Single pouch battery cells and methods of manufacture
Apparatus, systems, and methods described herein relate to the manufacture and use of single pouch battery cells. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell includes a first current collector coupled to a first portion of a pouch, the first current collector having a first electrode material disposed thereon, a second current collector coupled to a second portion of the pouch, the second current collector having a second electrode material disposed thereon, and a separator disposed between the first electrode material and the second electrode material. The first portion of the pouch is coupled to the second portion of the pouch to enclose the electrochemical cell.
1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a first current collector coupled to a first portion of a pouch, the first current collector having a first electrode material disposed thereon;
a second current collector coupled to a second portion of the pouch, the second current collector having a second electrode material disposed thereon; and
a separator disposed between the first electrode material and the second electrode material, the separator having a cross sectional area larger than a cross sectional area of the first electrode material and the second electrode material, and
the first portion of the pouch coupled to the second portion of the pouch to form a sealing region, the separator extending partially into the sealing region and sealed between the first portion and the second portion such that the sealing region extends beyond peripheral edges of the separator.
2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the pouch is folded along a fold line between the first portion of the pouch and the second portion of the pouch such that the separator is disposed between the first electrode material and the second electrode material.
3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material includes a semi-solid electrode material.
4. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material has a thickness in a range of about 250 μm to about 2,000 μm.
5. The electrochemical cell of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material has a thickness in a range of about 250 μm to about 500 μm.
6. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first current collector or the second current collector has a thickness of less than about 20 μm.
7. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first current collector or the second current collector has a thickness of less than about 12 μm.
8. The electrochemical cell of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first current collector or the second current collector has a thickness of less than about 5 μm.
9. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell has an energy capacity in a range of about 0.1 Ah to about 40 Ah.
10. An electrochemical cell comprising,
a first current collector coupled to a first portion of a pouch, the first current collector having a first electrode material disposed thereon;
a second current collector coupled to a second portion of the pouch, the second current collector having a second electrode material disposed thereon;
a third current collector disposed between the first and second electrode material, the third current collector having a third electrode material disposed on a first side of the third current collector facing the first electrode material and a second side of the third current collector facing the second electrode material;
a first separator disposed between the first electrode material and the third current collector, and a second separator disposed between the second electrode material and the third current collector, each of the first and second separator having a cross sectional area larger than a cross sectional area of the first electrode material, the second electrode material, and the third electrode material; and
the first portion of the pouch coupled to the second portion of the pouch to form a sealing region, each of the first and second separator extending partially into the sealing region and sealed between the first portion and the second portion such that the sealing region extends beyond peripheral edges of each of the first and second separator.
11. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein:
the first and second electrode materials include a cathode material, and
the third electrode material includes an anode material.
12. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein:
the first and second electrode materials include an anode material, and
the third electrode material includes a cathode material.
13. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material includes a semi-solid electrode material.
14. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material has a thickness in a range of about 250 μm to about 2,000 μm.
15. The electrochemical cell of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material has a thickness in a range of about 250 μm to about 500 μm.
16. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first current collector or the second current collector has a thickness less than about 20 μm.
17. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of a thickness of the second electrode material to a thickness of the second current collector is equal to or greater than 12:1.
18. The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , wherein the electrochemical cell has an energy capacity in a range of about 0.1 Ah to about 40 Ah.
19. An electrochemical cell assembly, comprising:
a housing defining an internal volume; and
a plurality of electrochemical cells disposed in the internal volume of the housing and stacked on top of each other, each of the plurality of electrochemical cells including:
a first current collector coupled to a first portion of a pouch, the first current collector having a first electrode material disposed thereon;
a second current collector coupled to a second portion of the pouch, the second current collector having a second electrode material disposed thereon; and
a separator disposed between the first electrode material and the second electrode material, the separator having a cross sectional area larger than a cross sectional area of the first electrode material and the second electrode material, and
the first portion of the pouch coupled to the second portion of the pouch to form a sealing region, the separator extending partially into the sealing region and sealed between the first portion and the second portion such that the sealing region extends beyond peripheral edges of the separator.
20. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first tab extending from the first current collector of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells,
a second tab extending from the second current collector of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells, and
each of the first tabs and the second tabs extending through the sealing region into a region of the internal volume of the housing located outside of the sealing region.
21. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 20 , further comprising:
a first electrical connector disposed in the housing, each of the first tab of the plurality of electrochemical cells coupled to the first electrical connector, and
a second electrical connector disposed in the housing, each of the second tab of the plurality of electrochemical cells coupled to the second electrical connector.
22. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 19 , wherein:
each of the plurality of electrochemical cells include an electrolyte, and
the electrolyte of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells is isolated from the electrolyte of another one of the plurality of electrochemical cells by the sealing region.
23. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material and the second electrode material of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells includes a semi-solid electrode material.
24. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells has a thickness in a range of about 250 μm to about 2,000 μm.
25. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first current collector or the second current collector of each of the plurality of electrochemical cells has a thickness of less than about 20 μm.
26. The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of electrochemical cells has an energy capacity in a range of about 0.1 Ah to about 40 Ah.