In situ current collector
Electrochemical cells comprising electrodes comprising lithium (e.g., in the form of a solid solution with non-lithium metals), from which in situ current collectors may be formed, are generally described.
1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode, and
the anisotropic force and the electrochemical cell are configured such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, the anode has a porosity that is less than 50% of the porosity that would be present in an equivalent cell without the applied anisotropic force, immediately after the discharge of its tenth cycle.
2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein, when the cell is in a fully charged state, the solid solution has a yield strength of from about 0.1 MPa to about 100 MPa.
3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
4. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
5. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
6. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected such that less than about 10 wt % of the at least one non-lithium metal participates in an electrochemical reaction during a first charge and discharge cycle of the cell operating within a voltage window of from about 0 V to about 5 V.
7. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal forms a solid solution with lithium at a temperature of between −40° C. and 80° C.
8. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is capable of being cycled at least 70 times before a capacity of the electrochemical cell in a charged state is reduced to less than 80% of an original charge capacity.
9. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic force is configured such that the force component normal to the active surface of the anode applies a pressure to the active surface of the anode of at least about 4.9 Newtons per square centimeter.
10. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured such that it is in a charged state when it is first assembled.
11. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising a lithium intercalation compound.
12. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode, and
the at least one non-lithium metal is present at a sufficient volume such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, the anode has a porosity that is less than 50% of the porosity that would be present in an equivalent cell without the at least one non-lithium metal, immediately after the discharge of its tenth cycle.
13. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein, when the cell is in a fully charged state, the solid solution has a yield strength of from about 0.1 MPa to about 100 MPa.
14. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
15. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
16. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
17. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected such that less than about 10 wt % of the at least one non-lithium metal participates in an electrochemical reaction during a first charge and discharge cycle of the cell operating within a voltage window of from about 0 V to about 5 V.
18. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal forms a solid solution with lithium at a temperature of between −40° C. and 80° C.
19. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the electrochemical cell is capable of being cycled at least 70 times before a capacity of the electrochemical cell in a charged state is reduced to less than 80% of an original charge capacity.
20. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the anisotropic force is configured such that the force component normal to the active surface of the anode applies a pressure to the active surface of the anode of at least about 4.9 Newtons per square centimeter.
21. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured such that it is in a charged state when it is first assembled.
22. The electrochemical cell of claim 12 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising a lithium intercalation compound.
23. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode, and
the anisotropic force and the electrochemical cell are configured such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, the anode has a sheet resistance that is less than 50% of the sheet resistance that would be present in an equivalent cell without the applied anisotropic force, immediately after the discharge of its tenth cycle.
24. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein, when the cell is in a fully charged state, the solid solution has a yield strength of from about 0.1 MPa to about 100 MPa.
25. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
26. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
27. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
28. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected such that less than about 10 wt % of the at least one non-lithium metal participates in an electrochemical reaction during a first charge and discharge cycle of the cell operating within a voltage window of from about 0 V to about 5 V.
29. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal forms a solid solution with lithium at a temperature of between −40° C. and 80° C.
30. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the electrochemical cell is capable of being cycled at least 70 times before a capacity of the electrochemical cell in a charged state is reduced to less than 80% of an original charge capacity.
31. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the anisotropic force is configured such that the force component normal to the active surface of the anode applies a pressure to the active surface of the anode of at least about 4.9 Newtons per square centimeter.
32. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured such that it is in a charged state when it is first assembled.
33. The electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising a lithium intercalation compound.
34. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising a solid solution of lithium and at least one non-lithium metal, the anode having an active surface; and
an electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
the electrochemical cell is under an applied anisotropic force having a force component normal to the active surface of the anode, and
the at least one non-lithium metal is present at a sufficient volume such that, when the electrochemical cell is fully cycled 10 times, immediately after the discharge of the tenth cycle, the anode has a sheet resistance that is less than 50% of the sheet resistance that would be present in an equivalent cell without the at least one non-lithium metal, immediately after the discharge of its tenth cycle.
35. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein, when the cell is in a fully charged state, the solid solution has a yield strength of from about 0.1 MPa to about 100 MPa.
36. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, platinum, gold, aluminum, cadmium, silver, mercury, and combinations thereof.
37. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal comprises magnesium.
38. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal in the anode is at least 0.1 wt % and equal to or less than 25 wt % of the combined weight of lithium and non-lithium metal in the anode during a fully charged state.
39. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal is selected such that less than about 10 wt % of the at least one non-lithium metal participates in an electrochemical reaction during a first charge and discharge cycle of the cell operating within a voltage window of from about 0 V to about 5 V.
40. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the at least one non-lithium metal forms a solid solution with lithium at a temperature of between −40° C. and 80° C.
41. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the electrochemical cell is capable of being cycled at least 70 times before a capacity of the electrochemical cell in a charged state is reduced to less than 80% of an original charge capacity.
42. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the anisotropic force is configured such that the force component normal to the active surface of the anode applies a pressure to the active surface of the anode of at least about 4.9 Newtons per square centimeter.
43. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured such that it is in a charged state when it is first assembled.
44. The electrochemical cell of claim 34 , wherein the cathode comprises a cathode active material comprising a lithium intercalation compound.