STABILIZED LITHIUM METAL POWDER FOR LI-ION APPLICATION, COMPOSITION AND PROCESS
The present invention provides a lithium metal powder protected by a wax. The resulting lithium metal powder has improved stability and improved storage life.
1 - 17 . (canceled)
18 . A stabilized lithium metal powder coated with a wax, wherein the stabilized lithium metal powder has a mean diameter of from 10 μm to 200 μm in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or gamma butyrolactone and wherein the wax has a thickness of 20 nm to 200 nm.
19 . The stabilized lithium metal powder of claim 18 , wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of natural waxes, synthetic waxes, petroleum waxes, and microcrystalline waxes.
20 . The stabilized lithium metal powder of claim 19 , further comprising an inorganic coating.
21 . The stabilized lithium metal powder of claim 20 , wherein the inorganic coating is selected from the group consisting of Li 2 CO 3 , LiF, Li 3 PO 4 , SiO 2 , Li 4 SiO 4 , LiAlO 2 , Li 2 TiO 3 , and LiNbO 3 .
22 . An anode comprising a host material capable of absorbing or desorbing lithium in an electrochemical system and a wax coated stabilized lithium metal powder dispersed in the host material, wherein a stabilized lithium metal powder has a mean diameter of from 10 μm to 200 μm in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or gamma-butyrlactone and wherein the wax has a thickness of 20 μm to 200 μm.
23 . The anode of claim 22 , wherein said host material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbonaceous materials, silicon, tin, tin oxides, composite tin alloys, transition metal oxides, lithium metal nitrides, graphite, carbon black, and lithium metal oxides.
24 . The anode of claim 22 , wherein the stabilized lithium metal powder further comprises an inorganic coating.
25 . The anode of claim 24 , wherein the inorganic coating is selected from the group consisting of Li 2 CO 3 , LiF, Li 3 PO 4 , SiO 2 , Li 4 SiO 4 , LiAlO 2 , Li 2 TiO 3 , and LiNbO 3 .