Electrochemical cells and/or components thereof comprising nitrogen-containing species, and methods of forming them
Articles and methods related to electrochemical cells and/or electrochemical cell components (such as electrodes) comprising species comprising a conjugated, negatively-charged ring comprising a nitrogen atom and/or reaction products of such species are generally provided. The electrochemical cell may comprise an electrode (e.g., a cathode) comprising a protective layer comprising a species comprising a conjugated, negatively-charged ring comprising a nitrogen atom and/or a reaction product thereof.
1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a first electrode; and
a second electrode comprising a species comprising a conjugated, negatively-charged ring comprising a nitrogen atom and/or a reaction product thereof, wherein the second electrode comprises a transition metal.
2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , further comprising a protective later disposed on the second electrode, wherein the protective layer disposed on the second electrode comprises the species and/or the reaction product.
3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the reaction product comprises a reaction product between the transition metal and the species.
4. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the reaction product comprises a reaction product between the species and a second species, wherein the second species comprises a labile halogen atom.
5. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a first electrode; and
a second electrode comprising a species comprising a conjugated, negatively-charged ring comprising a nitrogen atom and/or a reaction product thereof, wherein the species comprises substituted or unsubstituted 1,2,4-triazole, 1,2,3-triazole, 1,3,4-triazole, pyrazole, imidazole, tetrazole, benzimidazole, indazole, and/or benzotriazole.
6. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 , wherein the second electrode comprises a transition metal.
7. A method, comprising:
exposing an electrode comprising a transition metal to a solution comprising a species comprising a conjugated, negatively-charged ring comprising a nitrogen atom; and
forming a protective layer disposed on the electrode, wherein the protective layer comprises the species and/or a reaction product thereof.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the species is present in the solution in an amount of greater than or equal to 0.1 wt. % and less than or equal to 5 wt. %.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the solution further comprises a second species comprising a labile halogen atom.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the solution comprises greater than or equal to 5 wt % and less than or equal to 50 wt. % of the second species.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrode comprises electroactive material and the electroactive material comprises a surface, and the exposing the electrode to the solution comprises wetting greater than or equal to 80% of the surface of the electrode active material.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the exposing the electrode to the solution is:
(a) at a temperature greater than or equal to 0° C. and less than or equal to 40° C.;
(b) for greater than or equal to 30 seconds and less than or equal to 5 minutes; and/or
(c) under vacuum.
13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising drying the electrode, wherein the drying comprises drying at a temperature for a duration of time and
(a) the temperature is greater than or equal to room temperature and less than or equal to 150° C.; and/or
(b) the duration of time is greater than or equal to 1 second and less than or equal to 24 hours.
14. A method, comprising:
combining an electrode material comprising a transition metal with a species comprising a conjugated, negatively-charged ring comprising a nitrogen atom to form a mixture,
coating a metal substrate with the mixture, and
drying the mixture to form an electrode.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a protective layer is disposed on the electrode, and wherein the protective layer comprises the species and/or a reaction product thereof.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mixture comprises greater than or equal to 0.1 wt. % and less than or equal to 20 wt. % of the species.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mixture comprises a solid component and a liquid component.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
(a) the mixture comprises greater than or equal to 10 wt % and less than or equal to 50 wt. % of the solid component;
(b) the electrode material and/or solid component comprises a metal and/or metal oxide;
(c) the electrode material and/or solid component comprises greater than or equal to 80 wt. % metal and/or metal oxide;
(d) the electrode material and/or solid component comprises a binder;
(e) the electrode material and/or solid component comprises greater than or equal to 0.1 wt. % binder and less than or equal to 10 wt. % binder;
(f) the electrode material and/or solid component comprises carbon-based materials; and/or
(g) the electrode material and/or solid component comprises greater than or equal to 0.1 wt. % and less than or equal to 10 wt. % carbon-based materials.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the liquid component comprises an organic solvent.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the metal substrate comprises aluminum, an aluminum alloy, and/or a metallized polymer film and/or wherein the metal substrate has a thickness of greater than or equal to 4 microns and less than or equal to 50 microns.