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EP-3861585-B1 - METHODS OF MAKING AND USING AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL COMPRISING AN INTERLAYER

EP3861585B1EP 3861585 B1EP3861585 B1EP 3861585B1EP-3861585-B1

Inventors

  • BECK, LARRY
  • YAW, Clarissa
  • CHAO, CHENG-CHIEH
  • DONNELLY, Niall
  • HOLME, TIM
  • LI, SHUANG
  • VAN BERKEL, KIM
  • GENDRON, Danielle
  • SMITH, Shawna
  • SUGANO, Karen

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20191001

Claims (12)

  1. A lithium battery comprising: a negative electrode current collector (NECC); a solid-state electrolyte separator; and an interlayer between the NECC and the electrolyte separator; wherein the interlayer comprises zinc (Zn) having a thickness of between 300-699 nm; or tin (Sn) having a thickness of 300-350 nm or 350-399 nm.
  2. The lithium battery of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte separator is a thin film or a pellet.
  3. The lithium battery of any preceding claim, wherein the interlayer further comprises an oxygen-containing compound.
  4. The lithium battery of any preceding claim, further comprising a Li metal negative electrode between and in direct contact with the NECC and the interlayer, wherein the interlayer is between and in direct contact with the lithium metal negative electrode and the electrolyte separator.
  5. The lithium battery of any preceding claim, wherein the electrolyte separator comprises lithium-stuffed garnet.
  6. The lithium battery of claim 5, wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises Li A La B M' c M" D Zr E O F , wherein 4<A<8.5, 1.5<B<4, 0≤C≤2, 0≤D≤2; 0≤E≤2.5, 10<F≤13; and M' and M" are each, independently in each instance selected, from the group consisting of Al, Mo, W, Nb, Sb, Ca, Ba, Sr, Ce, Hf, Rb, Ga, and Ta; wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises Li J La K Zr L O M ·yAl 2 O 3 ; wherein 5≤J≤8, 2≤K≤5, 0≤L≤3, 10≤M≤13, and 0≤y≤1; or wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises Li x La 3 Zr z O 12 ·yAl 2 O 3 , wherein 5≤x≤8, 0≤y≤1, and 0<z≤2.5.
  7. The lithium battery of any one of claims 4-6, wherein the interlayer and the lithium metal negative electrode comprise 99.9%-95% lithium by mole and 0.1% - 5% zinc by mole; or wherein the interlayer further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Bi, Cr, Ge, Sb, Si, Ti, a lithium alloy thereof, oxides thereof, hydroxides thereof, peroxides thereof, and combinations thereof.
  8. The lithium battery of any preceding claim, wherein the interlayer decreases the contact angle of liquid lithium metal, when liquid lithium metal is placed in contact with the interlayer compared to when liquid lithium metal is placed in contact with the electrolyte separator.
  9. The lithium battery of any preceding claim, wherein the NECC comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon (C)-coated nickel (Ni), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and combinations thereof.
  10. The lithium battery of any preceding claim, wherein the electrolyte separator is a thin film and the thickness of the thin film is from 0.1 µm to 200 µm.
  11. An electrochemical cell comprising a lithium battery of any one of claims 1-10, wherein a pressure in the electrochemical cell is at least 68.9 kPa (10 psi).
  12. The electrochemical cell of claim 11, wherein a pressure in the electrochemical cell is at least 689 kPa (100 psi); or wherein a pressure in the electrochemical cell is lower than 2068 kPa (300 psi).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/740,332, which was filed October 2, 2018. FIELD The present disclosure concerns solid-state electrochemical cells and rechargeable batteries containing the same. BACKGROUND In a rechargeable Li+ ion battery, Li+ ions move from a negative electrode to a positive electrode during discharge and in the opposite direction during charge. This process produces electrical energy (Energy = Voltage x Current) in a circuit connecting the electrodes, which is electrically isolated from, but parallel to, the Li+ ion conduction path. The battery's voltage (V versus Li) is a function of the chemical potential difference for Li situated in the positive electrode as compared to Li situated in the negative electrode and is maximized when Li metal is used as the negative electrode. An electrolyte physically separates and electrically insulates the positive and negative electrodes while also providing a conduction medium for Li+ ions. The electrolyte ensures that when Li metal oxidizes at the negative electrode during discharge (e.g., Li ↔ Li+ + e-) and produces electrons, these electrons conduct between the electrodes by way of an external circuit which is not the same pathway taken by the Li+ ions. Example battery technology is disclosed in US 2017/279155 A1 which discusses a battery, comprising an interlayer located between a negative electrode current collector and a solid-state electrolyte separator. US 6733924 B1 discloses a lithium anode of an electrochemical cell, with a first layer of lithium metal and a second layer of a temporary protective material capable of forming an alloy with the lithium metal or diffusing into it. US 2006/222954 A1 discloses another example of an anode for use in electrochemical cells wherein the anode active layer has a first layer of lithium metal and a multi-layer structure comprising single ion conducting layers and polymer layers. US 2016/380315 A1 discloses an electrochemical cell, comprising an anode and an electrolyte separator with an interlayer in between. When the positive electrode, electrolyte, and negative electrode are made of solid materials, or substantially made of solid materials, the resulting rechargeable battery is referred to as a solid-state rechargeable battery. In a battery having a solid-state electrolyte separator and a lithium metal negative electrode, the separator-lithium metal interface requires sufficient contact to locally flow lithium metal, while plating (i.e., charging) and stripping (i.e., discharging), into and out of the separator. Repeated expansion and contraction during cell cycling can lead to delamination of the negative electrode from the solid-state separator. Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for retaining contact between a lithium metal anode and a solid state separator in electrochemical cells. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the present concept there is provided a lithium battery comprising: a negative electrode current collector (NECC); a solid-state electrolyte separator; and an interlayer between the NECC and the electrolyte separator; wherein the interlayer comprises zinc (Zn) having a thickness of between 300-699 nm; or tin (Sn) having a thickness of 300-350 nm or 350-399 nm. Optionally, the electrolyte separator of the lithium battery is a thin film or a pellet. Optionally, the interlayer of the lithium battery further comprises an oxygen-containing compound. Optionally the lithium battery further comprises a Li metal negative electrode between and in direct contact with the NECC and the interlayer, wherein the interlayer is between and in direct contact with the lithium metal negative electrode and the electrolyte separator. Optionally the electrolyte separator of the lithium battery comprises lithium-stuffed garnet. Optionally, the lithium-stuffed garnet of the lithium battery comprises LiALaBM'CM"DZrEOF, wherein 4<A<8.5, 1.5<B<4, 0≤C≤2, 0≤D≤2; 0≤E≤2.5, 10<F≤13; and M' and M" are each, independently in each instance selected, from the group consisting of Al, Mo, W, Nb, Sb, Ca, Ba, Sr, Ce, Hf, Rb, Ga, and Ta; wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises LiJLaKZrLOM·yAl2O3; wherein 5≤J≤8, 2≤K≤5, 0≤L≤3, 10≤M≤13, and 0≤y≤1; or wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises LixLa3ZrzO12·yAl2O3, wherein 5≤x≤8, 0≤y≤1, and 0<z≤2.5. Optionally, the interlayer and the lithium metal negative electrode of the lithium battery comprise 99.9%-95% lithium by mole and 0.1% - 5% zinc by mole; or wherein the interlayer further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Bi, Cr, Ge, Sb, Si, Ti, a lithium alloy thereof, oxides thereof, hydroxides thereof, peroxides thereof, and combinations thereof. Optionally, the interlayer of the lithium battery decreases the contact angle of liquid lithium metal, when liquid lithium metal is placed in contact with the interlay