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US-20260128389-A1 - NANOWIRE COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS THEREOF

US20260128389A1US 20260128389 A1US20260128389 A1US 20260128389A1US-20260128389-A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a nanowire composition that includes nanowires comprising aluminum fluoride (AlF 3 ) (AFNWs). The aluminum fluoride comprises α-phase AlF 3 . In some implementations, an average diameter of the AFNWs is in a range of 100 to 500 nm, an average length of the AFNWs is in a range of 100 to 1000 μm, and an average aspect ratio of the AFNWs is in a range of 1000 to 1×10 4 . An AFNW membrane, an anode-interlayer component comprising AFNWs, and a lithium metal battery incorporating the anode-interlayer component are also disclosed. Related methods of making AFNWs, an AFNW membrane, an anode-interlayer component, and a lithium metal battery are also disclosed.

Inventors

  • Wenbin Fu
  • Kaixi CHEN
  • Fujia Wang
  • Gleb Nikolayevich Yushin

Assignees

  • SILA NANOTECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241121

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A nanowire composition, comprising: nanowires comprising aluminum fluoride (AlF 3 ).
  2. 2 . The nanowire composition of claim 1 , wherein: the AlF 3 comprises α-phase AlF 3 .
  3. 3 . The nanowire composition of claim 1 , wherein: the nanowires are porous and comprise external pores.
  4. 4 . The nanowire composition of claim 1 , wherein: an average diameter of the nanowires is in a range of about 100 to about 500 nm.
  5. 5 . The nanowire composition of claim 1 , wherein: an average length of the nanowires is in a range of about 100 to about 1000 μm.
  6. 6 . The nanowire composition of claim 1 , wherein: an average aspect ratio of the nanowires is in a range of about 1000 to 1×10 4 .
  7. 7 . A membrane, comprising: the nanowire composition of claim 1 .
  8. 8 . The membrane of claim 7 , wherein: the membrane comprises a nonwoven network of the nanowires.
  9. 9 . An anode-interlayer component, comprising: an anode; and an interlayer disposed on the anode, wherein: the interlayer comprises the nanowire composition of claim 1 ; and the interlayer is in the form of a membrane or a coating.
  10. 10 . The anode-interlayer component of claim 9 , wherein: the anode comprises one or more of the following in direct contact with the interlayer: Li metal, a current collector, or composite particles comprising carbon and silicon.
  11. 11 . The anode-interlayer component of claim 10 , wherein: the anode comprises the current collector; and the current collector comprises Cu, Al, Ni, Ti, Mo, Fe, steel, a graphene coating, a carbon coating or film, carbon nanotubes, and/or carbon nanofibers.
  12. 12 . A lithium-ion battery, comprising: a cathode; the anode-interlayer component of claim 10 ; and an electrolyte ionically coupling the cathode and the anode-interlayer component, wherein: the interlayer faces toward the cathode.
  13. 13 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 , wherein: the cathode comprises lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, and/or lithium manganese oxide.
  14. 14 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 , further comprising: a separator disposed between the interlayer and the cathode, wherein: the electrolyte comprises a liquid electrolyte infiltrating the separator.
  15. 15 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 , wherein: the electrolyte comprises LiPF 6 , lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and/or lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI).
  16. 16 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 , wherein: the current collector comprises Cu; and the anode comprises Li nuclei particles located between the current collector and the interlayer.
  17. 17 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 16 , wherein: at least some of the Li nuclei particles are fused together; and the anode comprises a porous layer comprising the fused Li nuclei particles.
  18. 18 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 17 , wherein: the porous layer has a thickness in a range of about 1 to about 12 μm.
  19. 19 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 , wherein: the current collector comprises a Li metal layer; and the Li metal layer is free of dendrites after cycling of the lithium-ion battery.
  20. 20 . A method, comprising: (A1) dealloying an Al—Li alloy in an alcohol to form a dispersion of Al alkoxide nanowires in a solvent comprising the alcohol; (A2) filtrating the Al alkoxide nanowires to remove the solvent; (A3) annealing the filtrated Al alkoxide nanowires to convert the filtrated Al alkoxide nanowires to Al 2 O 3 nanowires; and (A4) carrying out a fluorination treatment to convert the Al 2 O 3 nanowires to nanowires comprising aluminum fluoride (AlF 3 ).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application for patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/601,464, entitled “FREE-STANDING CONVERSION INTERLAYER FOR STABLE LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES,” filed Nov. 21, 2023, assigned to the assignees hereof, and expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Field Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to energy storage devices and, more particularly, to battery technology and the like. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to nanowire membranes and their use as a conversion interlayer in an anode-interlayer component for a battery, a supercapacitor or another energy storage device. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making a nanowire membrane. Background Owing in part to their relatively high energy densities, specific energy, light weight, and potential for long lifetimes, advanced rechargeable metal batteries and metal-ion batteries, such as lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, are desirable for a wide range of consumer electronics, electric vehicle, grid storage and other important applications. However, despite their widespread use, current Li-ion batteries face limitations that hinder their performance in demanding applications. For instance, as the specific energy of commercial Li-ion batteries reaches ˜250 Wh kg−1, battery-powered electric cars are mostly capable of achieving a driving range of about 150-300 miles (about 240-480 km), which adequately meets general usage needs but falls short for long trips or challenging weather. One major hurdle lies in the low specific capacity of traditional electrode materials, including graphite anodes with a theoretical capacity of 372 mAh g−1, due to the inherent limitations of intercalation chemistry. This constraint not only limits the energy density of Li-ion batteries but also their ability to meet the increasing demands for higher performance in electric transportation and energy storage systems. Utilizing lithium (Li) metal as the anode in Li-ion batteries offers a promising pathway to address these limitations. Among all known anode materials, lithium metal has the highest theoretical specific capacity of 3860 mAh g−1, which is significantly greater than that of graphite. Additionally, its low reduction potential of −3.04 V versus the standard hydrogen electrode makes it an ideal candidate for achieving high energy densities. The use of lithium metal anodes could enable energy densities of up to 400-500 Wh kg−1, representing a significant leap compared to current commercial Li-ion batteries. Such advancements would dramatically extend the driving range of electric vehicles, potentially alleviating range anxiety, while also reducing the size and weight of batteries for portable electronics and making high-demand applications such as electric aviation and grid-scale energy storage more feasible. Despite its advantages, using lithium (Li) metal as an anode in rechargeable Li-ion batteries presents significant technical challenges, primarily due to the formation of lithium dendrites and instability of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). During repeated charge and discharge cycles, lithium metal tends to form needle-like dendrites that grow uncontrollably from the anode surface. These dendrites can eventually pierce the separator between the anode and cathode, leading to internal short circuits and thermal runaway. Additionally, the continual growth of dendrites causes the SEI, which is a protective layer that forms on the anode, to crack and reform with each cycle, leading to increased electrolyte decomposition and the formation of “dead” or inactive lithium. This degradation of the SEI layer and accumulation of inactive lithium significantly reduces the battery's lifespan, energy efficiency, and safety, making it challenging to harness the full potential of Li metal in practical, long-lasting rechargeable batteries. Extensive efforts have been directed toward stabilizing the lithium metal anode and its interphase using strategies such as advanced liquid electrolytes, additives, solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), lithophilic current collectors or hosts, optimized nucleation potentials and currents, and protective interlayers on the lithium surface or separator. These approaches primarily aim to form a stable in-situ artificial interphase that guides lithium nucleation, suppresses dendrite growth, and stabilizes the SET. For example, solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) can physically block lithium dendrite growth, while certain additives in liquid electrolytes can enhance the stability of the SEI layer, reducing the risk of dendrite formation. Protective interlayers made of ceramic oxides or functionalized coatings have also shown promise in promoting uniform lithium deposition, thereby minimizing dendrite growth. However, each of these approaches has notable limitations. For example, advanced liquid electrolytes are prone to inflammab