Inorganic scavenging additive for use in a lithium-ion secondary battery

1 . A cell for use in an electrochemical cell, the cell comprising:

a positive electrode, the positive electrode comprising an active material as a cathode for the cell and a current collector that is in contact with the cathode; wherein lithium ions flow from the cathode to an anode when the cell is charging;

a negative electrode, the negative electrode comprising an active material as the anode for the cell and a current collector that is in contact with the anode; wherein lithium ions flow from the anode to the cathode when the cell is discharging;

a non-aqueous electrolyte positioned between and in contact with both the negative electrode and the positive electrode; wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte supports the reversible flow of lithium ions between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

a separator placed between the positive electrode and negative electrode, such that the separator separates the anode and a portion of the electrolyte from the cathode and the remaining portion of the electrolyte;

wherein the separator is permeable to the reversible flow of lithium ions there through;

wherein an inorganic additive is dispersed within at least a portion of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or a combination thereof, and is absent from the non-aqueous electrolyte and the separator;

the inorganic additive being one or more zeolites having a zeolite framework of CHA, CHI, FAU, LTA, or LAU with a silicon (Si) to aluminum (Al) ratio ranging from about 2 to about 50 that absorbs one or more of moisture, free transition metal ions, or hydrogen fluoride (HF) that become present in the cell;

wherein the inorganic additive comprises particles having a morphology that is plate-like, cubic, spherical, or a combination thereof and an average particle size (D5o) that is in the range of 0.05 micrometers (um) to about 1.5 micrometers (um);

wherein the inorganic additive comprises a concentration of greater than or equal to 0.07 wt. % and less than 10 wt. % sodium (Na) ions and a concentration of 3 wt. % to 7.5 wt. % lithium (Li) ions based on the overall weight of the inorganic additive;

wherein the cell after 100 cycles of C/5 charge-and-discharge exhibits a loss in discharge capacity and in Coulombic efficiency that is less than a loss in discharge capacity and Coulombic efficiency exhibited by a cell having the same composition except for the inorganic additive.

2 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic additive further comprises at least one of the following attributes:

(i) particles having the morphology that is spherical;

(ii) a surface area that is in the range of about 10 m2/g to about 1000 m2/g; and

(iii) a pore volume range of 0.1-2.0 cc/g.

3 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic additive includes a sodium (Na) concentration that is less than 7.5 wt. % based on the overall weight of the inorganic additive.

4 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic additive is a lithium-ion exchanged zeolite.

5 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic additive scavenges transition-metal cations and hydrofluoric acid via an ion-exchange mechanism.

6 . The cell according to claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode comprises a lithium transition metal oxide or a lithium transition metal phosphate;

the negative electrode comprises graphite, a lithium titanium oxide, silicon metal, or lithium metal;

the separator is a polymeric membrane; and

the non-aqueous electrolyte is a solution of a lithium salt dispersed in an organic solvent.

7 . A lithium-ion secondary battery comprising:

two or more secondary cells; and

one or more housings, such that an internal wall from one of the one or more housings encapsulates at least one or more of the secondary cells;

wherein each of the one or more secondary cells comprises:

a positive electrode, the positive electrode comprising an active material as a cathode for the cell and a current collector that is in contact with the cathode;

wherein lithium ions flow from the cathode to an anode when the cell is charging;

a negative electrode, the negative electrode comprising an active material as the anode for the cell and a current collector that is in contact with the anode;

wherein lithium ions flow from the anode to the cathode when the cell is discharging;

a non-aqueous electrolyte positioned between and in contact with both the negative electrode and the positive electrode; wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte supports the reversible flow of lithium ions between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

a separator placed between the positive electrode and negative electrode, such that the separator separates the anode and a portion of the electrolyte from the cathode and the remaining portion of the electrolyte;

wherein the separator is permeable to the reversible flow of lithium ions there through;

wherein an inorganic additive is dispersed within at least a portion of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or a combination thereof, and is absent from the non-aqueous electrolyte and the separator;

the inorganic additive being one or more zeolites having a zeolite framework of CHA, CHI, FAU, LTA, or LAU with a silicon (Si) to aluminum (Al) ratio ranging from about 2 to about 50 that absorbs one or more of moisture, free transition metal ions, or hydrogen fluoride (HF) that become present in the cell;

wherein the inorganic additive comprises particles having a morphology that is plate-like, cubic, spherical, or a combination thereof and an average particle size (D5o) that is in the range of 0.05 micrometers (um) to about 1.5 micrometers (um);

wherein the inorganic additive comprises a concentration of greater than or equal to 0.07 wt. % to and less than 10 wt. % sodium (Na) ions and a concentration of 3 wt. % to 7.5 wt. % lithium (Li) ions based on the overall weight of the inorganic additive;

wherein each secondary cell after 100 cycles of C/5 charge-and-discharge exhibits a loss in discharge capacity and in Coulombic efficiency that is less than a loss in the discharge capacity and Coulombic efficiency exhibited by a cell having the same composition except for the inorganic additive.

8 . The battery according to claim 7 , wherein the inorganic additive further comprises at least one of the following attributes:

(i) particles having the morphology that is spherical;

(ii) a surface area that is in the range of about 10 m2/g to about 1000 m2/g; and

(iii) a pore volume range of 0.1-2.0 cc/g.

9 . The battery according to claim 7 , wherein the inorganic additive includes a sodium (Na) concentration that is less than 7.5 wt. % based on the overall weight of the inorganic additive.

10 . The battery according to claim 7 , wherein the inorganic additive is a lithium-ion exchanged zeolite.

11 . The battery according to claim 7 , wherein the inorganic additive scavenges transition-metal cations and hydrofluoric acid via an ion-exchange mechanism.

12 . The battery according to claim 7 , wherein the positive electrode comprises a lithium transition metal oxide or a lithium transition metal phosphate;

the negative electrode comprises graphite, a lithium titanium oxide, silicon metal, or lithium metal;

the separator is a polymeric membrane; and

the non-aqueous electrolyte is a solution of a lithium salt dispersed in an organic solvent.

13 . A pair of electrodes in an electrochemical cell, the pair of electrodes comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode;

wherein the positive electrode includes an active material as a cathode for the cell and a current collector that is in contact with the cathode;

wherein lithium ions flow from the cathode to an anode when the cell is charging;

wherein the negative electrode includes an active material as the anode for the cell and a current collector that is in contact with the anode;

wherein lithium ions flow from the anode to the cathode when the cell is discharging;

wherein an inorganic additive is dispersed within at least a portion of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or a combination thereof, and is absent from the non-aqueous electrolyte and the separator;

the inorganic additive being one or more zeolites having a zeolite framework of CHA, CHI, FAU, LTA, or LAU with a silicon (Si) to aluminum (Al) ratio ranging from about 2 to about 50 that absorbs one or more of moisture, free transition metal ions, or hydrogen fluoride (HF) that become present in the cell;

wherein the inorganic additive comprises particles having a morphology that is plate-like, cubic, spherical, or a combination thereof and an average particle size (Dso) that is in the range of 0.05 micrometers (um) to about 1.5 micrometers (um);

wherein the inorganic additive comprises a concentration of greater than or equal to 0.07 wt. % and less than 10 wt. % sodium (Na) ions and a concentration of 3 wt. % to 8-7.5 wt. % lithium (Li) ions based on the overall weight of the inorganic additive;

wherein the electrochemical cell after 100 cycles of C/5 charge-and-discharge exhibits a loss in discharge capacity and in Coulombic efficiency that is less than a loss in discharge capacity and Coulombic efficiency exhibited by a cell having the same composition except for the inorganic additive.

14 . The electrodes according to claim 13 , wherein the inorganic additive further comprises at least one of the following attributes:

(i) particles having the morphology that is spherical;

(ii) a surface area that is in the range of about 10 m2/g to about 1000 m2/g; and

(iii) a pore volume range of 0.1-2.0 cc/g.

15 . The electrodes according to claim 13 , wherein the inorganic additive includes a sodium (Na) concentration that is less than 7.5 wt. % based on the overall weight of the inorganic additive.

16 . The electrodes according to claim 13 , wherein the inorganic additive is a lithium-ion exchanged zeolite.

17 . The electrodes according to claim 13 , wherein the inorganic additive scavenges transition-metal cations and hydrofluoric acid via an ion-exchange mechanism.

18 . The electrodes according to claim 13 , wherein the positive electrode comprises a lithium transition metal oxide or a lithium transition metal phosphate and the negative electrode comprises graphite, a lithium titanium oxide, silicon metal, or lithium metal.