Polyimide-based lithium metal battery

1. A process for preparing a battery, the process comprising the steps of:

a. preparing a metallic lithium or lithium alloy sheet;

b. preparing a cathode slurry comprising an active material; an electronic conductive filler; a lithium salt and an ionically conductive electrolyte binder;

c. preparing an electrolyte solution comprising a soluble polyimide, a lithium salt, and from about 10% by weight to about 60% by weight of solvent by first preparing a precursor electrolyte solution comprising about 70% to 95% solvent and thereafter partially drying the solution to evaporate a portion of the solvent;

d. applying said cathode slurry onto a first side of a current collector to form a cathode film;

e. applying said electrolyte solution onto said cathode film to form an electrolyte separator;

f. applying said metallic lithium or lithium alloy sheet onto said electrolyte separator to form an electrochemical cell.

2. The process as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of crosslinking of the polyimide electrolyte by exposing said polyimide electrolyte to thermal energy, UV radiation or electron beam.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the step of crosslinking the electrolyte solution comprises:

a. adding a crosslinkable comonomer to the electrolyte solution; and

b. adding a cross-linking initiator.

4. The process of claim 2 , wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of N,N-methylpyrolidinone (NMP), gamma-butyrolactone, and sulfamides of formula; R 1 R 2 N—SO 2 —NR 3 R 4 , in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are alkyls having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms and/or oxyalkyls having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms or combinations thereof.

5. The process of claim 2 , wherein said lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of lithium tetrafluorosulfonimide, lithium salts derived from bis perhalogenoacyl and bis sulfonylimide, LiCI, LiBr, Lil, Li(CIO 4 ), Li(BF 4 ), Li(PF 6 ), Li(AsF 6 ), Li(CH 3 CO 2 ), Li(CF 3 SO 3 ), Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N, Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 3 , Li(CF 3 CO 2 ), Li(B(C 6 H 5 ) 4 ), Li(SCN), and Li(NO 3 ).

6. The process of claim 2 , wherein said active material is selected from the group consisting of: LiCoO 2 ; LiMnO 2 ; LiMn 2 O 4 ; LiNiO 2 ; LiV 3 O 8 ; V 2 O 5 ; Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and LiFePO 4 .

7. The process of claim 2 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprises from about 15% by weight to about 50% by weight of solvent.

8. The process of claim 2 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprises from about 20% by weight to about 40% by weight of solvent.

9. The process as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a. applying said cathode slurry onto a second side of said current collector to form a second cathode film;

b. applying said electrolyte solution onto said second cathode film to form a second electrolyte separator; thereby forming a bi-face electrochemical cell;

c. stacking a plurality of bi-face electrochemical cell to form a battery.

10. A process for preparing a battery, the process comprising the steps of:

a. preparing a metallic lithium or lithium alloy sheet;

b. preparing a cathode slurry comprising an active material; an electronic conductive filler; a lithium salt and an ionically conductive electrolyte binder;

c. preparing an electrolyte solution comprising a soluble polyimide, a lithium salt, and from about 70% by weight to about 95% by weight of solvent;

d. applying said cathode slurry onto a first side of a current collector to form a cathode film;

e. applying said electrolyte solution onto said cathode film;

f. drying said electrolyte solution to evaporate from 10% by weight to 80% by weight of said solvent to form an electrolyte separator comprising from about 10% by weight to about 60% by weight of solvent;

g. assembling said metallic lithium or lithium alloy sheet onto said electrolyte separator to form a battery.

11. The process as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of crosslinking of the polyimide electrolyte by exposing said polyimide electrolyte to thermal energy, UV radiation or electron beam.

12. The process as defined in claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a. applying said cathode slurry onto a second side of said current collector to form a second cathode film;

b. applying said electrolyte solution onto said second cathode film to form a second electrolyte separator and drying said electrolyte solution to evaporate from 10% by weight to 80% by weight of said solvent to form an electrolyte separator comprising from about 10% by weight to about 60% by weight of solvent; thereby forming a biface electrochemical cell;

c. stacking a plurality of bi-face electrochemical cell to form a battery.

13. A process for manufacturing a battery, the process comprising the steps of:

a. preparing an electrolyte solution comprising a soluble polyimide, a lithium salt, and from about 10% by weight to about 60% by weight of solvent by first preparing a precursor electrolyte solution comprising about 70% to 95% solvent and thereafter partially drying the solution to evaporate a portion of the solvent;

b. applying a cathode slurry comprising an active material, an electronic conductive filler, a lithium salt and an ionically conductive electrolyte binder onto a first side of a current collector to form a cathode film;

c. applying said electrolyte solution onto said cathode film to form an electrolyte separator;

d. cross-linking the electrolyte solution by exposing the polyimide electrolyte to UV radiation; and

e. applying a metallic lithium or lithium alloy sheet onto said electrolyte separator to form an electrochemical cell.

14. The process of claim 13 , further comprising adding a crosslinkable comonomer to the electrolyte solution.

15. The process of claim 14 , further comprising adding a cross-linking initiator.

16. The process of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

a. applying said cathode slurry onto a second side of said current collector to form a second cathode film;

b. applying said electrolyte solution onto said second cathode film to form a second electrolyte separator; thereby forming a bi-face electrochemical cell;

c. stacking a plurality of bi-face electrochemical cell to form a battery.

17. The process of claim 13 , wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of N,N-methylpyrolidinone (NMP), gamma-butyrolactone, and sulfamides of formula; R 1 R 2 N—SO 2 —NR 3 R 4 , in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are alkyls having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms and/or oxyalkyls having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms or combinations thereof.

18. The process of claim 13 , wherein said lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of lithium tetrafluorosulfonimide, lithium salts derived from bis perhalogenoacyl and bis sulfonylimide, LiCI, LiBr, Lil, Li(CIO 4 ), Li(BF 4 ), Li(PF 6 ), Li(AsF 6 ), Li(CH 3 CO 2 ), Li(CF 3 SO 3 ), Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N, Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 3 , Li(CF 3 CO 2 ), Li(B(C 6 H 5 ) 4 ), Li(SCN), and Li(NO 3 ).

19. The process of claim 13 , wherein said active material is selected from the group consisting of: LiCoO 2 ; LiMnO 2 ; LiMn 2 O 4 ; LiNiO 2 ; LiV 3 O 8 ; V 2 O 5 ; Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and LiFePO 4 .

20. A process for manufacturing a battery, the process comprising the steps of:

a. preparing an electrolyte solution comprising a soluble polyimide, a lithium salt, and from about 10% by weight to about 60% by weight of solvent by first preparing a precursor electrolyte solution comprising about 70% to 95% solvent and thereafter partially drying the solution to evaporate a portion of the solvent;

b. applying a cathode slurry comprising an active material, an electronic conductive filler, a lithium salt and an ionically conductive electrolyte binder onto a first side of a current collector to form a cathode film;

c. applying said electrolyte solution onto said cathode film to form an electrolyte separator;

d. cross-linking the electrolyte solution by exposing the polyimide electrolyte to heat; and

e. applying a metallic lithium or lithium alloy sheet onto said electrolyte separator to form an electrochemical cell.

21. The process of claim 20 , further comprising adding a crosslinkable comonomer to the electrolyte solution.

22. The process of claim 20 , further comprising adding a cross-linking initiator.

23. The process of claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:

a. applying said cathode slurry onto a second side of said current collector to form a second cathode film;

b. applying said electrolyte solution onto said second cathode film to form a second electrolyte separator; thereby forming a bi-face electrochemical cell;

c. stacking a plurality of bi-face electrochemical cell to form a battery.

24. The process of claim 20 , wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of N,N-methylpyrolidinone (NMP), gamma-butyrolactone, and sulfamides of formula; R 1 R 2 N—SO 2 —NR 3 R 4 , in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are alkyls having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms and/or oxyalkyls having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms or combinations thereof.

25. The process of claim 20 , wherein said lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of lithium tetrafluorosulfonimide, lithium salts derived from bis perhalogenoacyl and bis sulfonylimide, LiCI, LiBr, Lil, Li(CIO 4 ), Li(BF 4 ), Li(PF 6 ), Li(AsF 6 ), Li(CH 3 CO 2 ), Li(CF 3 SO 3 ), Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N, Li(CF 3 SO 2 ) 3 , Li(CF 3 CO 2 ), Li(B(C 6 H 5 ) 4 ), Li(SCN), and Li(NO 3 ).

26. The process of claim 20 , wherein said active material is selected from the group consisting of: LiCoO 2 ; LiMnO 2 ; LiMn 2 O 4 ; LiNiO 2 ; LiV 3 O 8 ; V 2 O 5 ; Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and LiFePO 4 .