Methods of forming electrochemical cells with a combination formation charge rate
Methods of forming electrochemical cells are described. In some implementations, the method can include providing an electrochemical cell having an electrode with at least about 20% to about 99% by weight of silicon. The method can include providing a formation charge current at a first rate and at a second rate to the electrochemical cell. The first rate can be in a range from about C/100 to about C/10 and the second rate can be greater than about C/10.
1. A method of forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
providing an electrochemical cell comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least the first electrode comprises at least about 20% to about 99% by weight of silicon;
a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator, wherein the electrochemical cell has a rated capacity of 1 C; and
providing, during a formation process, a formation charge current at a first rate of constant current and at a second rate of constant current to the electrochemical cell, wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/100 to about C/10 and the second rate is greater than about C/10, and wherein the providing comprises:
providing the formation charge current at the first rate of constant current until reaching a predetermined fraction of nominal capacity for the cell; and
providing the formation charge current at the second rate of constant current after reaching a predetermined fraction of nominal capacity for the cell;
wherein providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current at the first rate until 5 to 50% nominal capacity, and providing the formation charge current at the second rate until the cell voltage reaches 4.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/80 to about C/10.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/60 to about C/10.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/50 to about C/10.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rate is less than or equal to about 10 C.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 0.5 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 1 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 1.5 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the first rate for about 1 minute to about 1,000 minutes.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the second rate for about 1 minute to about 1,000 minutes.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises charging to partial formation at the first rate.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein charging to partial formation at the first rate comprises charging to about 10% to about 50% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein charging to partial formation at the first rate comprises charging to about 10% to about 30% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the first rate prior to the second rate.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the second rate prior to the first rate.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entire formation of the cell is completed within a single charge or a single charge/discharge cycle.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current until the cell voltage reaches 4.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a lithium-ion battery and providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current with substantially no lithium plating.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is an anode.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a silicon-dominant electrode.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 30% to about 99% by weight.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 40% to about 99% by weight.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 50% to about 99% by weight.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 60% to about 99% by weight.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 70% to about 99% by weight.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 80% to about 99% by weight.
27. A method of forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
providing an electrochemical cell comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least the first electrode comprises at least about 20% to about 99% by weight of silicon;
a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator, wherein the electrochemical cell has a rated capacity of 1 C; and
providing, during a formation process, a formation charge current at a first rate of constant current and at a second rate of constant current to the electrochemical cell, wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/100 to about C/10 and the second rate is greater than about C/10, and wherein the providing comprises:
providing the formation charge current at the first rate of constant current until reaching a predetermined fraction of nominal capacity for the cell; and
providing the formation charge current at the second rate of constant current after reaching a predetermined fraction of nominal capacity for the cell;
wherein providing the formation charge current comprises charging to partial formation at the second rate; and
wherein charging to partial formation at the second rate comprises charging to about 50% to about 90% of total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/80 to about C/10.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/60 to about C/10.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/50 to about C/10.
31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second rate is less than or equal to about 10 C.
32. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 0.5 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
33. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 1 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
34. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 1.5 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
35. The method of claim 27 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the first rate for about 1 minute to about 1,000 minutes.
36. The method of claim 27 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the second rate for about 1 minute to about 1,000 minutes.
37. The method of claim 27 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises charging to partial formation at the first rate.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein charging to partial formation at the first rate comprises charging to about 10% to about 50% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
39. The method of claim 38 , wherein charging to partial formation at the first rate comprises charging to about 10% to about 30% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
40. The method of claim 27 , wherein charging to partial formation at the second rate comprises charging to about 70% to about 90% of total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
41. The method of claim 27 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the first rate prior to the second rate.
42. The method of claim 27 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the second rate prior to the first rate.
43. The method of claim 27 , wherein the entire formation of the cell is completed within a single charge or a single charge/discharge cycle.
44. The method of claim 27 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current until the cell voltage reaches 4.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.
45. The method of claim 27 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a lithium-ion battery and providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current with substantially no lithium plating.
46. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first electrode is an anode.
47. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first electrode comprises a silicon-dominant electrode.
48. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 30% to about 99% by weight.
49. The method of claim 48 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 40% to about 99% by weight.
50. The method of claim 49 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 50% to about 99% by weight.
51. The method of claim 50 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 60% to about 99% by weight.
52. The method of claim 51 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 70% to about 99% by weight.
53. The method of claim 52 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 80% to about 99% by weight.
54. A method of forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
providing an electrochemical cell comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least the first electrode comprises at least about 20% to about 99% by weight of silicon;
a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator, wherein the electrochemical cell has a rated capacity of 1 C; and
providing, during a formation process, a formation charge current at a first rate of constant current and at a second rate of constant current to the electrochemical cell, wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/100 to about C/30 and the second rate is greater than about C/10, and wherein the providing comprises:
providing the formation charge current at the first rate of constant current until reaching a predetermined fraction of nominal capacity for the cell; and
providing the formation charge current at the second rate of constant current after reaching a predetermined fraction of nominal capacity for the cell.
55. The method of claim 54 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/80 to about C/30.
56. The method of claim 55 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/60 to about C/30.
57. The method of claim 56 , wherein the first rate is in a range from about C/50 to about C/30.
58. The method of claim 54 , wherein the second rate is less than or equal to about 10 C.
59. The method of claim 54 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 0.5 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
60. The method of claim 54 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 1 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
61. The method of claim 54 , wherein the second rate is greater than about 1.5 C and less than or equal to about 10 C.
62. The method of claim 54 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the first rate for about 1 minute to about 1,000 minutes.
63. The method of claim 54 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the second rate for about 1 minute to about 1,000 minutes.
64. The method of claim 54 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises charging to partial formation at the first rate.
65. The method of claim 64 , wherein charging to partial formation at the first rate comprises charging to about 10% to about 50% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
66. The method of claim 65 , wherein charging to partial formation at the first rate comprises charging to about 10% to about 30% of the total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
67. The method of claim 54 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises charging to partial formation at the second rate.
68. The method of claim 67 , wherein charging to partial formation at the second rate comprises charging to about 50% to about 90% of total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
69. The method of claim 68 , wherein charging to partial formation at the second rate comprises charging to about 70% to about 90% of total capacity of the electrochemical cell.
70. The method of claim 54 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the first rate prior to the second rate.
71. The method of claim 54 , wherein the formation charge current is provided at the second rate prior to the first rate.
72. The method of claim 54 , wherein the entire formation of the cell is completed within a single charge or a single charge/discharge cycle.
73. The method of claim 54 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current until the cell voltage reaches 4.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.
74. The method of claim 54 , wherein providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current at the first rate until 5 to 50% nominal capacity, and providing the formation charge current at the second rate until the cell voltage reaches 4.0 volts to about 4.5 volts.
75. The method of claim 54 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a lithium-ion battery and providing the formation charge current comprises providing the formation charge current with substantially no lithium plating.
76. The method of claim 54 , wherein the first electrode is an anode.
77. The method of claim 54 , wherein the first electrode comprises a silicon-dominant electrode.
78. The method of claim 54 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 30% to about 99% by weight.
79. The method of claim 78 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 40% to about 99% by weight.
80. The method of claim 79 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 50% to about 99% by weight.
81. The method of claim 80 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 60% to about 99% by weight.
82. The method of claim 81 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 70% to about 99% by weight.
83. The method of claim 82 , wherein the first electrode comprises the silicon at about 80% to about 99% by weight.