LCO ELECTRODES AND BATTERIES FABRICATED THEREFROM

1 . An electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising:

a LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

2 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a component of a battery.

3 . In a battery having an electrode layer, an improvement comprising:

a LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

4 . An electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising:

a LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

the electrode layer comprising a material having one or more following properties:

(i) a high density;

(ii) a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

(iii) at least one smooth surface; and

(iv) surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

5 . The electrode of claim 4 , wherein the electrode is a component of a battery.

6 . In a battery having an electrode layer, an improvement comprising:

a LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

the electrode layer comprising a material having one or more following properties:

a high density;

(ii) a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

(iii) at least one smooth surface; and

(iv) surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

7 . An electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising:

a fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer;

said electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

8 . The electrode of claim 7 , wherein the electrode is a component of a battery.

9 . In a battery having an electrode layer, an improvement comprising:

a fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer;

said electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

10 . An electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising:

a layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material;

said layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

11 . The electrode of claim 10 , wherein the electrode is a component of a battery.

12 . In a battery having an electrode layer, an improvement comprising:

a layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material;

said layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

13 . An electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising:

a fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer;

said electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

said electrode layer having a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

said electrode layer having at least one smooth surface;

said electrode layer having surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

14 . The electrode of claim 13 , wherein the electrode is a component of a battery.

15 . In a battery having an electrode layer, an improvement comprising:

a fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) electrode layer;

said electrode layer having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

said electrode layer having a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

said electrode layer having at least one smooth surface;

said electrode layer having surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

16 . An electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising:

an electrode layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material;

said electrode layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

said electrode layer having a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

said electrode layer having at least one smooth surface;

said electrode layer having surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

17 . The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrode is a component of a battery.

18 . In a battery having an electrode layer, an improvement comprising:

an electrode layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material;

said electrode layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

said electrode layer having a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

said electrode layer having at least one smooth surface;

said electrode layer having surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

19 . An active stack for a battery, the active stack comprising:

an anode layer;

a cathode layer; and

an electrolyte layer between the anode layer and the cathode layer;

wherein the cathode layer comprises a layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material; and

wherein the LiCoO 2 (LCO) material has a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of (110); (101); (104); and (003).

20 . The active stack of claim 19 :

wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a solid-state electrolyte layer; and

wherein the layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material has a smooth surface facing the electrolyte layer.

21 . The active stack of claim 19 , wherein the anode layer comprises a layer of lithium-ion based active material.

22 . An active stack for a battery, the active stack comprising:

an anode layer;

a cathode layer; and

an electrolyte layer between the anode layer and the cathode layer;

said cathode layer comprising a layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material;

said LiCoO 2 (LCO) material having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

said cathode layer having a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

said cathode layer having at least one smooth surface;

said cathode layer having surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

23 . The active stack of claim 22 :

wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a solid-state electrolyte layer; and

wherein the layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material has a smooth surface facing the electrolyte layer.

24 . The active stack of claim 22 , wherein the anode layer comprises a layer of lithium-ion based active material.

25 . A battery, comprising:

a first current collector;

an anode layer adjacent the first current collector;

an electrolyte layer adjacent the anode layer;

a cathode layer adjacent the electrolyte layer; and

a second current collector adjacent the cathode layer;

wherein the cathode layer comprises a layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material; and

wherein the LiCoO 2 (LCO) material has a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003).

26 . The battery of claim 25 :

wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a solid-state electrolyte layer; and

wherein the layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material has a smooth surface facing the electrolyte layer.

27 . The battery of claim 25 , wherein the anode layer comprises a layer of lithium-ion based active material.

28 . The battery of claim 25 , wherein the first current collector comprises a copper-based material.

29 . The battery of claim 25 , wherein the second current collector comprises an aluminum-based material.

30 . A battery, comprising:

a first current collector;

an anode layer adjacent the first current collector;

an electrolyte layer adjacent the anode layer;

a cathode layer adjacent the electrolyte layer; and

a second current collector adjacent the cathode layer;

said cathode layer comprising a layer of fully dense LiCoO 2 (LCO) material; and

said LiCoO 2 (LCO) material having a crystal orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

said cathode layer having a thickness from less than about 1 μm to about 200 μm or greater;

said cathode layer having at least one smooth surface;

said cathode layer having surfaces with continuous grains between the surfaces that create conductive pathways between the surfaces.

31 . The battery of claim 30 :

wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a solid-state electrolyte layer; and

wherein the layer of LiCoO 2 (LCO) material has a smooth surface facing the electrolyte layer.

32 . The battery of claim 30 , wherein the anode layer comprises a layer of lithium-ion based active material.

33 . The battery of claim 30 , wherein the first current collector comprises a copper-based material.

34 . The battery of claim 30 , wherein the second current collector comprises an aluminum-based material.

35 . A method of forming an electrode material, comprising:

forming a mixture of LiOH and KOH;

forming a melt by heating the mixture of LiOH and KOH;

adding CoO and dissolving the CoO in the melt; and

inserting an aluminum substrate into the melt and electroplating LiCoO 2 onto the aluminum substrate with a crystallographic orientation selected from the group consisting of: (110); (101); (104); and (003);

wherein the crystallographic orientation is a function of the electroplating.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the mixture of LiOH and KOH comprises about 8 g KOH and about 0.75 g LiOH.

37 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:

heating the mixture of LiOH and KOH to about 350° C.; and

adding about 0.5 g CoO to the mixture.

38 . The method of claim 35 , further comprising forming (003) oriented LiCoO 2 by applying a low constant current density of about 1 mA/cm 2 between a working electrode and a counter electrode.

39 . The method of claim 35 , further comprising forming (001) oriented LiCoO 2 by applying about 30 mA/cm 2 pulses between a working electrode and a counter electrode for about 2 seconds with about 5 seconds rest between pulses.

40 . The method of claim 35 , further comprising forming polycrystalline (110), (001) oriented LiCoO 2 by applying about 20 mA/cm 2 pulses between a working electrode and a counter electrode for about 5 seconds with about 5 seconds rest between pulses.

41 . The method of claim 35 , further comprising forming (110) oriented LiCoO 2 by applying about 20 mA/cm 2 pulses between a working electrode and a counter electrode for about 2 seconds with about 5 seconds rest between pulses.