IP Library Granted Patent US 11,127,942
Granted Patent B2
US 11,127,942 · App. 16/942,305 · Granted Sep 21, 2021

Systems and methods of manufacture of carbon based structures incorporated into lithium ion and lithium sulfur (li s) battery electrodes

Inventors: Jerzy Gazda (Austin, TX); Bruce Lanning (Littleton, CO); Jeffrey Bell (Santa Clara, CA); David Cao (Fremont, CA); Prashanth Jampani Hanumantha (Fullerton, CA); James McKinney (Redwood City, CA); George Clayton Gibbs (Santa Clara, CA); Michael W. Stowell (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: LytEn, Inc.
H01M4/1393H01M4/0423H01M4/0435H01M4/0471H01M4/133H01M4/587H01M4/621H01M10/0525H01M2004/021H01M2004/028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,127,942
App. No.
16/942,305
Granted
Sep 21, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure provides systems and methods of manufacturing an anode, which can include nucleating a plurality of carbon particles at a first concentration level, forming a first film on a sacrificial substrate based on the first concentration level, each of the carbon particles defined by a plurality of aggregates formed of few layer graphene sheets fused together, defining a porous structure based on the few layer graphene sheets; and infusing a molten lithium (Li) metal into the porous structure. A plurality of interconnected porous channels can be defined based on the plurality of carbon particles. A second film can be formed by nucleating the carbon particles at a second concentration level on the first film. The first film can be configured to provide a first electrical conductivity and the second film can be configured to provide a second electrical conductivity different than the first electrical conductivity.

Claims (30)

1. A method of manufacturing a lithiated carbon-based scaffolded anode, the method comprising:

forming a film on a substrate by nucleating a plurality of carbon particles at a certain concentration level, each of the plurality of carbon particles comprising a plurality of aggregates formed of few layer graphene (FLG) joined together to define a porous structure configured for lithiation;

infusing a molten lithium (Li) metal into the porous structure;

evaporating the molten Li metal onto a metal foil,

rolling the molten Li metal from the metal foil into the porous structure; and

removing the substrate from the scaffolded anode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first film has an average thickness in a range between approximately 10 μm and approximately 200 μm.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising growing carbon particles on a roll-to-roll processing apparatus.

4. The method claim 1 , further comprising preparing the lithiated carbon-based scaffolded anode to participate in a reversible migration of Li ions with a cathode prepared by any one or more of chemical functionalization or sulfidation.

5. The method claim 1 , further comprising densifying a plurality of graphene platelets on the porous structure.

6. A method of manufacturing a lithiated carbon-based scaffolded anode, the method comprising:

forming a film on a substrate by nucleating a plurality of carbon particles at a certain concentration level, each of the plurality of carbon particles comprising a plurality of aggregates formed of few layer graphene (FLG) joined together to define a porous structure configured for lithiation,

forming a plurality of interconnected porous channels in the porous structure defined by the joined FLG;

infusing a molten lithium (Li) metal into the porous structure; and

removing the substrate from the scaffolded anode.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first film has an average thickness in a range between approximately 10 μm and approximately 200 μm.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising growing carbon particles on a roll-to-roll processing apparatus.

9. The method claim 6 , further comprising preparing the lithiated carbon-based scaffolded anode to participate in a reversible migration of Li ions with a cathode prepared by any one or more of chemical functionalization or sulfidation.

10. The method claim 6 , further comprising densifying a plurality of graphene platelets on the porous structure.

11. A method of manufacturing a lithiated carbon-based scaffolded anode, the method comprising:

forming a first film on a substrate by nucleating one or more first carbon particles at a first concentration level, each of the one or more first carbon particles comprising a first plurality of aggregates formed of few layer graphene (FLG) joined together;

forming a second film on the substrate by nucleating one or more second carbon particles at a second concentration level, each of the one or more second carbon particles comprising a second plurality of aggregates formed of FLGs joined together, wherein the first film and the second film collectively define a plurality of interconnected porous channels between adjacent aggregates of the first and second pluralities of aggregates;

infusing a molten lithium (Li) metal into the plurality of interconnected porous channels; and

removing the substrate from the scaffolded anode.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first film is configured to provide a first electrical conductivity and the second film is configured to provide a second electrical conductivity different than the first electrical conductivity.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein second electrical conductivity is lower than the first electrical conductivity.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first film has an average thickness in a range between approximately 10 μm and approximately 200 μm.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising growing carbon particles on a roll-to-roll processing apparatus.

16. The method claim 11 , further comprising preparing the lithiated carbon-based scaffolded anode to participate in a reversible migration of Li ions with a cathode prepared by any one or more of chemical functionalization or sulfidation.

17. The method claim 11 , further comprising densifying a plurality of graphene platelets on the porous structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2021
From: GAZDA, JERZY; LANNING, BRUCE; BELL, JEFFREY; CAO, DAVID; HANUMANTHA, PRASHANTH JAMPANI; MCKINNEY, JAMES; GIBBS, GEORGE CLAYTON; STOWELL, MICHAEL W.
To: LYTEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 056920/0729 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 16785076 · Feb 7, 2020
Continuation In Part 16785020 · Feb 7, 2020
Provisional Application 62942103 · Nov 30, 2019
Provisional Application 62926225 · Oct 25, 2019
Related Publication 20210126246A1 · Apr 29, 2021
Cited By (11)
US 12,371,326 US 12,424,615 US 12,580,176 US 12,606,441 US 12,630,427 US 12,649,663 US 12,649,694 US 12,655,024 US 12,667,617 US 12,686,642 US 12,698,400