5000 Daltons, a structural linear polymer block with an elastic modulus in excess of 1×107 Pa and an ionic conductivity of at least 1×10?5 Scm?1. The electrolyte is made under dry conditions to achieve the noted characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Nitash Pervez Balsara, Mohit Singh, Hany Basam Eitouni, Enrique Daniel Gomez
  • Publication number: 20090239152
    Abstract: To solve a problem that in a battery having a negative electrode having a capability of releasing a metal ion, a positive electrode for causing a liquid such as water or seawater to contribute to battery reaction, and an inorganic solid electrolyte, the inorganic solid electrolyte contacts the positive electrode for a long term, whereby a deterioration is generated from the interface between the electrolyte and the positive electrode so that the battery capacity falls or the battery cannot give a high power. The positive electrode and the inorganic solid electrolyte are not brought into contact with each other. Preferably, the interval between the positive electrode and the electrolyte is set to 0.3 nm or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Takashi Katoh
  • Publication number: 20090239153
    Abstract: A lithium ion conductive glass ceramics which solves a problem of low thermal stability of the related-art lithium ion conductive glass ceramics and which is high in lithium ion conductivity, high in thermal stability of a raw glass and easy for molding is provided. The amount of a specified component in a glass ceramics (raw glass) is limited to a specified range, and specifically, a ZrO2 component is incorporated in the range of from 0.5% to 2.5% in terms of % by mass on the oxide basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Yasushi Inda
  • Patent number: 7585579
    Abstract: An electrolyte for a metal-oxygen battery includes a non-aqueous solvent which is characterized in that the solubility of oxygen therein is at least 0.1150 cc O2/cc of solvent at STP. The electrolyte also includes an electrolyte salt dissolved in the solvent. The solvent may comprise a mixture of materials in which at least 50%, on a weight basis, of the materials have an oxygen solubility of at least 0.1760 cc O2/cc at STP. Also disclosed is a method for optimizing the composition of an electrolyte for a metal-oxygen battery by selecting the solvent for the electrolyte from those materials which will dissolve the electrolyte salt and which have a solubility for oxygen which is at least 0.1150 cc O2/cc at STP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Read
  • Publication number: 20090197183
    Abstract: A solid battery includes at least either one of a positive electrode and a negative electrode comprising bars of an active material of the electrode and bars of a solid electrolyte of the electrode arranged alternately in such a manner that each of the bars of the active material of the electrode is disposed adjacent to each of the bars of the solid electrolyte of the electrode, and a solid electrolyte constituting a separator and having a plane to which the bars of the active material and the bars of the solid electrolyte of the electrode are disposed in a crossing direction. There is also provided a method for manufacturing an electrode of such solid battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: OHARA INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kato
  • Publication number: 20090197182
    Abstract: A solid state battery comprising: a solid electrolyte; a positive electrode containing an active material; and a negative electrode containing an active material is provided. The solid electrolyte is disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. At least one of the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material contains a metal oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: OHARA INC.
    Inventor: Takashi KATOH
  • Publication number: 20090197181
    Abstract: [Problem] A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided that shows good cycle performance and good storage performance under high temperature conditions and exhibits high reliability even with a battery configuration featuring high capacity. A method of manufacturing the battery is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Sakitani, Takeshi Ogasawara, Hiroshi Minami, Naoki Imachi, Atsushi Kaiduka, Yasunori Baba, Yoshinori Kida, Shin Fujitani
  • Publication number: 20090162755
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solid-state lithium-ion thin-film electrolyte that, compared to the current state-of-the-art thin-film electrolyte, Lipon, exhibits an equal or larger electrochemical stability window (0-5.5 V vs. Li+/Li), an equal or smaller electronic conductivity (10?14 S/cm at 25° C.), the same ideal transference number for Li+ ions (t=1.000), and a 10× higher Li+ ion conductivity at ?40° C. Latter provides thin-film batteries (TFBs) with at least a 5× higher power performance at ?40° C. over the current state-of-the-art Lipon TFBs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventor: Bernd J. NEUDECKER
  • Patent number: 7541114
    Abstract: In order to provide a 3V level non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with a flat voltage and excellent cycle life at a high rate with low cost, the present invention provides a positive electrode represented by the formula: Li2±?[Me]4O8?x, wherein 0??<0.4, 0?x<2, and Me is a transition metal containing Mn and at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Cu, said active material exhibiting topotactic two-phase reactions during charge and discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Osaka City University
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ohzuku, Hiroshi Yoshizawa, Masatoshi Nagayama, Hizuru Koshina
  • Publication number: 20090136835
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery comprises a case; a positive electrode foil having a current collector foil on which a positive electrode material is coated; an negative electrode film having a current collector film on which an negative electrode material is coated; a separator sandwiched between the positive electrode film and the negative electrode film, the films and the separator being arranged in multiple layers to form a group of electrodes enclosed in the case, a positive collector disc plate connected to the positive electrode side of the group of the electrodes, and an negative collector disc plate connected to the negative electrode side of the group of the electrodes. Each of the current collector foils has a non-coated portion extended along one side of the foils, a part or the entire of the non-coated portion being exposed from a side of the separator. At least one of the collector disc plate is welded to the side of the exposed non-coated portion of the group of the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Kenji Nakai, Akinori Tada, Masatsugu Arai, Kinya Aota
  • Publication number: 20090104537
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bilayer polymer electrolyte for a lithium battery. The electrolyte comprises the layers N and P, each composed of a solid solution of an Li salt in a polymer material, the Li salt being the same in both layers, the polymer material content being at least 60% by weight, and the lithium salt content being from 5 to 25% by weight. The polymer material of the layer P contains a solvating polymer and a nonsolvating polymer, the weight ratio of the two polymers being such that the solvating polymer forms a continuous network. The polymer material of the layer N is composed of a solvating polymer and optionally a nonsolvating polymer, the weight ratio of the two polymers being such that the solvating polymer forms a continuous network, and the nonsolvating polymer does not form a continuous network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventor: Marc Deschamps
  • Patent number: 7517616
    Abstract: A sulfide-based inorganic solid electrolyte that suppresses the reaction between silicon sulfide and metallic lithium even when the electrolyte is in contact with metallic lithium, a method of forming the electrolyte, and a lithium battery's member and lithium secondary battery both incorporating the electrolyte. The electrolyte comprises Li, P, and S without containing Si. It is desirable that the oxygen content vary gradually from the electrolyte to the lithium-containing material at the boundary zone between the two members when analyzed by using an XPS having an analyzing chamber capable of maintaining a super-high vacuum less than 1.33×10?9 hPa and that the oxygen-containing layer on the surface of the lithium-containing material be removed nearly completely. The electrolyte can be formed such that at least part of the forming step is performed concurrently with the step for etching the surface of the substrate by irradiating the surface with inert-gas ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kugai, Nobuhiro Ota
  • Publication number: 20090092903
    Abstract: A solid state Li battery and an all ceramic Li-ion battery are disclosed. The all ceramic battery has a solid state battery cathode comprised of a mixture of an active cathode material, an electronically conductive material, and a solid ionically conductive material. The cathode mixture is sintered. The battery also has a solid state battery anode comprised of a mixture of an active anode material, an electronically conductive material, and a solid ionically conductive material. The anode mixture is sintered. The battery also has a solid state separator positioned between said solid state battery cathode and said solid state battery anode. In the solid state Li battery the all ceramic anode is replaced with an evaporated thin film Li metal anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson, Steve Buckingham, Davorin Babic, David Johnson, Manuel Johnson
  • Patent number: 7514181
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid electrolyte including Li, O, P and a transition metal element. In the solid electrolyte, because the transition metal element T is reduced prior to phosphorus atoms, it is possible to prevent the valence of phosphorus atoms from decreasing. Thereby, the decomposition of the solid electrolyte resulting from the decrease of valence of phosphorus atoms is prevented, and therefore high ion conductivity is retained even in a wet atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Ugaji, Shinji Mino, Yasuyuki Shibano, Shuji Ito
  • Patent number: 7510800
    Abstract: An all-solid battery having a high output power is provided which exhibits high safety and is capable of being produced at a low cost is provided. The all-solid battery includes an internal electrode body having a cathode comprising a cathode material, an anode comprising an anode material, and a solid electrolyte layer comprising a solid electrolyte. The cathode material, the anode material, and the solid electrolyte are phosphoric acid compounds. The internal electrode body is integrated by firing the cathode, the anode, and the solid electrolyte layer, and the internal electrode body contains water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignees: NGK Insulators, Ltd., Kyushu University
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yoshida, Hiroyuki Katsukawa, Kazuhiro Yamamoto, Shigeto Okada
  • Publication number: 20090081554
    Abstract: An all-solid lithium secondary battery has excellent reliability including safety. However, in general, its energy density or output density is lower than that achieved by liquid electrolyte systems. The all-solid lithium battery includes a lithium ion-conducting solid electrolyte as an electrolyte. The lithium ion-conducting solid electrolyte is mainly composed of a sulfide, and the surface of a positive electrode active material is coated with a lithium ion-conducting oxide. The advantages of the present invention are particularly significant when the positive electrode active material exhibits a potential of 3 V or more during operation of the all-solid lithium battery, i.e., when redox reaction occurs at a potential of 3 V or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE
    Inventors: Kazunori Takada, Narumi Ohta, Lianqi Zhang, Takayoshi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20090081555
    Abstract: In a solid electrolyte obtained by sintering a powder, high ionic conductivity and remarkably low moisture permeation applicable to a lithium ion secondary battery or a lithium primary battery are realized. A method for producing a solid electrolyte including the steps of preparing a green sheet containing a lithium ion conductive inorganic material powder; and firing the green sheet, wherein in the step of firing the green sheet, at least one surface of the green sheet is covered by a setter having a porosity of not more than 10% by volume, is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: OHARA INC.
    Inventor: Jun TERAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7504473
    Abstract: Novel chain polymers comprising weakly basic anionic moieties chemically bound into a polyether backbone at controllable anionic separations are presented. Preferred polymers comprise orthoborate anions capped with dibasic acid residues, preferably oxalato or malonato acid residues. The conductivity of these polymers is found to be high relative to that of most conventional salt-in-polymer electrolytes. The conductivity at high temperatures and wide electrochemical window make these materials especially suitable as electrolytes for rechargeable lithium batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents for and on behalf of Arizona State University
    Inventors: Charles A. Angell, Wu Xu
  • Publication number: 20090061288
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: John Howard Gordon, John Joseph Watkins
  • Publication number: 20090061323
    Abstract: Electrochemical cells are disclosed. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell includes an electrolyte that contains a bis(oxalato)borate salt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Dana Alexa Totir, Kirakodu S. Nanjundaswamy, Michael Pozin
  • Publication number: 20090035664
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to batteries or other electrochemical devices, and systems and materials for use in these, including novel electrode materials and designs. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to small-scale batteries or microbatteries. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a battery may have a volume of no more than about 5 mm3, while having an energy density of at least about 400 W h/l. In some cases, the battery may include a electrode comprising a porous electroactive compound. In some embodiments, the pores of the porous electrode may be at least partially filled with a liquid such as a liquid electrolyte. The electrode may be able to withstand repeated charging and discharging. In some cases, the electrode may have a plurality of protrusions and/or a wall (which may surround the protrusions, if present); however, in other cases, there may be no protrusions or walls. The electrode may be formed from a unitary material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yet-Ming Chiang, Ryan C. Wartena, Timothy E. Chin, Can K. Erdonmez, Wei Lai
  • Publication number: 20090029264
    Abstract: Disclosed is a thin-film solid secondary cell (1) wherein a positive electrode collector layer (20), a positive electrode active material layer (30), a solid electrolyte layer (40), a negative electrode active material layer (50) and a negative electrode collector layer (20) are arranged on a substrate (10). The positive electrode active material layer (30) is a thin film composed of a metal oxide containing a transition metal and lithium, while the negative electrode active material layer (50) is a thin film composed of a semiconductor, a metal, an alloy or a metal oxide other than vanadium oxide. At least layers other than collector layers (20) are amorphous thin films. The substance constituting the solid electrolyte layer (40) is lithium phosphate (Li3PO4) or lithium phosphate added with nitrogen (LIPON).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: GEOMATEC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromi Nakazawa, Kimihiro Sano, Mamoru Baba
  • Publication number: 20090029265
    Abstract: A battery structure includes a positive electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode layer disposed in that order, wherein the solid electrolyte layer has a chemical composition, excluding incidental impurities, represented by the formula aLi·bX·cS·dY, where X is at least one element of phosphorus (P) and boron (B), Y is at least one element of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N), the sum of a, b, c, and d is 1, a is 0.20 to 0.52, b is 0.10 to 0.20, c is 0.30 to 0.55, and d is 0 to 0.30. The solid electrolyte layer includes a portion A in contact with the negative electrode layer and a portion B in contact with the positive electrode layer, and d in the portion A is larger than d in the portion B. A lithium secondary battery includes the battery structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Ota
  • Publication number: 20090011339
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lithium ion-conductive solid electrolyte exhibiting high lithium ion conductivity even at room temperature which is hardly oxidized and free from problems of toxicity and contains as components lithium (Li) element, boron (B) element, sulfur (S) element, and oxygen (O) element, and the ratio between sulfur element and oxygen element (O/S) is 0.01 to 1.43.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Seino, Kazunori Takada
  • Patent number: 7473493
    Abstract: A process for preparing an active material for a battery includes the steps of preparing a coating liquid by adding a compound comprising an element X that is capable of forming a double bond with oxygen, and a compound comprising at least one from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a group 13 element, a group 14 element, a transition metal, and a rare-earth element, to water, adding a metal source to the coating liquid to surface-treat the metal source material, drying the surface-treated metal source material to prepare an active material precursor; mixing the active material precursor with a lithium source; and heat-treating the resultant mixture to produce an active material with a surface-treatment layer comprising the compound of the formula (1): MXOk??(1) wherein M is at least one selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a group 13 element, a group 14 element, a transition metal, and a rare-earth element; X is an element that can
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Phil Cho, Yong-Chul Park, Won-Il Jung, Geun-Bae Kim
  • Patent number: 7473492
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a lithium secondary battery of high output. According to the present invention, there is provided a lithium secondary battery having a positive electrode and a negative electrode which reversibly intercalate and deintercalate lithium and an electrolyte containing an ion conductive material and an electrolytic salt, where said electrolyte contains an electrolytic salt and a boron-containing compound represented by the following formula (1) or a polymer thereof, or a copolymer of the compounds of the following formulas (2) and (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takefumi Okumura, Shin Nishimura, Norio Iwayasu, Shoichi Yokoyama, Takeshi Yabe