LITHIUM BATTERY AND METHOD OF PREPARING PROTECTED ANODE
A lithium battery includes: an anode including a lithium metal or a lithium alloy; an ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer disposed on a surface of the anode; a liquid electrolyte; and a cathode.
1 . A lithium battery comprising:
an anode comprising a lithium metal or lithium alloy;
an ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer disposed on a surface of the anode;
a liquid electrolyte; and
a cathode.
2 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer contacts the anode.
3 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer covers an entire surface of the anode.
4 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer has a thickness of about 1 nanometer to about 15 micrometers.
5 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer comprises a metal nitride represented by Formula 1:
Li x N Formula 1
wherein 0.01≦x≦3.
6 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises a compound represented by Formula 2 on at least a portion of the surface thereof:
Li 2-a CO 3-b Formula 2
wherein 0≦a<1 and 0≦b<1.
7 . The lithium battery of claim 6 , wherein an amount of the compound represented by Formula 2 is in a range of about 0.1 mole percent to about 5 mole percent, based on 100 mole percent of a total content of the surface of the lithium metal or the lithium alloy.
8 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises a non-aqueous organic solvent and a lithium salt.
9 . The lithium battery of claim 8 , wherein the non-aqueous organic solvent comprises at least one organic solvent selected from a carbonate, an ester, an ether, a ketone, an amine, and a phosphine
10 . The lithium battery of claim 8 , wherein the non-aqueous organic solvent comprises at least one selected from a carbonate and an ester.
11 . The lithium battery of claim 8 , wherein the lithium salt comprises a lithium salt represented by Formula 3 below:
LiX 1 Formula 3
wherein X 1 comprises at least one anion selected from BF 4 − , PF 6 − , AsF 6 − , SbF 6 − , AlCl 4 − , HSO 4 − , CH 3 SO 3 − , (CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N − , Cl − , Br − , I − , SO 4 − , PF 6 − , ClO 4 − , F 3 SO 3 − , CF 3 CO 2 − , C 2 F 5 SO 2 ) 2 N − , (C 2 F 5 SO 2 )(CF 3 SO 2 )N − , CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N − , NO 3 − , Al 2 Cl 7 − , ASF 6 − , SbF 6 − , CH 3 COO − , (CF 3 SO 2 ) 3 C − , (CF 3 ) 2 PF 4 − , (CF 3 ) 3 PF 3 − , (CF 3 ) 4 PF 2 − , (CF 3 ) 5 PF − , (CF 3 ) 6 P − , SF 5 CF 2 SO 3 − , SF 5 CHFCF 2 SO 3 − , CF 3 CF 2 (CF 3 ) 2 CO − , (CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 CH − , (SF 5 ) 3 C − , and (O(CF 3 ) 2 C 2 (CF 3 ) 2 O) 2 PO − .
12 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein a charge transfer resistance between the anode and the liquid electrolyte is at least about 10 percent less than a charge transfer resistance between the anode comprising the lithium metal or the lithium alloy and the liquid electrolyte when in a lithium battery not comprising the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer, wherein the charge transfer resistance is determined by impedance measurement at 25° C. and in a Nyquist plot.
13 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein a bulk resistance between the anode and the cathode is at least about 10 percent less than a bulk resistance between the anode comprising the lithium metal or the lithium alloy and the cathode when in a lithium battery not comprising the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer, wherein the charge transfer resistance is determined by impedance measurement at 25° C. and in a Nyquist plot.
14 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising a compound which intercalates and deintercalates lithium, inorganic sulfur, or a sulfur compound.
15 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , further comprising a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode.
16 . The lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein an operating voltage of the lithium battery is about 4 volts or greater.
17 . A method of preparing a protected anode, the method comprising:
introducing an inert gas and an oxocarbon gas into a container in which an anode comprising a lithium metal or a lithium alloy is disposed to provide a compound represented by Formula 2 on at least a portion of a surface of the anode; and
exposing the anode, which comprises the lithium metal or the lithium alloy and the compound represented by Formula 2 on the at least a portion of the surface thereof, to a nitrogen gas to prepare the protected anode, wherein the protected anode comprises an ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer on a surface thereof:
Li 2-a CO 3-b Formula 2
wherein 0≦a<1 and 0≦b<1.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the exposing is at a temperature of about 10° C. to about 20° C. for about 1 minute to about 120 minutes.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer comprises a metal nitride represented by Formula 1 below:
Li x N Formula 1
wherein 0.01≦x≦3.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer has a thickness of about 1 nanometer to about 15 micrometers.
21 . A protected anode comprising:
an anode comprising a lithium metal or a lithium alloy; and
an ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer disposed on a surface of the anode.
22 . The protected anode of claim 21 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer covers an entire surface of the anode.
23 . The protected anode of claim 21 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer has a thickness of about 1 nanometer to about 15 micrometers.
24 . The protected anode of claim 21 , wherein the ion-conductive amorphous metal nitride layer comprises a metal nitride represented by Formula 1:
Li x N Formula 1
wherein 0.01≦x≦3.
25 . The protected anode of claim 21 , wherein the lithium metal or the lithium alloy comprises a compound represented by Formula 2 on at least a portion of a surface thereof:
Li 2-a CO 3-b Formula 2
wherein 0≦a<1 and 0≦b<1.