Cathodes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries
The present invention includes an apparatus and method of making and using a composition that includes the replacement of electrochemically inactive additives with a conductive and electrochemically active polymer that is attached so as to make an electrical contract to the redox couples of the electrochemically active oxide particles into/from which Lithium is reversibly inserted/extracted in a battery discharge/charge cycle.
1. A cathode consisting essentially of:
one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ), wherein M is selected from Mn, Co, Ni or mixtures thereof and X is selected from Si, P, As, S or mixtures thereof and wherein the lithium is inserted/extracted reversibly into/from the one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ); and
a cathode filler material consisting essentially of an electronically conductive polymer of repeating units of substituted or unsubstituted monomers of aniline, thiophene, pyrrole, phenyl mercaptan, furan, [(ferrocenyl)amidopropyl] pyrrole or mixtures thereof,
wherein the cathode filler material is attached to the one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ), and
wherein the electronically conductive polymer is a binder material.
2. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein X is Si, As or S.
3. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein X is P to form the carbon coated olivine C—LiM(PO 4 ).
4. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the lithium content is variable.
5. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the electronically conductive polymer comprises conjugated regions.
6. The cathode of claim 5 , wherein the electronically conductive polymer comprises repeating units of substituted or unsubstituted monomers of thiophene, phenyl mercaptan, furan, pyrrole or mixtures thereof.
7. The cathode of claim 5 , wherein the electronically conductive polymer comprises monomers which are ring-substituted with one or more straight or branched alkyl, alkoxy, or alkyloxylalkyl groups, which contain from 1 to 30 carbon atoms.
8. A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising an anode, and the cathode of claim 1 , in communication with an electrolyte.
9. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Mn and X is P, Si, As or S.
10. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Co and X is P, Si, As or S.
11. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Ni and X is P, Si, As or S.
12. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Mn and X is As or S.
13. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Co and X is As or S.
14. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Ni and X is As or S.
15. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Mn and X is P or Si.
16. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Co and X is P or Si.
17. The cathode of claim 1 , wherein M is Ni and X is P or Si.
18. A cathode comprising:
a cathode filler material consisting essentially of an electronically conductive polymer obtained by polymerization of organic monomers of [(ferrocenyl)amidopropyl]pyrrole and pyrrole, wherein the electronically conductive polymer is a binder material,
electrically attached to one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ), wherein
M is selected from Fe, Mn, Co, Ni or mixtures thereof, and
X is selected from Si, P, As, S or mixtures thereof and wherein the lithium is inserted/extracted reversibly into/from the one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ).
19. A cathode comprising:
an electronically conductive polymer cathode filler material consisting essentially of pyrrole and [(ferrocenyl) amidopropyl] pyrrole in a ratio of about 50:50, and
carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ) particles attached to the electronically conductive polymer cathode filler material, wherein M is selected from Fe, Mn, Co, Ni or mixtures thereof and X is selected from Si, P, As, S or mixtures thereof and wherein the lithium is inserted/extracted reversibly into/from the carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ).
20. The cathode of claim 19 , wherein the carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ) particles eliminate the need for a polymer binder.
21. The cathode of claim 19 , wherein the carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ) particles and the electronically conductive polymer have a similar voltage range.
22. The cathode of claim 19 , wherein the electronically conductive polymer conducts electrons and stores lithium-ions to provide additional capacity.
23. A cathode consisting essentially of:
one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ), wherein M is selected from Fe, Mn, Co, Ni or mixtures thereof and X is selected from Si, As, S or mixture thereof and wherein the lithium is inserted/extracted reversibly into/from the one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ); and
a cathode filler material consisting essentially of an electronically conductive polymer of repeating units of substituted or unsubstituted monomers of aniline, thiophene, pyrrole, phenyl mercaptan, furan, [(ferrocenyl)amidopropyl] pyrrole or mixtures thereof, attached to the one or more carbon coated olivine C—LiM(XO 4 ), wherein the electronically conductive polymer is a binder material.