Anode materials for lithium ion batteries and methods of making and using same

1. An electrochemically active material represented by general formula (I):

Si u Sn v M 1w M 2x [P 0.2 O 0.8 ] y ·A z   (I)

where u, v, w, x, y, and z represent atomic % values and u+v+w+x+y+z=100;

M 1 comprises a metal element or combinations of metal elements selected from Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zr, B, carbon, or alloys thereof;

M 2 comprises a metal element or combinations of metal elements selected from Mg, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, or alloys thereof;

A is an inactive phase other than a phosphate or silicide; and

0<u<90, 0≤v<20, 0<w<50, 0<x<20, 0<y<20, and O≤z<50;

wherein the electrochemically active material includes one or more active phases and an insulating phase, wherein the insulating phase includes the moiety M 2x [P 0.2 O 0.8 ] y of formula (I), and

wherein each of the one or more active phases and the insulating phase of the electrochemically active material includes or is in the form of one or more grains,

wherein the electrochemically active material comprises an active phase that comprises one or more active elements selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ag, Zn, B, Al, Si, Sn, Pb, Sb, or Bi, the active phase accounting for between 30 vol. % and 70 vol. % of the electrochemically active material, based on the total volume of the electrochemically active material,

wherein the inactive phase comprises titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, rare earth metals, or combinations thereof, and wherein the inactive phase comprises a conducting phase that accounts for between 1 vol. % and 60 vol. % of the electrochemically active material, based on the total volume of the electrochemically active material.

2. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the active phase comprises Si.

3. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the active phase comprises Sn.

4. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises an active phase that consists essentially of Si.

5. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the inactive phase accounts for between 30 vol. % and 70 vol. % of the electrochemically active material, based on the total volume of the electrochemically active material.

6. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the inactive phase comprises an insulating phase that accounts for between 0.1 vol. % and 30 vol. % of the electrochemically active material, based on the total volume of the electrochemically active material.

7. The electrochemically active material according to claim 6 , wherein the insulating phase comprises a water stable phosphate.

8. The electrochemically active material according to claim 7 , wherein the water stable phosphate comprises Mg 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , FePO 4 , Zn 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , or AlPO 4 .

9. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the phases of the electrochemically active material are distributed substantially homogeneously throughout the electrochemically active material.

10. The electrochemically active material according to claim 1 , wherein the Scherrer grain size of each phase of the electrochemically active material is 20 nanometers or less.

11. An electrode composition comprising:

the electrochemically active material according to claim 1 ; and

a binder.

12. An electrode composition according to claim 11 , further comprising graphite.

13. A negative electrode comprising:

the electrode composition according to claim 11 ; and

a current collector.

14. An electrochemical cell comprising:

the negative electrode of claim 13 ;

a positive electrode comprising a positive electrode composition comprising lithium; and

an electrolyte comprising lithium.

15. A method of making an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

providing a positive electrode comprising a positive electrode composition comprising lithium;

providing a negative electrode according to claim 13 ;

providing an electrolyte comprising lithium; and

incorporating the positive electrode, negative electrode, and the electrolyte into an electrochemical cell.