Structure and methods of fabricating binding layers for a Li-ion polymer battery

1. A rechargeable battery, comprising

at least one anode;

at least one cathode, each said cathode being in opposing spaced relationship to each said anode;

two layers of differing porous separators/binders intermediate each opposing anode and cathode to maintain said opposing spaced relationship;

a non-aqueous electrolyte filling said pores of said layers of separator/binder;

wherein: a first separator/binder comprises a mixture of polymer P 1 and a particulate material M 1 ,

a second separator/binder comprises a mixture of polymer P 2 and a particulate material M 2 ,

polymer P 1 is soluble to a degree for forming a polymeric solution in a solvent S 1 ,

polymer P 2 is soluble to a degree for forming a polymeric solution in a solvent S 2 ,

polymer P 1 remains solid in the presence of solvent S 2 ,

polymer P 2 remains solid in the presence of solvent S 1 ,

particulate material M 1 remains solid in the presence of solvent S 1 ,

particulate material M 2 remains solid in the presence of solvent S 2 , and

said opposing spaced relationship of each cathode to each anode is maintained by

each anode being bound to the first separator/binder, the first separator/binder being bound to the second separator/binder and the second separator/binder being bound to each cathode.

2. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one anode and said at least one cathode are stacked as a prismatic stacked structure.

3. A rechargeable battery according to claim 2 , wherein

a plurality of anodes and cathodes are stacked, and

the stacking sequence is a repetition of (anode)-(first separator/binder)-(second separator/binder)-(cathode)-(first separator/binder)-(second separator/binder)-(anode).

4. A rechargeable battery according to claim 2 , wherein

a plurality of anodes and cathodes are stacked; and

the stacking sequence is a repetition of (anode)-(first separator/binder)-(second separator/binder)-(cathode)-(second separator/binder)-(first separator/binder)-(anode).

5. A rechargeable battery according to claim 2 , wherein a plurality of anodes and cathodes are stacked, and the stacking sequence is a repetition of (cathode)-(first separator/binder)-(second separator/binder)-(anode)-(second separator/binder)-(first separator/binder)-(cathode).

6. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein

said battery has one anode and one cathode, and

said anode and cathode are formed as a cylindrical wound structure.

7. A rechargeable battery according to claim 6 , further comprising

a core upon which said anode and cathode are wound to form said cylindrical wound structure.

8. A rechargeable battery according to claim 7 , wherein the shape of the core is one selected from: a cylinder and a hexahedron.

9. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein

solvent S 1 is of the hydrophobic type, and

solvent S 2 is of the hydrophilic type.

10. A rechargeable battery according to claim 9 , wherein

the hydrophobic solvent S 1 is one selected from: heptane, tetrahydrofuran, DMF, and DMSO, and

the hydrophilic solvent S 2 is one selected from: methanol, ethanol, and methanol/chloroform.

11. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein

solvent S 1 and solvent S 2 are of the hydrophobic type, or solvent S 1 and solvent S 2 are of the hydrophilic type.

12. A rechargeable battery according to claim 11 , wherein

the hydrophobic solvents S 1 and S 2 are selected from: heptane, tetrahydrofuran, DMF, and DMSO, or

the hydrophilic solvents S 1 and S 2 are selected from: methanol, ethanol, and methanol/chloroform.

13. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein

polymer P 1 is at least one selected from: PE, PP, PVC, polystyrene, and PAN; and

polymer P 2 is at least one selected from: PEO, PPO, polycarbonate, PMMA, and PVP.

14. A rechargeable battery according to claim 13 wherein polymer P 1 and/or polymer P 2 are/is a combination of two or more polymer materials.

15. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein particulate materials M 1 and M 2 are selected from: silicon dioxide, magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, strontium oxide, barium oxide, boron oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide; synthetic or natural zeolites,

borosilicate, calcium silicate, aluminum polysilicates, wood flours, glass microbeads, glass hollow microspheres, polyester fibers, nylon fibers, rayon fibers, acetate fibers, acrylic fibers, polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyamide fibers, polybenzimidazole fibers, borosilicate glass fibers, and wood fibers.

16. A rechargeable battery according to claim 15 , wherein particulate materials M 1 and M 2 are the same or M 1 and M 2 are different.

17. A rechargeable battery according to claim 15 wherein particulate material M 1 and/or particulate material M 2 are/is a combination of two or more particulate materials.

18. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first separator/binder the percent by weight of the particulate material is between 50% and 98%; and

in the second separator/binder the percent by weight of the particulate material is between 50% and 98%.

19. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first separator/binder the percent by weight of the particulate material is between 80% and 97%; and

in the second separator/binder the percent by weight of the particulate material is between 70% and 92%.

20. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein the first separator/binder is of a thickness in the range of 10-200 μm, and

the second separator/binder is of a thickness in the range of 10-200 μm.

21. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein the first separator/binder is of a thickness in the range of 30-60 μm, and

the second separator/binder is of a thickness in the range of 30-60 μm.