Ceramic-coated separators for lithium-containing electrochemical cells and methods of making the same

1. A method of manufacturing a ceramic-coated separator for a lithium-containing electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

admixing a powder comprising one or more lithiated oxides selected from the group consisting of Li 2 SiO 3 , LiAlO 2 , Li 2 TiO 3 , LiNbO 3 , Li 3 PO 4 , Li 2 CrO 4 , Li 2 Cr 2 O 7 , and combinations thereof with a binder so as to form a slurry having a viscosity ranging from greater than or equal to about 300 cps to less than or equal to about 1400 cps at a temperature of about 25° C.;

disposing the slurry onto one or more surfaces of a porous substrate to form an inorganic surface layer; and

removing liquid from the inorganic surface layer by exposing the inorganic surface layer to a temperature greater than or equal to about 50° C. to less than or equal to about 100° C. for a time greater than or equal to about 6 hours to less than or equal to about 24 hours to form a ceramic coating on the one or more surfaces of the porous substrate so as to create the ceramic-coated separator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is a first slurry and the method further comprises:

admixing a precursor zeolite powder with an aqueous solution comprising lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to form a second slurry; and

promoting lithium-ion exchange between the precursor zeolite powder and the lithium hydroxide (LiOH) by subjecting the second slurry to a temperature greater than or equal to about 30° C. to less than or equal to about 100° C. for a time greater than or equal to about 6 hours to less than or equal to about 24 hours.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the precursor zeolite powder includes one or more zeolite materials selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite L, ZSM-5, zeolite beta, mordenite, ferrierite, and combinations thereof, and wherein the precursor zeolite powder has a cumulative total concentration of sodium and hydrogen that is less than a lithium hydroxide concentration of the aqueous solution.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the precursor zeolite powder further comprises greater than about 1 wt. % to less than or equal to about 20 wt. % of sodium oxide (NaO 2 ).

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further includes, prior to the admixing of the powder with the binder, calcining the powder at a temperature greater than or equal to about 200° C. to less than or equal to about 400° C. for a time greater than or equal to about 2 hours to less than or equal to about 6 hours.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the powder comprising one or more lithiated oxides comprises a plurality of particles and the method further includes comminuting the slurry with a grinding media so that the particles have an average diameter of less than or equal to about 1 μm.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the grinding media comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: zirconia, alumina, stainless steel, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is disposed on the one or more surfaces of the porous substrate using a process selected from the group consisting of: spraying, brushing, dip coating, doctor-blade coating, spin coating, casting, printing, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is disposed on the one or more surfaces of the porous substrate using a doctor-blade coating method having a blade gap of less than 30 μm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the binder to the powder is greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 30%, and wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of: carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), sodium alginate, polyacrylic acid (PAA), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic coating has a thickness of less than about 10 μm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium-containing electrochemical cell comprising the ceramic-coated separator cycles at temperatures greater than or equal to about 50° C. and has a charge capacity loss of less than or equal to about 25% after 25 cycles of lithiation and delithiation.

13. A method of manufacturing a ceramic-coated substrate for a lithium-containing electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

admixing a precursor zeolite powder with an aqueous solution comprising lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to form a zeolite slurry;

exposing the zeolite slurry to a temperature greater than or equal to about 50° C. to less than or equal to about 100° C. for a time greater than or equal to about 6 hours to less than or equal to about 24 hours to form a lithiated-oxide powder, wherein the lithiated-oxide powder comprises one or more lithiated oxides selected from the group consisting of Li 2 SiO 3 , LiAlO 2 , Li 2 TiO 3 , LiNbO 3 , Li 3 PO 4 , Li 2 CrO 4 , Li 2 Cr 2 O 7 , and combinations thereof;

admixing the lithiated-oxide powder with a binder selected from the group consisting of: carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), sodium alginate, polyacrylic acid (PAA), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), and combinations thereof to form a lithiated-oxide slurry;

disposing the lithiated-oxide slurry onto one or more surfaces of a substrate; and

exposing the lithiated-oxide slurry to a temperature greater than or equal to about 50° C. to less than or equal to about 120° C. for a time greater than or equal to about 6 hours to less than or equal to about 24 hours to form a ceramic coating on the one or more surfaces of the substrate so as to create the ceramic-coated substrate, wherein the lithium-containing electrochemical cell comprising the ceramic-coated separator cycles at temperatures greater than or equal to about 50° C. and has a charge capacity loss of less than or equal to about 25% after 25 cycles of lithiation and delithiation.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein preparing the lithiated-oxide powder further includes contacting the lithiated-oxide powder with an aqueous liquid and calcining the lithiated-oxide powder at a temperature greater than or equal to about 50° C. to less than or equal to about 100° C. for a time greater than or equal to about 2 hours to less than or equal to about 6 hours.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the precursor zeolite powder includes one or more zeolite materials selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite L, ZSM-5, zeolite beta, mordenite, ferrierite, and combinations thereof, and wherein the precursor zeolite powder has a cumulative total concentration of sodium and hydrogen that is less than a lithium hydroxide concentration of the aqueous solution.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the lithiated-oxide powder comprises a plurality of particles and the method further includes comminuting the slurry with a grinding media so that the particles have an average diameter of less than or equal to about 1 μm.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the lithiated-oxide slurry has a viscosity ranging from greater than or equal to about 300 cps to less than or equal to about 1400 cps at a temperature of about 25° C.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the lithiated-oxide slurry is disposed on the one or more surfaces of the porous substrate using a doctor-blade coating method having a blade gap of less than 30 μm.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein a weight ratio of the binder to the lithiated-oxide powder is greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 30%.