IP Library Granted Patent US 11,984,551
Granted Patent B2
US 11,984,551 · App. 17/867,845 · Granted May 14, 2024

Lithium, phosphorus, sulfur, and iodine containing electrolyte and catholyte compositions, electrolyte membranes for electrochemical devices, and annealing methods of making these electrolytes and catholytes

Inventors: Tim Holme (San Jose, CA); Kim Van Berkel (San Jose, CA); William Hudson (San Jose, CA); Kian Kerman (San Jose, CA); Sunil Mair (San Jose, CA); Amal Mehrotra (San Jose, CA); Zhebo Chen (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: QuantumScape Battery, Inc.
H01M10/056C01D15/00H01M10/0525H01M10/0562C01P2002/08C01P2002/72C01P2004/03C01P2006/40H01M10/0585H01M2300/0068H01M2300/0091H01M2300/0094
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,984,551
App. No.
17/867,845
Granted
May 14, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure sets forth battery components for secondary and/or traction batteries. Described herein are new solid-state lithium (Li) conducting electrolytes including monolithic, single layer, and bi-layer solid-state sulfide-based lithium ion (Li + ) conducting catholytes or electrolytes. These solid-state ion conductors have particular chemical compositions which are arranged and/or bonded through both crystalline and amorphous bonds. Also provided herein are methods of making these solid-state sulfide-based lithium ion conductors including new annealing methods. These ion conductors are useful, for example, as membrane separators in rechargeable batteries.

Claims (28)

1. An electrolyte characterized by

Li x P y S z I t , wherein 5≤x≤12; 1≤y≤3; 5≤z≤9, and 0.1≤t≤2;

wherein the electrolyte is characterized by an x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern comprising primary peaks at 20°±1° and at 29°±1° (2Θ),

wherein the primary peak at 20°±1° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 2°±1°,

wherein the primary peak at 29°±1° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of greater than 5°±1°.

2. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the primary peak at 29° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 3°±1°.

3. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the primary peak at 29° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 2°±1°.

4. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is characterized by an XRD pattern having the following reflections: 20, 25, 27, 29, and 45±1° (2Θ).

5. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is semiamorphous.

6. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is Li a P b S c I d , wherein 7.2≤a≤7.6, 1.4≤b≤1.8, 7.0≤c≤7.4, and 0.8≤d≤1.2.

7. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is Li 7.4 P 1.6 S 7.2 I.

8. The electrolyte of claim 1 , comprising LiI.

9. The electrolyte of claim 1 , comprising Li 2 S.

10. The electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte does not have an argyrodite crystal structure.

11. The electrolyte of claim 1 , further comprising a polymer.

12. The electrolyte of claim 11 , wherein the weight loading of Li x P y S z I t is at least 50% (w/w) but less than 95% (w/w).

13. The electrolyte of claim 11 , wherein the weight loading of the polymer is about at least 0.01 (w/w) but less than 50% (w/w).

14. The electrolyte of claim 11 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, epoxides, polyethylene, polypropylene (PP), atactic polypropylene (aPP), isotactic polypropylene (iPP), polybutadiene (PBD), polybutadiene rubber (PB), cross-linked polybutadiene (cPBD), polystyrene (PS), ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), ethylene pentene copolymer (EPC), polyisobutylene (PM), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), polyolefins, polyethylene-co-poly-1-octene (PE-co-PO), polyethylene-co-poly(methylene cyclopentane) (PE-co-PMCP), poly methyl-methacrylate, acrylics, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), polyvinyl acetacetal resin, polyvinylbutylal resin, PVB stereoblock polypropylenes, polypropylene polymethylpentene copolymer, polyethylene oxide (PEO), PEO block copolymers, nitriles, nitrile butadiene rubber, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyisoprene rubber (PI), polychloroprene rubber (CR), polyethyl acrylate (PEA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), aqueous-compatible polymers, silicone, PMX-200 (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS), methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, polyvinylbutyral (PVB), poly ethyl methacrylate (PEMA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), stereo block polypropylenes, polypropylene polymethylpentene copolymer, polypropylene carbonate, and combinations thereof.

15. A thin film comprising the electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the thin film has a film thickness from about 10 nm to about 100 μm.

16. The thin film of claim 15 , wherein the thin film has a surface roughness from 0.5 μm Rt to 30 μm Rt, wherein Rt is the maximum surface roughness peak height of sampled surface, or a surface roughness from 0.5 μm Ra to 30 μm Ra, wherein Ra is the average peak height of sampled surface roughness.

17. The electrolyte of claim 1 , consisting essentially of

Li x P y S z I t , wherein 5≤x≤12; 1≤y≤3; 5≤z≤9, and 0.1≤t≤2;

wherein the electrolyte is characterized by an x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern comprising primary peaks at 20°±1° and at 29°±1° (2Θ),

wherein the peak at 20°±1° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 2°±1°,

wherein the peak at 29°±1° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of greater than 5°±1°.

18. The electrolyte of claim 17 , wherein the primary peak at 29° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 3°±1°.

19. The electrolyte of claim 17 , wherein the primary peak at 29° (2Θ) has a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 2°±1°.

20. The electrolyte of claim 17 , wherein the electrolyte is characterized by an XRD pattern having the following reflections: 20, 25, 27, 29, and 45±1° (2Θ).

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 31, 2023
From: QUANTUMSCAPE SUBSIDIARY, INC.
To: QUANTUMSCAPE BATTERY, INC.
Reel/Frame 063230/0766 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 19, 2023
From: QUANTUMSCAPE CORPORATION
To: QUANTUMSCAPE SUBSIDIARY, INC.
Reel/Frame 063117/0827 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2023
From: HOLME, TIM; VAN BERKEL, KIM; HUDSON, WILLIAM; KERMAN, KIAN; MAIR, SUNIL; MEHROTRA, AMAL; CHEN, ZHEBO
To: QUANTUMSCAPE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062968/0917 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 16991099 · Aug 12, 2020
Continuation 16143157 · Sep 26, 2018
Continuation 15367103 · Dec 1, 2016
Provisional Application 62321428 · Apr 12, 2016
Provisional Application 62263409 · Dec 4, 2015
Related Publication 20230123228A1 · Apr 20, 2023