IP Library Granted Patent US 12,586,784
Granted Patent B2
US 12,586,784 · App. 18/655,905 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Silicon anodes with water-soluble maleic anhydride-, and/or maleic acid-containing polymers/copolymers, derivatives, and/or combinations (with or without additives) as binders

Inventors: Liwen Ji (Irvine, CA); Younes Ansari (Irvine, CA); Sanjaya D. Perera (Irvine, CA); Benjamin Park (Irvine, CA)
Assignee: Enevate Corporation
H01M4/386H01M4/0404H01M4/622H01M10/0525
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,586,784
App. No.
18/655,905
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for batteries comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode, wherein the anode is a Si-dominant anode that utilizes water-soluble maleic anhydride- and/or maleic acid-containing polymers/co-polymers, derivatives, and/or combinations (with or without additives) as binders.

Claims (20)

1 . A battery electrode, the electrode comprising an electrode coating layer comprising from about 1 wt % to 95 wt % Si;

wherein said electrode coating layer further comprises a water-soluble maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer binder; and wherein said polymer binder comprises Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid); Poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) sodium salts; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl esters; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl/methyl mixed esters; Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride), partial methyl esters; Poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene); Poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride; Polyisoprene-graft-maleic anhydride; or Polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride; and

wherein said polymer binder further comprises a conductive additive, wherein said conductive additive comprises Super P carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanofibers, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, porous carbons and/or other types of zero-, one-, two-, or three-dimensional carbon materials.

2 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said polymer binder comprises a lithium salt of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer.

3 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Poly(acrylic acid), Poly(vinyl alcohol), Lignin, styrene-butadiene rubber, Gelatin, Carboxymethyl cellulose, Chitosan, Alginate, Pectin, Amylose, Starch, Xanthan gum, Arabic gum, Gelan gum, Karaya gum, and/or Guar gum.

4 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Putrescine, Spermidine, Spermine, Thermospermine, Polyethylenimine, N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide, N,N′-Ethylenebisacrylamide, Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether, Trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, Tris(4-hydroxyphenyl) methane triglycidyl ether, Tris(2,3-epoxypropyl) isocyanurate, Poly[(o-cresyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde], Trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate), Pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate), 2,2′-(Ethylenedioxy) diethanethiol, 1,2-Ethanedithiol, or 1,4-Butanedithiol.

5 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode coating layer comprises more than 70% silicon.

6 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the battery electrode is in a lithium ion battery.

7 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode coating layer is pyrolyzed.

8 . A method of forming a battery electrode, the method comprising:

creating an electrode coating layer from an electrode slurry comprising an aqueous solution of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer binder and about 1 wt % to 95 wt % Si powder, with optional additives;

fabricating a battery electrode by coating the slurry on a current collector; and

pyrolyzing said electrode coating layer;

wherein said polymer binder comprises Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid); Poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) sodium salts; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl esters; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl/methyl mixed esters; Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride), partial methyl esters; Poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene); Poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride; Polyisoprene-graft-maleic anhydride; or Polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride; and

wherein said polymer binder further comprises a conductive additive, wherein said conductive additive comprises Super P carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanofibers, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, porous carbons and/or other types of zero-, one-, two-, or three-dimensional carbon materials.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said polymer binder comprises a lithium salt of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer.

10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Poly(acrylic acid), Poly(vinyl alcohol), Lignin, styrene-butadiene rubber, Gelatin, Carboxymethyl cellulose, Chitosan, Alginate, Pectin, Amylose, Starch, Xanthan gum, Arabic gum, Gelan gum, Karaya gum, and/or Guar gum.

11 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Putrescine, Spermidine, Spermine, Thermospermine, Polyethylenimine, N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide, N,N′-Ethylenebisacrylamide, Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether, Trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, Tris(4-hydroxyphenyl) methane triglycidyl ether, Tris(2,3-epoxypropyl) isocyanurate, Poly[(o-cresyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde], Trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate), Pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate), 2,2′-(Ethylenedioxy) diethanethiol, 1,2-Ethanedithiol, or 1,4-Butanedithiol.

12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the electrode coating layer comprises more than 70% silicon.

13 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the battery electrode is in a lithium ion battery.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2026
From: ENEVATE CORPORATION
To: MCANDREWS, HELD & MALLOY LTD.
Reel/Frame 075093/0935 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2025
From: JI, LIWEN; ANSARI, YOUNES; PERERA, SANJAYA D.; PARK, BENJAMIN
To: ENEVATE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071833/0089 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17398786 · Aug 10, 2021
Continuation 16925093 · Jul 9, 2020
Related Publication 20240379951A1 · Nov 14, 2024
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