IP Library Granted Patent US 11,728,548
Granted Patent B1
US 11,728,548 · App. 17/650,178 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Separator for electrochemical cell

Inventors: Grace Marjorie Yee (San Francisco, CA); Daniel Friebel (San Carlos, CA); Ali Firouzi (Saratoga, CA)
H01M50/451H01M10/058H01M50/434
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,728,548
App. No.
17/650,178
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

An electrochemical cell having one or more electrodes with TMCCC materials introduces improved performance by including a special separator having ceramics and/or a discrete multilayer construction. TMCCC materials with no surface modifications, and existing electrolytes with no composition modifications are combined with a different grade of separator to improve cell performance.

Claims (42)

1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a liquid electrolyte disposed in electrochemical communication with said electrodes; and

a separator disposed in said liquid electrolyte and between said electrodes, said separator including a ceramic composition;

wherein one of said electrodes includes a coordination compound;

wherein said coordination compound includes a transition metal cyanide coordination compound identified by Formula I, by A a P b [R(CN) 6 ] c (H 2 O) n wherein A identifies as one or more alkali cations and P and R each represent one or more divalent or trivalent transition metal cations; wherein a, b, and c are related based on electrical neutrality, 0<a≤2, b=1, 0.5<c<1; and wherein n=6*(1−z)+d, and wherein n>0; wherein 6*(1−z) identifies as a quantity of lattice bound water and d identified as a quantity of non-coordinated water; wherein d>0; and

wherein said separator includes two or more discrete layers, including a first layer consisting essentially of one or more polymers, and a second layer consisting essentially of a ceramic composition.

2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said ceramic composition includes a material identifying as M x O y H z , with x, y, z identifying quantities of a metal (M), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H); wherein x≥1; wherein y≥x+z/2 and y≤3x+z/2; and wherein z≥0 and z≤y.

3. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 wherein M includes at least one of aluminum or silicon.

4. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said ceramic composition includes particles having sizes <100 nm.

5. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said separator is configured to include a mass loading greater than 1 gram per square meter of the ceramic composition.

6. An electrochemical cell, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a liquid electrolyte disposed in electrochemical communication with said electrodes; and

a separator disposed in said liquid electrolyte and between said electrodes, said separator including a multilayer construction;

wherein one of said electrodes includes a coordination compound;

wherein said coordination compound includes a transition metal cyanide coordination compound identified by Formula I, by A a P b [R(CN) 6 ] c (H 2 O) n wherein A identifies as one or more alkali cations and P and R each represent one or more divalent or trivalent transition metal cations; wherein a, b, and c are related based on electrical neutrality, 0<a≤2, 0.5<c<1; and wherein n=6*(1−z)+d, and wherein n>0; wherein 6*(1−z) identifies as a quantity of lattice bound water and d identified as a quantity of non-coordinated water; wherein d>0; and

wherein said separator includes two or more discrete layers, including a first layer consisting essentially of one or more polymers, and a second layer consisting essentially of a ceramic composition.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 wherein said multilayer construction includes particles having sizes <100 nm.

8. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 wherein said separator is configured to include a mass loading greater than 1 gram per square meter of a ceramic composition.

9. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell, comprising:

producing a first electrode including a coordination compound;

producing a second electrode;

producing a liquid electrolyte;

producing a separator, said separator including a ceramic composition; and

assembling the electrochemical cell including electrochemically communicating said electrodes to said liquid electrolyte and disposing said separator between said electrodes;

wherein said coordination compound includes a transition metal cyanide coordination compound identified by Formula I, by A a P b [R(CN) 6 ] c (H 2 O) n wherein A identifies as one or more alkali cations and P and R each represent one or more divalent or trivalent transition metal cations; wherein a, b, and c are related based on electrical neutrality, 0<a≤2, b=1, 0.5<c<1; and wherein n=6*(1−z)+d, and wherein n>0; wherein 6*(1−z) identifies as a quantity of lattice bound water and d identified as a quantity of non-coordinated water; wherein d>0; and

wherein said separator includes two or more discrete layers, including a first layer consisting essentially of one or more polymers, and a second layer consisting essentially of a ceramic composition.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said ceramic composition includes a material identifying as M x O y H z , with x, y, z identifying quantities of a metal (M), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H); wherein x≥1; wherein y≥x+z/2 and y≤3x+z/2; and wherein z≥0 and z≥y.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said separator is configured to include a mass loading greater than 1 gram per square meter of a ceramic composition.

12. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell, comprising:

producing a first electrode including a coordination compound;

producing a second electrode;

producing a liquid electrolyte;

producing a separator, said separator including a discrete multilayer composition; and

assembling the electrochemical cell including electrochemically communicating said electrodes to said liquid electrolyte and disposing said separator between said electrodes;

wherein said coordination compound includes a transition metal cyanide coordination compound identified by Formula I, by A a P b [R(CN) 6 ] c (H 2 O) n wherein A identifies as one or more alkali cations and P and R each represent one or more divalent or trivalent transition metal cations; wherein a, b, and c are related based on electrical neutrality, 0<a≤2, b=1, 0.5<c<1; and wherein n=6*(1−z)+d, and wherein n>0; wherein 6*(1−z) identifies as a quantity of lattice bound water and d identified as a quantity of non-coordinated water; wherein d>0; and

wherein said separator includes two or more discrete layers, including a first layer consisting essentially of one or more polymers, and a second layer consisting essentially of a ceramic composition.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said multilayer construction includes a material identifying as M x O y H z , with x, y, z identifying quantities of a metal (M), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H)); wherein x≥1; wherein y≥x+z/2 and y≤3x+z/2; and wherein z≥0 and z≤y.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said separator is configured to include a mass loading greater than 1 gram per square meter of the ceramic composition.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2025
From: NATRON (ASSIGNMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF CREDITORS), LLC
To: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 072829/0132 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2025
From: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: NATRON (ASSIGNMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF CREDITORS), LLC
Reel/Frame 072836/0466 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2025
From: NATRON INTERMEDIATE, INC.; NATRON HOLDINGS, INC.; NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 071480/0329 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2025
From: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
To: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 070705/0013 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2024
From: NANODIMENSION III, L.P.; NANODIMENSION IV, L.P.; ND CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND I, L.P.; THE EIGER TRUST
To: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 069450/0867 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2024
From: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: MERCURIA INVESTMENTS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 068748/0393 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2024
From: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
To: NANODIMENSION III, L.P.; NANODIMENSION IV, L.P.; ND CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND I, L.P.; THE EIGER TRUST
Reel/Frame 068520/0081 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: YEE, GRACE MARJORIE, MS.; FRIEBEL, DANIEL, DR.; FIROUZI, ALI, DR.
To: NATRON ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058913/0409 →