760results about "Printed batteries" patented technology

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.

The present invention relates to novel electroactive energy storing polyacetylene-co-polysulfur (PAS) materials of general formula (C2Sx)n wherein x is greater than 1 to about 100, and n is equal to or greater than 2. This invention also relates to novel rechargeable electrochemical cells containing positive electrode materials comprised of said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur materials with improved storage capacity and cycle life at ambient and sub-ambient temperatures.

A high kinetics rate electrochemical cell in which at least one of the electrodes is composed of a mesostructural electroactive material comprising nanoparticles forming a three-dimensional framework structure of mesoporous texture having a bicontinuous junction of large specific surface area with the electrolyte. A low temperature method of preparation of the electrodes employs a high-speed deposition of the electrically active material in the form of a thin film. The application of said electrodes in high power lithium ion insertion batteries, photovoltaic cells, supercapacitors and fast electrochromic devices is disclosed.

Batteries including a lithium electrode and a sulfur counter electrode that demonstrate improved cycling efficiencies are described. In one embodiment, an electrochemical cell having a lithium electrode and a sulfur electrode including at least one of elemental sulfur, lithium sulfide, and a lithium polysulfide is provided. The lithium electrode includes a surface coating that is effective to increase the cycling efficiency of said electrochemical cell. In a more particular embodiment, the lithium electrode is in an electrolyte solution, and, more particularly, an electrolyte solution including either elemental sulfur, a sulfide, or a polysulfide. In another embodiment, the coating is formed after the lithium electrode is contacted with the electrolyte. In a more particular embodiment, the coating is formed by a reaction between the lithium metal of the lithium electrode and a chemical species present in the electrolyte.

An electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery which includes a thin film composed of active material that expands and shrinks as it stores and releases lithium, e.g., a microcrystalline or amorphous silicon thin film, deposited on a current collector, characterized in that said current collector exhibits a tensile strength (=tensile strength (N / mm2) per sectional area of the current collector material×thickness (mm) of the current collector) of not less than 3.82 N / mm.

Microscopic batteries, integratable or integrated with microelectromechanical systems or other microscopic circuits, including a MEMS microcircuit, and methods of microfabrication of such microscopic batteries are disclosed, among which comprise closed system microscopic batteries for internal storage of electricity using interval reactants only, which comprise microscopic electrodes, electrolyte and reservoir for the electrolyte.

Thin-film micro-electrochemical energy storage cells (MEESC) such as microbatteries and double-layer capacitors (DLC) are provided. The MEESC comprises two thin layer electrodes, an intermediate thin layer of a solid electrolyte and optionally, a fourth thin current collector layer; said layers being deposited in sequence on a surface of a substrate. The MEESC is characterized in that the substrate is provided with a plurality of through cavities of arbitrary shape, with high aspect ratio. By using the substrate volume, an increase in the total electrode area per volume is accomplished.

A solid amorphous electrolyte composition for a thin-film battery. The electrolyte composition includes a lithium phosphorus oxynitride material containing a sulfide ion dopant wherein the atomic ratio of sulfide ion to phosphorus ion (S / P) in the electrolyte ranges greater than 0 up to about 0.2. The composition is represented by the formula: where 2x+3y+2z=5+w, x ranges from about 3.2 to about 3.8, y ranges from about 0.13 to about 0.46, z ranges from greater than zero up to about 0.2, and w ranges from about 2.9 to about 3.3. Thin-film batteries containing the sulfide doped lithium oxynitride electrolyte are capable of delivering more power and energy than thin-film batteries containing electrolytes without sulfide doping.

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.

A method for producing a thin film lithium battery is provided, comprising applying a cathode current collector, a cathode material, an anode current collector, and an electrolyte layer separating the cathode material from the anode current collector to a substrate, wherein at least one of the layers contains lithiated compounds that is patterned at least in part by a photolithography operation comprising removal of a photoresist material from the layer containing lithiated compounds by a process including a wet chemical treatment. Additionally, a method and apparatus for making lithium batteries by providing a first sheet that includes a substrate having a cathode material, an anode material, and a LiPON barrier / electrolyte layer separating the cathode material from the anode material; and removing a subset of first material to separate a plurality of cells from the first sheet. In some embodiments, the method further includes depositing second material on the sheet to cover the plurality of cells; and removing a subset of second material to separate a plurality of cells from the first sheet.

A thin film battery including an anode layer, a cathode layer and a solid electrolyte layer. The battery also includes, a planarization layer applied to the thin film battery. The planarization layer has a surface roughness of no more than about 1.0 nanometers root mean square and a flatness no larger than about 0.005 cm / inch. A barrier layer is applied to the planarization layer. The barrier layer is provided by one or more layers of material selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, metals and ceramic materials. The planarization layer and barrier layer are sufficient to reduce oxygen flux through the barrier layer to the anode layer to no more than about 1.6 μmol / m2-day, and H2O flux through the barrier layer to the anode layer to less than about 3.3 μmol / m2-day thereby improving the life of the thin film battery.

The present invention relates to apparatus, compositions and methods of fabricating high performance thin-film batteries on metallic substrates, polymeric substrates, or doped or undoped silicon substrates by fabricating an appropriate barrier layer composed, for example, of barrier sublayers between the substrate and the battery part of the present invention thereby separating these two parts chemically during the entire battery fabrication process as well as during any operation and storage of the electrochemical apparatus during its entire lifetime. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention thin-film batteries fabricated onto a thin, flexible stainless steel foil substrate using an appropriate barrier layer that is composed of barrier sublayers have uncompromised electrochemical performance compared to thin-film batteries fabricated onto ceramic substrates when using a 700° C. post-deposition anneal process for a LiCoO2 positive cathode.

A system provides an environmental barrier also useful for providing a circuit, for example, one having a thin-film battery such as one that includes lithium or lithium compounds connected to an electronic circuit. An environmental barrier is deposited as alternating layers, at least one of the layers providing a smoothing, planarizing, and / or leveling physical-configuration function, and at least one other layer providing a diffusion-barrier function. The layer providing the physical-configuration function may include a photoresist, a photodefinable, an energy-definable, and / or a maskable layer. The physical-configuration layer may also be a dielectric. A layered structure, including a plurality of pairs of layers, each pair including a physical configuration layer and a barrier layer with low gas-transmission rates, may be used in reducing gas transmission rate to beyond currently detectable levels.

An electrochemical device has at least one carrier substrate (1) provided with a stack (2) of functional layers, including at least one electrochemically active layer (4), which is capable of reversibly and simultaneously inserting ions and electrons and is arranged between two electroconductive layers. The device can be of the electrochromic type. The functionality of at least one of the functional layers, with the exception of one of the electroconductive layers (3,8), is locally inhibited so as to delimit inactive peripheral or non-peripheral regions in the stack (2).

A system includes a thin-film battery and an activity-activated switch. The system is placed on a substrate with an adhesive backing. In some embodiments, the substrate is flexible. Also formed on the substrate is an electrical circuit that includes electronics. The activity-activated switch places the thin-film battery in electrical communication with the circuit and electronics. The battery and the circuit are formed on the substrate and may be comprised of one or a plurality of deposited layers.

Disclosed are methods for forming active metal battery alloy electrodes having protective layers (“encapsulated electrodes”). Charged and uncharged encapsulated alloy electrodes and methods for their fabrication are provided.

The invention features an electrode array (7) in which pairs of electrodes (1) are geometrically arranged so that the broadest faces of the exposed electrodes are not directly opposing to each other. Rather, the broadest facing surfaces of the electrodes in the array are parallel, adjacent, or offset at an angle. The electrode geometry of an electrode array of the invention permits electrodes to be in close proximity, thereby lowering series resistance, while minimizing the possibility for short circuits that can cause electrical leakage. An electrode array of the invention can be used in an electrochemical cell, such as a battery, e.g., a lithium battery, a capacitor, a flow-through capacitor, or a fuel cell.

A novel method for production of and an apparatus for an encapsulated solid-state electrochemical device is disclosed. The present invention provides for electrical devices, such as, for example, thin-film batteries with sensitive chemistries that can survive environmental exposure while providing external electrical contact to the internal cell chemistry. The method of packaging of the present invention may include bonding one or more protective multi-layer laminates to the environmentally sensitive surfaces of an electronic device. The present invention may provide the advantage of avoiding entrapped air beneath the laminates.

A method for forming a battery from via thin-film deposition processes is disclosed. A mesoporous carbon material is deposited onto a surface of a conductive substrate that has high surface area, conductive micro-structures formed thereon. A porous, dielectric separator layer is then deposited on the layer of mesoporous carbon material to form a half cell of an energy storage device. The mesoporous carbon material is made up of CVD-deposited carbon fullerene “onions” and carbon nano-tubes, and has a high porosity capable of retaining lithium ions in concentrations useful for storing significant quantities of electrical energy. Embodiments of the invention further provide for the formation of an electrode having a high surface area conductive region that is useful in a battery structure. In one configuration the electrode has a high surface area conductive region comprising a porous dendritic structure that can be formed by electroplating, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, thermal spraying, and / or electroless plating techniques.

The present invention pertains to composite cathodes suitable for use in an electrochemical cell, said cathodes comprising: (a) an electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, wherein said electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, in its oxidized state, comprises a polysulfide moiety of the formula —Sm—, wherein m is an integer equal to or greater than 3; and, (b) an electroactive transition metal chalcogenide composition, which encapsulates said electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, and which retards the transport of anionic reduction products of said electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, said electroactive transition metal chalcogenide composition comprising an electroactive transition metal chalcogenide having the formula MjYk(OR)l wherein: M is a transition metal; Y is the same or different at each occurrence and is oxygen, sulfur, or selenium; R is an organic group and is the same or different at each occurrence; j is an integer ranging from 1 to 12; k is a number ranging from 0 to 72; and l is a number ranging from 0 to 72; with the proviso that k and l cannot both be 0. The present invention also pertains to methods of making such composite cathodes, cells comprising such composite cathodes, and methods of making such cells.

A method and apparatus for making lithium / air batteries with LiPON as separator and protective barrier, and the resulting cell(s) and / or battery(s). Some embodiments include an apparatus that includes a lithium anode; a polymer-air cathode; and a LiPON separator between the anode and cathode. In some embodiments, the polymer-air cathode includes a carbon-polyfluoroacrylate material. In some embodiments, the anode overlays a copper anode contact.

A dimensionally stable, highly resilient, hybrid copolymer solid-solution electrolyte-retention film for use in a lithium ion battery in one preferred embodiment has a predominantly amorphous structure and mechanical strength despite contact with liquid solvent electrolyte. The film is a thinned (stretched), cast film of a homogeneous blend of two or more polymers, one of which is selected for its pronounced solvent retention properties. A very high surface area inorganic filler dispersed in the blend during formation thereof serves to increase the porosity of the film and thereby enhance electrolyte retention. The film is soaked in a solution of liquid polymer with liquid organic solvent electrolyte and lithium salt, for absorption thereof. Use of a cross-linked liquid polymer enhances trapping of molecules of the electrolyte into pores of the film. The electrolyte film is sandwiched between flexible active anode and cathode layers to form the lithium ion battery. Novel methods are provided for forming the electrodes, the polymer substrate, and other elements of the battery.

In order to increase the capacity of an “all-solid” type micro-battery, the layer of electrolyte is structured: transversing cavities are created in the flat layer, advantageously at the level of patches of collector material, then filled by anode or cathode material.

Batteries including a lithium electrode and a sulfur counter electrode that demonstrate improved cycling efficiencies are described. In one embodiment, an electrochemical cell having a lithium electrode and a sulfur electrode including at least one of elemental sulfur, lithium sulfide, and a lithium polysulfide is provided. The lithium electrode includes a surface coating that is effective to increase the cycling efficiency of said electrochemical cell. In a more particular embodiment, the lithium electrode is in an electrolyte solution, and, more particularly, an electrolyte solution including either elemental sulfur, a sulfide, or a polysulfide. In another embodiment, the coating is formed after the lithium electrode is contacted with the electrolyte. In a more particular embodiment, the coating is formed by a reaction between the lithium metal of the lithium electrode and a chemical species present in the electrolyte.

The present invention relates generally to fabricating well performing thin-film batteries onto metallic substrates, polymeric substrates, and doped and undoped silicon substrates. More specifically, the invention may include fabricating an appropriate diffusion barrier layer between the substrate and the battery part of the present invention that separates said two parts chemically during the entire battery fabrication process and the operation and storage conditions of the electrochemical apparatus during its entire lifetime. In one embodiment of the present invention, thin-film batteries fabricated onto a thin, flexible, stainless steel foil substrate using an appropriate diffusion layer show uncompromised electrochemical performance compared to thin-film batteries fabricated onto ceramic substrates when using a 700° C. post-deposition anneal process for the LiCoO2 positive cathode.

There is provided a mother-battery containing at least the following films: an anode of metallic lithium or sodium, a polymer electrolyte which is conductive towards the alkaline ions of the anode and also acts as a separator between the electrodes, and a composite cathode consisting of a compound which is reducible to lithium or sodium, an additive of electronic conduction and a polymer electrolyte binder. The mother battery also includes an electronically conductive thin coating on the external face of the anode and, possibly of the cathode, in which the conductive material is chemically inert towards the electrode material and which also serves to establish permanent electrical contacts on the external faces. The laminated mother-battery of larger surface area and at least partially charged is thereafter subjected to a sharp mechanical cutting out to give thin polymer electrolyte batteries with lithium or sodium anode. The thus cut out batteries preserve substantially their voltage after mechanical cutting out which is recovered by a mechanism of self-healing.

The present invention provides electronic systems, including device arrays, comprising functional device(s) and / or device component(s) at least partially enclosed via one or more fluid containment chambers, such that the device(s) and / or device component(s) are at least partially, and optionally entirely, immersed in a containment fluid. Useful containment fluids for use in fluid containment chambers of electronic devices of the invention include lubricants, electrolytes and / or electronically resistive fluids. In some embodiments, for example, electronic systems of the invention comprise one or more electronic devices and / or device components provided in free-standing and / or tethered configurations that decouple forces originating upon deformation, stretching or compression of a supporting substrate from the free standing or tethered device or device component.

A new anode configuration (20) is proposed for a lithium microbattery (10). The anode (20) preferably consists of nanotubes or of nanowires (24) such that the empty space (26) left between the different components (24) provides compensation for the inherent swelling upon discharging the microbattery (10). With the absence of stresses on the electrolyte (18), the lifetime of the battery (10) may be increased.