Cathode for a battery
View Patent ↗An electrode for an electrochemical cell including an active electrode material and an intrinsically conductive coating wherein the coating is applied to the active electrode material by heating the mixture for a time and at a temperature that limits degradation of the cathode active material.
1. A method of making an electrode for an electrochemical cell, comprising:
combining a coating compound characterized by having an intrinsic conductivity, wherein the coating compound comprises a compound in which at least 35% of carbon atoms are sp or sp 2 hybridized, and an active electrode material to form a mixture, wherein the active electrode material comprises a fluoride compound;
heating the mixture at less than about 450 degrees C. to form a covalently attached conductive coating on the active electrode material, wherein the mixture is heated for a time that limits degradation of the active electrode material;
mixing the conductively coated active electrode material with a binder material and a conductive additive to form an electrode-forming mixture; and
heating the electrode-forming mixture to form the electrode.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound comprises an organic material.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound comprises a conjugated core in which at least 90% of the carbon atoms are sp or sp 2 hybridized.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound comprises a conjugated core in which about 100% of the carbon atoms are sp or sp 2 hybridized.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound is heated for a time in a range of from about 0 hours to about 6 hours.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound comprises a naphthalene core.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound comprises a pentacene core.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating compound comprises an anthracene core.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the active electrode material comprises a metal fluoride.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the active electrode material comprises copper fluoride.
11. A method of making an electrode, comprising:
mixing particles of a fluoride-containing active material and an intrinsic organic conductor comprising a conjugated core, wherein at least 35% of carbon atoms in the conjugated core are SID or sp 2 hybridized; and
heating the mixture to form a conductive coating covalently attached to the fluoride-containing active material at a temperature that limits degradation of the fluoride-containing active material.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the temperature is no greater than 450 degrees C.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the temperature is no greater than 350 degrees C.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the temperature is no greater than 250 degrees C.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein at least 90% of the carbon atoms in the conjugated core are sp or sp 2 hybridized.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein the conjugated core is selected from the group consisting of a naphthalene core, a pentacene core, an anthracene core, and combinations thereof.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein the conjugated core is selected from the group consisting of an anthracene core, a naphthalic anhydride core, and combinations thereof.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the active electrode material comprises a carbon-fluoride compound.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the fluoride-containing active material comprises a metal-fluoride compound.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein the fluoride-containing active material comprises a copper-fluoride compound.
21. The method of claim 11 wherein the fluoride-containing active material comprises a carbon-fluoride compound.