IP Library Granted Patent US 12,368,009
Granted Patent B2
US 12,368,009 · App. 18/166,404 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Compositions and methods for energy storage device electrodes

Inventors: Santhanam Raman (San Diego, CA); James Borkenhagen (Spring Valley, CA); Xiaomei Xi (Carlsbad, CA); Xiang-Rong Ye (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
H01G11/42H01G11/06H01G11/28H01G11/38H01G11/50H01G11/52H01G11/86H01M4/0416H01M4/043H01M4/133H01M4/587H01M4/621H01M4/625H01M10/0525Y02E60/13
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,368,009
App. No.
18/166,404
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An energy storage device can include a cathode, an anode, and a separator between the cathode and the anode, where the anode and/or electrode includes an electrode film having a super-fibrillized binder material and carbon. The electrode film can have a reduced quantity of the binder material while maintaining desired mechanical and/or electrical properties. A process for fabricating the electrode film may include a fibrillization process using reduced speed and/or increased process pressure such that fibrillization of the binder material can be increased. The electrode film may include an electrical conductivity promoting additive to facilitate decreased equivalent series resistance performance. Increasing fibrillization of the binder material may facilitate formation of thinner electrode films, such as dry electrode films.

Claims (26)

1. An electrode film for use in an energy storage device comprising:

dry carbon particles; and

dry super-fibrillized binder particles,

wherein the electrode film comprises a super-fibrillized matrix,

wherein the electrode film is a dry free-standing super-fibrillized electrode film substantially free of solvent residue,

wherein the dry super-fibrillized binder particles comprise about 3 wt % to about 7 wt % of the super-fibrillized matrix, and

wherein the electrode film comprises the dry super-fibrillized binder particles in about 1 wt % to about 10 wt %.

2. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the electrode film has a thickness of about 50 μm to about 120 μm.

3. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the electrode film further comprises a conductive carbon.

4. The electrode film of claim 3 , wherein the electrode film comprises the conductive carbon in about 1% to about 5% by mass.

5. An electrode comprising a current collector and the electrode film of claim 1 .

6. The electrode of claim 5 , wherein the electrode is an anode.

7. An energy storage device comprising the electrode of claim 5 .

8. The energy storage device of claim 7 , wherein the electrode is in ionic contact with an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt.

9. The energy storage device of claim 8 , wherein the electrolyte is further in ionic contact with a cathode.

10. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the dry super-fibrillized binder particles comprise about 5 wt % to about 7 wt % of the super-fibrillized matrix.

11. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the electrode film does not substantially comprise processing additives.

12. The energy storage device of claim 7 , wherein the energy storage device is a battery.

13. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the dry super-fibrillized binder particles comprise a binder selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and combinations thereof.

14. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the dry super-fibrillized binder particles comprise a greatest dimension of at most about 3 μm.

15. The electrode film of claim 14 , wherein the greatest dimension of the dry super-fibrillized binder particles is at most about 0.01 μm to about 3 μm.

16. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the super-fibrillized matrix comprises the dry carbon particles each having a surface area of at least 20% in contact with the dry super-fibrillized binder particles.

17. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the electrode film comprises the dry super-fibrillized binder particles in about 3 wt % to about 7 wt %.

18. The electrode film of claim 1 , wherein the dry carbon particles comprise a porous carbon material.

19. The electrode film of claim 18 , wherein the porous carbon material is selected from the group consisting of an activated carbon, a porous graphite, and combinations thereof.

20. The electrode film of claim 3 , wherein the conductive carbon is selected from the group consisting of a carbon black, a conductive graphite, and combinations thereof.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: RAMAN, SANTHANAM; XI, XIAOMEI
To: MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067332/0557 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: TESLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 068236/0779 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2024
From: RAMAN, SANTHANAM; BORKENHAGEN, JAMES; XI, XIAOMEI; YE, XIANG-RONG
To: MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067326/0440 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17173748 · Feb 11, 2021
Division 15443939 · Feb 27, 2017
Provisional Application 62302056 · Mar 1, 2016
Related Publication 20230207226A1 · Jun 29, 2023
References Cited (42)
US 5744258A · Bai · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 6914769B2 · Welsch · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7227737B2 · Mitchell · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 7295423B1 · Mitchell · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7307830B2 · Gallay et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7486498B2 · Welsch · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7508651B2 · Mitchell · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 8072734B2 · Zhong · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 10923295B2 · Raman et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11587741B2 · Raman et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20040170821A1 · Iwaida et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050186473A1 · Mitchell · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20050250011A1 · Mitchell et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060114643A1 · Mitchell · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20060146475A1 · Zhong · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060246343A1 · Mitchell · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20080266753A1 · Mitchell · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20100014215A1 · Zhong et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20130157141A1 · Zhong · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130309527A1 · Liu · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20150062779A1 · Bankaitis · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150072234A1 · Mitchell · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150255779A1 · Hong · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150303481A1 · Duong · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160307706A1 · Cao · 2016 [cited by examiner]
CN 102723211 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 105633343A · 2016 [cited by examiner]
EP 2357044 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 10106540 · 1998 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000279777 · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2004186267 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 3884702B2 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011258333 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013077558 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015146249 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018515171 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO05008807 · 2005 [cited by applicant]
WO WO07062126 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
WO WO12151341 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO WO14138242 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
Li et al., Jan. 2016, Evaluation residual moisture in lithium-ion battery electrodes and its effect on electrode performance, 2015 MRS Fall Meeting, 7 pp. [cited by applicant]
Wood et al., 2017, Technical and economic analysis of solvent-based lithium-ion electrode drying with water and NMP, Drying Technology, 11 pp. [cited by applicant]