BATTERY CELL RIVETING LAMINATE STRUCTURE
An anode-free cell that includes a cathode and a separator-collector-separator structure. The separator-collector-separator structure includes a perforated anode current collector, and a polymer layer contiguously disposed on both surfaces of the perforated anode current collector through perforations in the perforated anode current collector. The polymer layer is a binder.
1 . An anode-free cell comprising:
a cathode; and
a separator-collector-separator structure comprising:
a perforated anode current collector; and
a polymer layer contiguously disposed on both longitudinal surfaces (X-Z plane) of the perforated anode current collector through perforations in the perforated anode current collector, the polymer layer being a binder;
wherein the separator-collector-separator structure is configured as one unit.
2 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the separator-collector-separator structure further comprises:
a base separator film separating the separator-collector-separator structure from the cathode and;
a ceramic layer disposed between the base separator film and the polymer layer.
3 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer of the separator-collector-separator structure comprises a material that is compliant to applied forces by stretching elastically to accommodate lithium plating while providing an inwardly directed pressure in the cell that constrains said lithium plating to a uniform space about the perforated anode current collector and/or suppresses lithium dendrite formation.
4 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the perforations are distributed uniformly across the perforated anode current collector.
5 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the perforated anode current collector comprises a material selected from the list consisting of: a Cu (copper) foil, a Ni (nickel) foil, a Ti (titanium) foil, a SS (stainless steel) foil, an Al (aluminum) foil, an alloy foil, and a metalized polymer film metallized with one or more of the foils.
6 . The anode-free cell of claim 5 , wherein the perforated anode current collector further comprises any of the foils which is further plated with a different metal.
7 . The anode-free cell of claim 6 , wherein said different metal comprises a thickness of 10 nm to 5 μm.
8 . The anode-free cell of claim 5 , wherein said metalized polymer film comprises a material selected from the list consisting of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PI (polyimide).
9 . The anode-free cell of claim 8 , wherein the foils of said metallized polymer film comprise one or more metal layers.
10 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the perforated anode current collector has a pore size that ranges from 10 nm to 5 μm.
11 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the perforated anode current collector has a thickness of 3 μm to 50 μm.
12 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer is an elastomer.
13 . The anode-free cell of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer material comprises PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) or PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate).
14 . A battery comprising a plurality of anode-free cells, wherein each anode-free cell comprises:
a cathode; and
a separator-collector-separator structure comprising:
a perforated anode current collector; and
a polymer layer contiguously disposed on longitudinal surfaces of the perforated anode current collector through perforations in the perforated anode current collector;
wherein the separator-collector-separator structure is configured as one unit and the polymer layer is a binder.
15 . The battery of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of anode-free cells have a stacked configuration.
16 . The battery of claim 14 , wherein the battery is operable by a battery management system to have one or more charge/discharge rates selected to optimize anode-free cell life.
17 . A method comprising:
manufacturing an anode free cell by:
providing a cathode and a cathode current collector;
providing an anode current collector;
creating a plurality of perforations in the anode current collector to form a perforated anode current collector;
contiguously disposing a polymer layer on longitudinal surfaces of the perforated anode current collector through perforations in the perforated anode current collector; and
forming a separator-collector-separator structure of the cell by placing the contiguously disposed polymer layer having the perforated anode current collector between both sides of a separator,
wherein the separator-collector-separator structure provides an inwardly directed pressure that constrains lithium plating to a uniform space about the perforated anode current collector and/or suppresses lithium dendrite formation.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
configuring a size of the plurality of perforations to be between 10 nm to 5 μm.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the contiguously disposed polymer layer is glued or adhered to said both sides of the separator.
20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing an electric charge to the cell to form a layer of lithium metal having a uniform thickness on both sides of the perforated anode current collector.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
discharging the cell to at least partially deplete the layer of lithium metal such that a remaining layer of lithium has another uniform thickness.