In situ current collector
Electrochemical cells comprising electrodes comprising lithium (e.g., in the form of a solid solution with non-lithium metals), from which in situ current collectors may be formed, are generally described.
1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode; and
the anisotropic force and the electrochemical cell are configured such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a porosity of less than 20% immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, platinum, gold, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
4. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal excludes the group consisting of silicon, germanium, tin, antimony, bismuth, and aluminum.
5. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
6. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
7. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a sheet resistance of less than 1000 Ω/sq. immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
8. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, 60 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
9. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic force and the electrochemical cell are configured such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 50 times, the anode has a porosity of less than 20% immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle.
10. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode; and
the at least one non-lithium metal is present at a sufficient volume such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a porosity of less than 20% immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
11. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
12. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, platinum, gold, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
13. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal excludes the group consisting of silicon, germanium, tin, antimony, bismuth, and aluminum.
14. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
15. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
16. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a sheet resistance of less than 1000 Ω/sq. immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
17. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, 60 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
18. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is present at a sufficient volume such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 50 times, the anode has a porosity of less than 20% immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle.
19. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode; and
the anisotropic force and the electrochemical cell are configured such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a sheet resistance of less than 1000 Ω/sq. immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
20. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
21. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, platinum, gold, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
22. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal excludes the group consisting of silicon, germanium, tin, antimony, bismuth, and aluminum.
23. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
24. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
25. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a porosity of less than 20% immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
26. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, 60 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
27. The electrochemical cell of claim 19 , wherein the anisotropic force and the electrochemical cell are configured such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 50 times, the anode has a sheet resistance of less than 1000 Ω/sq. immediately after the discharge of the 50th cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle.
28. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode; and
the at least one non-lithium metal is present at a sufficient volume such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the at least one non-lithium metal forms a region having a sheet resistance of less than 1000 Ω/sq. immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
29. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
30. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, platinum, gold, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
31. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal excludes the group consisting of silicon, germanium, tin, antimony, bismuth, and aluminum.
32. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
33. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
34. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, the anode has a porosity of less than 20% immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
35. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, 60 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle.
36. The electrochemical cell of claim 28 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is present at a sufficient volume such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 50 times, the at least one non-lithium metal forms a region having a sheet resistance of less than 1000 Ω/sq. immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle, and 75 wt % or less of the amount of lithium present in the anode in its initial fully-charged state remains in the anode immediately after the discharge of the 50 th cycle.