Patent US4587182A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4587182A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Constant volume lithium battery cell and process

Assignee: Moli Energy Ltd
•
Filing: 1984-12-11
•
Granted: 1986-05-06
•
Expires: 2004-12-11
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A battery cell and a method for preparing a battery cell are disclosed in which a substantially fixed volume container includes the cell components therein in voltaic relationship, with the cell components including an anode comprising lithium metal, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a cathode in a spatial relationship to the anode within the fixed volume container, wherein the cathode comprises cathode active material which upon discharge intercalates lithium and undergoes a phase transition to a distinct structural phase in which phase the cathode active material can reversibly operate and which phase provides a cathode expansion greater than the anode volume decrease upon discharge, and wherein the spatial relationship and the cathode expansion within the substantially fixed volume are sufficient to produce a compressive load on the anode which inhibits the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated lithium grains on the anode when the cell is reversibly operated with the cathode in said phase.

Inventors

  • 👤 James A. R. Stiles
  • 👤 Klaus Brandt
  • 👤 David S. Wainwright
  • 👤 Keith C. Lee

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 05:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M10/00; H01M10/05; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49108

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
A battery cell comprising a substantially fixed volume container containing cell components therein in voltaic relationship, said cell components including an anode comprising lithium metal, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a cathode in a spatial relationship to the anode within the fixed volume container, said cathode comprising cathode active material which upon discharge intercalates lithium and undergoes a phase transition to a distinct structural phase in which phase the cathode active material can reversibly operate and which phase provides a cathode expansion greater than the anode volume decrease upon discharge, wherein said spatial relationship and said cathode expansion within said substantially fixed volume are sufficient to produce a compressive load on the anode which inhibits the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated lithium grains on the anode when the cell is reversibly operated with the cathode in said phase.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
A battery cell comprising a substantially fixed volume container containing cell components therein in voltaic relationship, said cell components including an anode comprising lithium metal, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a cathode in a spatial relationship to the anode within the fixed volume container, said cathode comprising cathode active material which upon discharge intercalates lithium and undergoes a phase transition to a distinct structural phase in which phase the cathode active material can reversibly operate and which phase provides a cathode expansion greater than the anode volume decrease upon discharge, wherein said spatial relationship and said cathode expansion within said substantially fixed volume are sufficient to produce a compressive load on the anode which inhibits the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated lithium grains on the anode when the cell is reversibly operated with the cathode in said phase.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said cell has been conditioned by discharging said cell to provide said phase transition, said expansion of said cathode active material and said compressive load on said anode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
A battery cell according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cathode active material comprises a transition metal chalcogenide providing such phase transition upon discharge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A battery cell according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoS 2 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
A battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoS 2 which has been discharged so as to undergo a phase transition to "Phase 2".
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A battery cell according to claim 4, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoO 2 surface treated MoS 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
A battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the cathodeactive material comprises MoO 2 surface treated MoS 2 which has been discharged so as to undergo a phase transition to "Phase 2".
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
A battery cell according to claim 5 or 7, wherein the anode is lithium foil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
A battery cell according to claim 8, wherein a separator is disposed between the anode and the cathode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
A battery cell according to claim 9, wherein the anode and cathode are wound in a spiral with the separator therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 181 words
A process for preparing a battery cell, said process comprising the steps of constructing a battery cell of a substantially fixed volume container and cell components within said substantially fixed volume comprising an anode comprising lithium metal, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a cathode comprising cathode active material which upon discharge intercalates lithium and undergoes a phase transition to a distinct structural phase in which phase the cathode active material can reversibly operate and which phase provides a cathode expansion greater than the anode volume decrease upon discharge, said cathode being contained in said substantially fixed volume container in a spatial relationship to the anode such that said spatial relationship and said cathode expansion within said substantially fixed volume are sufficient to produce a compressive load on the anode which inhibits the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated lithium grains on the anode when the cell is reversibly operated with the cathode in said phase; and discharging the cell to provide said phase transition, said expansion of said cathode active material and said compressive load on said anode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 181 words
A process for preparing a battery cell, said process comprising the steps of constructing a battery cell of a substantially fixed volume container and cell components within said substantially fixed volume comprising an anode comprising lithium metal, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a cathode comprising cathode active material which upon discharge intercalates lithium and undergoes a phase transition to a distinct structural phase in which phase the cathode active material can reversibly operate and which phase provides a cathode expansion greater than the anode volume decrease upon discharge, said cathode being contained in said substantially fixed volume container in a spatial relationship to the anode such that said spatial relationship and said cathode expansion within said substantially fixed volume are sufficient to produce a compressive load on the anode which inhibits the formation of a porous deposit of exterior, irregularly oriented, amalgamated lithium grains on the anode when the cell is reversibly operated with the cathode in said phase; and discharging the cell to provide said phase transition, said expansion of said cathode active material and said compressive load on said anode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 22 words
A process according to claim 11, wherein the cathode active material comprises a transition metal chalcogenide providing such phase transition upon discharge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process according to claim 11, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoS 2 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process according to claim 11, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoS 2 and said discharge causes the MoS 2 to undergo a phase transition to "Phase 2".
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 11, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoO 2 surface treated MoS 2 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 33 words
A process according to claim 11, wherein the cathode active material comprises MoO 2 surface treated MoS 2 and said discharge causes the MoS 2 to undergo a phase transition to "Phase 2".
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 14 or 16, wherein the anode is lithium foil.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process according to claim 17, wherein a separator is disposed between the anode and the cathode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process according to claim 18, wherein the anode and cathode are wound in a spiral with the separator therebetween.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4129686A Cited
US4224390A Cited
US4384029A Cited
US4379815A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-05-05 1989-11-04 1990-05-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-05-05 1993-11-04 1994-05-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-05-05 1997-11-04 1998-05-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag