Methods of reducing occurrences of short circuits and/or lithium plating in batteries
An example method of reducing short circuits from occurring in a battery can include providing a current collector coated with a safety layer. The method can include providing an electrochemically active material film on the safety layer such that the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode. The method can also include adhering the electrochemically active material film to the current collector via the safety layer.
1. An electrode comprising:
current collector;
a safety layer on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material over the current collector;
wherein:
the safety layer extends over a first area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material extends over a second area of the current collector;
the first area extends beyond the second area of the current collector; and
the electrochemically active material comprises a carbon phase that holds the electrochemically active material together.
2. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer adheres the electrochemically active material to the current collector.
3. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein:
the current collector and the electrochemically active material are configured to provide an anode of a lithium ion battery; and
the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in the lithium ion battery.
4. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.
5. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon.
6. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
7. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
8. The electrode of claim 7 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
9. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active material is monolithic and self-supporting.
10. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrochemically active material is porous; and
pores of the electrochemically active material are substantially free of material from the safety layer.
11. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.
12. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.
13. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.
14. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.
15. The electrode of claim 14 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.
16. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material over the current collector;
wherein:
the safety layer extends over a first area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material extends over a second area of the current collector;
the first area extends beyond the second area of the current collector; and the electrochemically active material comprises:
a carbon phase that holds the electrochemically active material together; and
silicon particles distributed within the carbon phase.
17. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer adheres the electrochemically active material to the current collector.
18. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein:
the current collector and the electrochemically active material are configured to provide an anode of a lithium ion battery; and
the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in the lithium ion battery.
19. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.
20. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon.
21. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
22. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
23. The electrode of claim 22 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
24. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemically active material is monolithic and self-supporting.
25. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the carbon phase comprises hard carbon.
26. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein:
the electrochemically active material is porous; and
pores of the electrochemically active material are substantially free of material from the safety layer.
27. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.
28. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.
29. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.
30. The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.
31. The electrode of claim 30 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.
32. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material over the current collector, wherein:
the safety layer extends over a first area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material extends over a second area of the current collector;
the first area extends beyond the second area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material comprises a carbon phase that holds the electrochemically active material together; and
the carbon phase comprises hard carbon.
33. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer adheres the electrochemically active material to the current collector.
34. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein:
the current collector and the electrochemically active material are configured to provide an anode of a lithium ion battery; and
the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in the lithium ion battery.
35. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.
36. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon.
37. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
38. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
39. The electrode of claim 38 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
40. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the electrochemically active material is monolithic and self-supporting.
41. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein:
the electrochemically active material is porous; and
pores of the electrochemically active material are substantially free of material from the safety layer.
42. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.
43. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.
44. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.
45. The electrode of claim 32 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.
46. The electrode of claim 45 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.
47. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material over the current collector;
wherein:
the safety layer extends over a first area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material extends over a second area of the current collector;
the first area extends beyond the second area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material is porous; and
pores of the electrochemically active material are substantially free of material from the safety layer.
48. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the safety layer adheres the electrochemically active material to the current collector.
49. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein:
the current collector and the electrochemically active material are configured to provide an anode of a lithium ion battery; and
the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in the lithium ion battery.
50. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.
51. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon.
52. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
53. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
54. The electrode of claim 53 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
55. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the electrochemically active material is monolithic and self-supporting.
56. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.
57. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.
58. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.
59. The electrode of claim 47 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.
60. The electrode of claim 59 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.
61. An electrode comprising:
a current collector;
a safety layer on the current collector and configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to an opposing electrode; and
an electrochemically active material over the current collector;
wherein:
the safety layer extends over a first area of the current collector;
the electrochemically active material extends over a second area of the current collector;
the first area extends beyond the second area of the current collector; and
the safety layer in the aggregate is substantially electrically nonconductive.
62. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the safety layer adheres the electrochemically active material to the current collector.
63. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein:
the current collector and the electrochemically active material are configured to provide an anode of a lithium ion battery; and
the safety layer is configured to reduce exposure of the current collector to lithium deposition in the lithium ion battery.
64. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the safety layer is in a substantially solid state.
65. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon.
66. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 30% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
67. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at more than 50% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
68. The electrode of claim 67 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises silicon at less than 90% by weight of the electrochemically active material.
69. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the electrochemically active material is monolithic and self-supporting.
70. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein portions of the electrochemically active material penetrate the safety layer and come in direct contact with the current collector.
71. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the safety layer is a substantially uniform layer.
72. The electrode of claim 61 , wherein the safety layer comprises a polymer.
73. The electrode of claim 72 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamideimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polyacrylic acid.