Artificial solid electrolyte interface (A-SEI) cap layer including graphene layers with flexible wrinkle areas
This disclosure provides a battery comprising a cathode and an anode positioned opposite the cathode. A hybrid artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (A-SEI) layer is deposited on the anode and includes a plurality of active components. A blended material is interwoven throughout the plurality of active components and configured to inhibit growth of Lithium (Li) dendritic structures from the anode to the cathode. The blended material includes a combination of crystalline sp 2 -bound carbon domains of graphene sheets and a plurality of flexible wrinkle areas positioned at joinder points of two of more of the crystalline sp 2 -bound carbon domains of graphene sheets and a polymeric matrix configured to bind the plurality of active components and the blended material together. An electrolyte is in contact with the hybrid A-SEI and the cathode and a separator is positioned between the anode and the cathode. The blended material includes curable carboxylate salts of metals.
1. A battery comprising:
a cathode;
an anode positioned opposite the cathode;
a hybrid artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (A-SEI) layer deposited on the anode and including a plurality of active components;
a blended material interwoven throughout the plurality of active components and configured to inhibit growth of Lithium (Li) dendritic structures from the anode to the cathode, the blended material comprising:
a combination of crystalline sp 2 -bound carbon domains of graphene sheets and a plurality of flexible wrinkle areas positioned at joinder points of two of more of the crystalline sp 2 -bound carbon domains of graphene sheets; and
a polymeric matrix configured to bind the plurality of active components and the blended material together;
an electrolyte in contact with the hybrid A-SEI and the cathode; and
a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode.
2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the blended material includes any one or more curable carboxylate salts of metals including one or more of acrylate, methacrylate, or higher curable analogs of zinc, strontium, tin, indium, aluminum, or molybdenum carboxylate salts.
3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the combination further comprises one or more flexure points configured to contract a volume of the A-SEI layer during cross-linking of the polymeric matrix.
4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a porous structure configured to expand in a presence of polysulfide (PS) shuttle within one or more portions of the battery.
5. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of active components comprises:
a first active component; and
a second active component disposed on the first component.
6. The battery of claim 5 , wherein the first active component comprises a passivation layer.
7. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the passivation layer of the first active component includes an inorganic component.
8. The battery of claim 7 , wherein the inorganic component comprises one or more of Al 2 O 3 , LiF, Li 2 S 6 , P 2 S 5 , Li 3 N, SiO 2 , MoS 2 , Li 2 S 3 , LiF, LiN 3 , Li-metal alloy, Li—Si, Li 3 PO 4 , LiI, or Li 3 PS 4 .
9. The battery of claim 5 , further comprising a Li layer deposited on the anode.
10. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the separator is configured to transport Li ions from the anode to the cathode via the separator.
11. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the separator is configured to inhibit the growth of the Li dendritic structures from the anode towards the cathode.
12. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises an electrically conductive substrate configured to support the hybrid A-SEI layer.
13. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive substrate comprises a copper current collector.
14. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a metal foil.
15. The battery of claim 14 , wherein the metal foil has a thickness approximately between 1 μm and 250 μm.
16. The battery of claim 15 , wherein the metal foil comprises a layer of Li having a thickness approximately between 15 μm and 50 μm.
17. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid A-SEI layer is ionically conductive and is configured to be preferentially electrically conductive upon addition of electrically conductive carbon.
18. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid A-SEI layer is configured to electrochemically stabilize itself during operational cycling of the battery.
19. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric matrix includes one or more of cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polystyrene (PS), bis(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl) phosphate, 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate-based adhesion promoters including one or more of succinate, maleate phthalate, or phosphate, glycerol dimethacrylate maleate, polyethylene glycol (PEO), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF).
20. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises a cross-linked polymeric network configured to control an amount of contact between the electrolyte and the anode.
21. The battery of claim 20 , wherein a first portion of the cross-linked polymeric network has a first cross-linking density, and a second portion of the cross-linked polymeric network has a second cross-linking density different than the first cross-linking density.
22. The battery of claim 20 , further comprising a gradient defined by a cross-linking density of the cross-linked polymeric network across the hybrid A-SEI layer encapsulating the anode.
23. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the cross-linked polymeric network includes any one or more of a monomer or an oligomer.
24. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the cross-linked polymeric network is configured to inhibit dissolution of the hybrid A-SEI layer.
25. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the cross-linked polymeric network has a defined Li wettability associated with Li adhesion to the cross-linked polymeric network.
26. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the cross-linked polymeric network includes any one or more of a vinyl group, an acrylate group, a methacrylate group, or an epoxy-based group.
27. The battery of claim 26 , wherein any one or more of the vinyl group, the acrylate group, or the methacrylate group are configured to be cured by any one or more of an ultraviolet (UV) curing process or a thermal curing process.
28. The battery of claim 26 , wherein the epoxy-based group is configured to be cured by addition of an amine group or an amide group.
29. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the combination further comprises a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) carbon-based aggregates, each 3D aggregate including one or more functionalized graphene allotropes.
30. The battery of claim 29 , wherein each of the one or more functionalized graphene allotropes includes any one or more of an epoxy group, an amine group, a thiol group, a carboxylic acid, a (meth)acrylate functional group, a vinyl functional group, or —Si—H functional group.
31. The battery of claim 29 , wherein the one or more functionalized graphene allotropes are configured to enhance a mechanical property of the combination.
32. The battery of claim 29 , wherein the one or more functionalized graphene allotropes are configured to form covalent bonds with the polymeric matrix.
33. The battery of claim 32 , wherein the covalent bonds include any one or more of an epoxy group cross-linking, a free-radical initiated cross-linking of vinyl or (meth)acrylate groups, or a cross-linking of —Si—H groups with di-functional molecules containing double bonds on either end.
34. The battery of claim 29 , wherein the one or more functionalized graphene allotropes are configured to enhance adhesion between the hybrid A-SEI layer with Li metal in the anode.
35. The battery of claim 29 , wherein the one or more functionalized graphene allotropes are configured to enable uniform Li deposition on anode.
36. The battery of claim 29 , wherein the one or more functionalized graphene allotropes are configured to at least partially inhibit direct contact between polysulfides (PS) in a bulk phase of the electrolyte and Li in the anode.