IP Library Granted Patent US 11,198,614
Granted Patent B2
US 11,198,614 · App. 16/675,170 · Granted Dec 14, 2021

Transition metal cyanide coordination compounds having multiple reactions

Inventors: Daniel Friebel (San Carlos, CA); Ali Firouzi (Saratoga, CA); Vanessa Garcia (Palo Alto, CA); Xiongfei Shen (Fremont, CA); Colin Deane Wessells (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Natron Energy, Inc.
C01C3/11C01C3/12C01G45/006H01M4/58H01M4/60H01M10/05H01M10/36
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,198,614
App. No.
16/675,170
Granted
Dec 14, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, method, and articles of manufacture for a surface-modified transition metal cyanide coordination compound (TMCCC) composition, an improved electrode including the composition, and a manufacturing method for the composition according to Formula III—An electrochemical cell including a system having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte wherein the anode includes a material, including the material including at least one composition represented by Formula III: A x Mn y [Mn(CN) (6) ] z (Vac) (1-z) .n(H 2 O)m(Che) wherein, in Formula III, A includes one or more alkali metals including Na; and wherein 0<j≤4, 0≤k≤0.1, 1.2<x≤4, 0<y≤1, 0.8<z≤1, 0<n≤4; 0≤m≤0.2 and wherein x+2y−4z=0.

Claims (33)

1. An electrochemical cell including a system having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte wherein the anode includes a material, comprising:

the material including at least one composition represented by Formula III:

A x Mn y [Mn(CN) (6) ] z (Vac) (1-z) .n (H 2 O) m (Che)  (Formula III)

wherein, in Formula III, A includes one or more alkali metals including Na; and

wherein 0<j≤4, 0≤k≤0.1, 1.2≤x≤4, 0<y≤1, 0.8<z≤1, 0<n≤4; 0≤m≤0.2 and

wherein x+2y−4z=0; and

wherein said anode includes a concentration of A metals, said concentration of A metals including a first concentration of A metals x1, x1≥1.2;

wherein Formula III includes one or more Mn(CN) 6 complexes each including an Mn atom; and wherein m is an average valence of said Mn atoms found in said one or more Mn(CN) 6 complexes; and wherein (Vac) identifies a Mn(CN) 6 vacancy, and wherein each particular Mn(CN) 6 complex includes said Mn atom bonded to a plurality of cyanide groups; and

wherein (Che) identifies a chelating group;

wherein an electrochemical charging of the system is configured to reduce one or more hexacyanomanganate groups from a discharged state of Mn II (CN) 6 to a charged state of Mn I (CN) 6 ,

and wherein said electrochemical charging proceeds by a plurality of electrochemical charging reactions, including a first electrochemical charging reaction configured to increase said concentration of A metals to a second concentration of A metals x2, where x2>x1, followed by a second electrochemical charging reaction configured to increase said concentration of A metals to a third concentration of A metals x3, where x3>x2.

2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said first and said second electrochemical charging reactions each include reversible electrochemical charging reactions.

3. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 wherein the anode includes a monoclinic phase prior to an initiation of said electrochemical charging reactions and wherein the anode undergoes, during said first electrochemical charging reaction, a first anode reaction that includes a change in phase from said monoclinic phase to a cubic phase.

4. The electrochemical cell of claim 3 wherein the anode includes a cubic phase after said first electrochemical charging reaction and wherein the anode undergoes, during said second electrochemical charging reaction, a second anode reaction that includes a change in phase from said cubic phase to a tetragonal phase.

5. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 wherein the anode includes a cubic phase prior to an initiation of said second electrochemical charging reaction and wherein the anode undergoes, during said second electrochemical charging reaction, a second anode reaction that includes a change in phase from said cubic phase to a tetragonal phase.

6. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 in which said anode undergoes a change in phase from a cubic phase to a tetragonal phase during said second reaction.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 in which a discharging process of the system is configured to produce an oxidation of hexacyanomanganate groups from a charged state of Mn I (CN) 6 to a discharged state of Mn II (CN) 6 .

8. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 wherein the anode includes a capacity and wherein at least 90% of said capacity is achieved at a potential less than 1.9 V vs. Na + /Na 0 .

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 wherein the anode includes a capacity and wherein at least 90% of said capacity is achieved in a range of potentials less than 0.25 V.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein x2 is about equal to 2.0.

11. A method for operating an electrochemical cell having a system, the system including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte wherein the anode includes a material having at least one composition represented by Formula III:

A x Mn y [Mn(CN) (6) ] z (Vac) (1-z) .n (H 2 O) m (Che)  (Formula III),

comprising:

reducing one or more hexacyanomanganate groups of the material from a discharged state of Mn II (CN) 6 to a charged state of Mn I (CN) 6 , using a first electrochemical charging reaction followed by a second electrochemical charging reaction, with said first electrochemical charging reaction increasing a concentration of A metals from a first concentration of A metals x1, x1≥1.2 to a second concentration of A metals x2 with x2>x1, and with said second electrochemical charging reaction increasing said concentration of A metals to a third concentration of A metals x3, where x3>x2.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first and said second electrochemical charging reactions each include reversible electrochemical charging reactions.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the anode includes a monoclinic phase prior to an initiation of said electrochemical charging reactions and wherein the anode undergoes, during said first electrochemical charging reaction, a first anode reaction that includes a change in phase from said monoclinic phase to a cubic phase.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the anode includes a cubic phase after said first electrochemical charging reaction and wherein the anode undergoes, during said second electrochemical charging reaction, a second anode reaction that includes a change in phase from said cubic phase to a tetragonal phase.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the anode includes a cubic phase prior to an initiation of said second electrochemical charging reaction and wherein the anode undergoes, during said second electrochemical charging reaction, a second anode reaction that includes a change in phase from said cubic phase to a tetragonal phase.

16. The method of claim 12 in which said anode undergoes a change in phase from a cubic phase to a tetragonal phase during said second reaction.

17. The method of claim 12 in which a discharging process of the system is configured to produce an oxidation of hexacyanomanganate groups from a charged state of Mn I (CN) 6 to a discharged state of Mn II (CN) 6 .

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the anode includes a capacity and wherein at least 90% of said capacity is achieved at a potential less than 1.9 V vs. Na + /Na 0 .

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the anode includes a capacity and wherein at least 90% of said capacity is achieved in a range of potentials less than 0.25 V.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein x2 is about equal to 2.0.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2025
From: NATRON (ASSIGNMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF CREDITORS), LLC
To: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 072829/0132 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2025
From: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: NATRON (ASSIGNMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF CREDITORS), LLC
Reel/Frame 072836/0466 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2025
From: NATRON INTERMEDIATE, INC.; NATRON HOLDINGS, INC.; NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 071480/0329 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2025
From: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
To: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 070705/0013 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2024
From: NANODIMENSION III, L.P.; NANODIMENSION IV, L.P.; ND CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND I, L.P.; THE EIGER TRUST
To: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 069450/0867 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2024
From: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 068748/0393 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2024
From: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: NANODIMENSION III, L.P.; NANODIMENSION IV, L.P.; ND CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND I, L.P.; THE EIGER TRUST
Reel/Frame 068520/0081 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2019
From: FRIEBEL, DANIEL, MR.; FIROUZI, ALI, DR.; GARCIA, VANESSA, MS.; SHEN, XIONGFEI, MR.; WESSELLS, COLIN DEANE, DR..
To: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050924/0254 →