METHODS OF MAKING AND USING AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL COMPRISING AN INTERLAYER
Provided herein are electrochemical cells and/or electrode stacks comprising an interlayer disposed proximate to the negative electrode current collector and/or a metal negative electrode, wherein the interlayer is disposed between and in contact with a negative electrode current collector and a solid-state electrolyte separator or between and in contact with a metal negative electrode and a solid-state electrolyte separator.
1 . An electrochemical stack comprising:
a negative electrode current collector (NECC);
a solid-state electrolyte separator; and
an interlayer between the NECC and the electrolyte separator;
wherein the interlayer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), a lithium alloy thereof, oxides thereof, hydroxides thereof, peroxides thereof, and combinations thereof.
2 . The electrochemical stack of claim 1 , wherein the interlayer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), indium (In), and bismuth (Bi).
3 . The electrochemical stack of claim 1 , wherein the interlayer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO), tin oxide (SnO 2 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), silver oxide (Ag 2 O), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ), and bismuth oxide (Bi 2 O 3 ).
4 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein the electrolyte separator is a thin film or a pellet.
5 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the interlayer further comprises an oxygen-containing compound.
6 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 5 , wherein the interlayer comprises zinc.
7 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 6 , wherein the interlayer comprises tin.
8 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 7 , wherein the interlayer comprises magnesium.
9 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 8 , wherein the interlayer comprises silver.
10 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 11 , wherein the interlayer comprises aluminum.
11 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 10 , wherein the interlayer comprises indium.
12 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 11 , wherein the interlayer comprises bismuth.
13 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 12 , wherein the interlayer comprises gold.
14 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 13 , further comprising a Li metal negative electrode between and in direct contact with the NECC and the interlayer, wherein the interlayer is between and in direct contact with the lithium metal negative electrode and the electrolyte separator.
15 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 14 , wherein the electrolyte separator comprises lithium-stuffed garnet.
16 . The electrochemical stack of claim 15 , wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises Li A La B M′ C M″ D Zr E O F , wherein 4<A<8.5, 1.5<B<4, 0≤C≤2, 0≤D≤2; 0≤E≤2.5, 10<F≤13, and M′ and M″ are each, independently in each instance selected, from the group consisting of Al, Mo, W, Nb, Sb, Ca, Ba, Sr, Ce, Hf, Rb, Ga, and Ta.
17 . The electrochemical stack of claim 15 , wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises Li J La x Zr L O M .yAl 2 O 3 , wherein 5≤J≤8, 2≤K≤5, 0≤L≤3, 10≤M≤13, and 0≤y≤1.
18 . The electrochemical stack of claim 15 , wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet comprises Li x La 3 Zr z O 12 yAl 2 O 3 , wherein 5≤x≤8, 0≤y≤1, and 0<z≤2.5.
19 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 14 - 19 , wherein the interlayer and the lithium metal negative electrode comprise 99.9%-95% lithium by mole and 0.1%-5% zinc by mole.
20 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 19 , wherein the interlayer further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Bi, Cr, Ge, Sb, Si, Ti, a lithium alloy thereof, oxides thereof, hydroxides thereof, peroxides thereof, and combinations thereof.
21 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 20 , wherein the thickness of the interlayer is 0.1 μm to about 0.5 μm.
22 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 21 , wherein the interlayer decreases the contact angle of liquid lithium metal, when liquid lithium metal is placed in contact with the interlayer compared to when liquid lithium metal is placed in contact with the electrolyte separator.
23 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 22 , wherein the NECC comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon (C)-coated nickel (Ni), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and combinations thereof.
24 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 23 , wherein the electrolyte separator is a thin film and the thickness of the thin film is from 0.1 μm to about 200 μm.
25 . The electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 24 , further comprising a positive electrode provided on the side of the solid-state thin film or pellet separator opposite the NECC.
26 . A process for making an electrochemical stack, comprising
providing a solid-state electrolyte separator;
providing an interlayer on one side of the solid-state separator;
providing a negative electrode current collector (NECC), wherein the interlayer is between the NECC and the solid-state separator; and
applying pressure of at least 10 pounds per square inch (psi) to the solid-state separator, interlayer, and NECC.
27 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the electrolyte separator is a thin film or a pellet.
28 . The process of claim 26 or 27 , wherein providing an interlayer on one side of the solid-state separator comprises depositing the interlayer on the solid-state separator.
29 . The process of claim 26 or 27 , wherein providing an interlayer on one side of the solid-state separator comprises depositing the interlayer on the negative electrode current collector.
30 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 29 , wherein the interlayer comprises zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), a lithium alloy thereof, oxides thereof, hydroxides thereof, peroxides thereof, and combinations thereof.
31 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 29 , wherein the interlayer comprises zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), and combinations thereof.
32 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 29 , wherein depositing an interlayer comprises depositing Zn foil.
33 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 29 , wherein depositing an interlayer comprises depositing Ni foil.
34 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 33 , wherein depositing an interlayer comprises evaporating or sputtering the interlayer.
35 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 33 , wherein depositing an interlayer comprises depositing particles of metal or precursors to metal.
36 . The process of any one of claims 26 - 35 further comprising heating the deposited particles of metal and/or precursors to metal.
37 . An electrochemical cell comprising an electrochemical stack of any one of claims 1 - 25 , wherein the electrochemical cell is pressurized at a pressure of at least 10 pounds per square inch (psi).
38 . The electrochemical cell of claim 37 , wherein the electrochemical cell is pressurized at a pressure of at least 100 psi.
39 . The electrochemical cell of any one of claim 37 or 38 , wherein the electrochemical cell is pressurized at a pressure lower than 300 psi.
40 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a negative electrode current collector (NECC);
a solid-state electrolyte separator;
an interlayer between the negative electrode and the solid-state separator;
wherein the interlayer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), a lithium alloy thereof, oxides thereof, hydroxides thereof, peroxides thereof, and combinations thereof,
a positive electrode; and
a positive electrode current collector,
wherein the electrochemical cell is pressurized at a pressure lower than 300 psi.
41 . The electrochemical cell of claim 40 , having an area specific resistance (ASR) at the interface between the interlayer and the separator of between 10 Ωcm 2 and 0.01 Ωcm 2 at 10° C.
42 . The electrochemical cell of claim 40 , having an area specific resistance (ASR) at the surface of the separator of between 10 Ωcm 2 and 0.01 Ωcm 2 at 10° C.
43 . The electrochemical cell of any one of claims 40 - 42 , further comprising one or more electrode stacks.
44 . The electrochemical cell of claim 43 , further comprising a pressure-inducing element in direct contact with:
(a) the one or more electrode stacks;
(b) a positive electrode current collector; or
(c) a negative electrode current collector.
45 . A plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein each electrochemical cell is an electrochemical cell according to claim 40 , and a pressure-inducing element in contact with the plurality of electrochemical cells.
46 . The electrochemical cell of claim 45 , wherein the pressure-inducing element provides hydrostatic pressure, isotropic pressure, uniaxial pressure, or a combination thereof.