ISOTROPIC SELF-ASSEMBLY OF GRAPHITE PARTICLES FOR LI-ION ANODE
The embodiments described herein generally relate to improving conductive pathways within a battery cell. In prior battery cells, a high degree of tortuosity may exist due to complex conductive pathways within the battery cell. Embodiments described herein describe a solution that may orient particles within an electrode so that the particles are aligned in a universal direction. The aligned particles may allow for a relatively vertical conductive pathway within a battery cell, which may decrease tortuosity within the battery cell.
1 . A battery cell comprising:
an anode comprising:
a current collector;
an anode slurry in contact with the current collector comprising a first set of bonding materials;
a plurality of materials from a first functional group, wherein the materials in the first functional group are configured to bond to the first set of bonding materials to orient particles within the anode into a vertical direction; and
a cathode; and
a separator placed between the cathode and anode.
2 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the first functional group bonds to a perimeter of the current collector.
3 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the first functional group is included in a self-assembled monolayer.
4 . The battery cell of claim 3 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer includes alkanethiols.
5 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises one or more carbon particles and the one or more carbon particles are oriented in a vertical direction between the separator and the current collector.
6 . The battery cell of claim 5 , wherein lithium ions flow from the cathode to anode in between the one or more carbon particles that are oriented in the vertical direction.
7 . The battery cell of claim 5 , wherein the oriented one or more carbon particles causes a vertical conduction pathway for ions moving from the cathode to the current collector.
8 . The battery cell of claim 3 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer includes one or more thiols comprising sulfur.
9 . The battery cell of claim 3 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer includes one or more gold particles.
10 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises of copper.
11 . A method for manufacturing a battery cell comprising:
receiving an anode slurry comprising a first set of bonding materials;
placing the anode slurry on a current collector to form an anode;
adding to the anode, materials from a first functional group, wherein the materials from the first functional group are configured to bond to the first set of bonding materials to orient particles within the anode into a vertical direction; and
placing a separator between the anode and a cathode to form the battery cell.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first functional group bonds to a perimeter of the current collector.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first functional group is included in a self-assembled monolayer.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer includes alkanethiols.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the anode comprises one or more carbon particles and the one or more carbon particles are oriented and aligned in a vertical direction between the separator and the current collector.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein lithium ions flow from the cathode to anode in between the one or more carbon particles that are oriented and aligned in the vertical direction.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the oriented and aligned one or more carbon particles cause a vertical conduction pathway for ions moving from the cathode to the current collector.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer includes one or more thiols comprising sulfur.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer includes one or more gold particles.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the current collector comprises of copper.