Stabilized anode for lithium-polymer batteries

Claim 2

A battery cell comprising: (a) a lithium anode; (b) a non-aqueous organic electrolyte containing a dissolved lithium salt; (c) an electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film interposed between the lithium anode and the electrolyte; said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film being capable of transmitting lithium ions between the lithium anode and the electrolyte; and (d) a cathode.

Claim 3

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is deposited by vacuum evaporation on said lithium anode.

Claim 4

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is a polymer electrolyte containing a dissolved lithium salt.

Claim 5

A battery cell according to claim 3, wherein said polymer electrolyte is a single-ion conducting polymer electrolyte.

Claim 6

A battery cell according to claim 3, wherein the polymer electrolyte is a gel polymer electrolyte.

Claim 7

A battery cell according to claim 3, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is deposited by vacuum evaporation on said polymer electrolyte.

Claim 8

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is deposited by plasma-assisted vacuum evaporation.

Claim 9

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is vacuum deposited using a conjugated polymer as an evaporation source.

Claim 10

A battery cell according to claim 8, wherein said conjugated polymer source is selected from the group consisting of poly(p-phenylene), polyacetylene, poly(phenylene vinylene), polyazulene, poly(perinaphthalene), polyacenes, and poly(naphthalene-2,6-diyl).

Claim 11

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said lithium salt is selected from LiCF 3 SO 3 , LiClO 4 , LiAsF 6 , LiPF 6 , LiN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiC(SO 2 CF 3 ) 3 and lithium salts of fluorosulfonated phenols and pyrroles.

Claim 12

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said cathode comprises a cathode active material selected from inorganic insertion oxides and sulfides, organo-sulfur compounds and conjugated polymers.

Claim 13

A battery comprising a battery cell according to claim 1 which further comprises a current collector for said lithium anode, a separate current collector for said cathode and suitable encapsulation to prevent the penetration of air and moisture.

Claim 14

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is less than 10 micrometers thick.

Claim 15

A battery cell according to claim 13, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is 0.1 to 5 micrometers thick.

Claim 16

A battery cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conducting crosslinked polymer film is deposited by plasma-assisted vacuum evaporation using conjugated oligomers as an evaporation source.

Claim 17

A battery cell according to claim 15, wherein said conjugated oligomers are phenyl oligomers.

Claim 18

A battery cell comprising: (a) a lithium anode; (b) a non-aqueous solid polymer electrolyte containing a dissolved lithium salt; (c) a lithium ion conducting polymer film interposed between the lithium anode and the electrolyte; said polymer film being doped electrically conductive and capable of transmitting lithium ions between the lithium anode and the electrolyte by incorporation of lithium ions, wherein said lithium ion-doped polymer film is capable of stabilizing the lithium anode against the formation of dendrites and has the capability to dissolve dendrites and further is capable of stabilizing the lithium anode against reaction with said polymer electrolyte to form a more resistive interfacial layer; and (d) a cathode.

Claim 19

A battery cell comprising: (a) a lithium anode; (b) a non-aqueous solid polymer electrolyte containing a dissolved lithium salt; (c) a lithium ion conducting polymer film interposed between the lithium anode and the electrolyte; said polymer film being doped electrically conductive and capable of transmitting lithium ions between the lithium anode and the electrolyte by incorporation of lithium ions, wherein said lithium ion-doped polymer film is capable of stabilizing the lithium anode against the formation of dendrites and has the capability to dissolve dendrites and further is capable of stabilizing the lithium anode against reaction with said polymer electrolyte to form a more resistive interfacial layer; and (d) a cathode.

Claim 20

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium ion conducting polymer film is deposited by vacuum evaporation on said lithium anode.

Claim 21

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said polymer electrolyte is a single-ion conducting polymer electrolyte.

Claim 22

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said polymer electrolyte is a gel polymer electrolyte.

Claim 23

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium ion conducting polymer film is deposited by vacuum evaporation on said polymer electrolyte.

Claim 24

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium ion conducting polymer film is deposited by plasma-assisted vacuum evaporation.

Claim 25

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium ion conducting polymer film is vacuum deposited using a conjugated polymer as an evaporation source.

Claim 26

A battery cell according to claim 23, wherein said conjugated polymer source is selected from the group consisting of poly(p-phenylene), polyacetylene, poly(phenylene vinylene), polyazulene, poly(perinaphthlene), polyacenes, and poly(naphthalene-2,6-diyl).

Claim 27

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium salt is selected from LiCF 3 SO 3 , LiClO 4 , LiAsF 6 , LiPF 6 , LiN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , LiC(SO 2 CF 3 ) 3 , and lithium salts of fluorosulfonated phenols and pyrroles.

Claim 28

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said cathode comprises a cathode active material selected from inorganic insertion oxides and sulfides, organo-sulfur compounds and conjugated polymers.

Claim 29

A battery comprising a battery cell according to claim 17 which further comprises a current collector for said lithium anode, a separate current collector for said cathode and suitable encapsulation to prevent the penetration of air and moisture.

Claim 30

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium ion conducting polymer film is less than 10 micrometers thick.

Claim 31

A battery cell according to claim 28, wherein said film is 0.1 to 5.0 micrometers thick.

Claim 32

A battery cell according to claim 17, wherein said lithium ion conducting polymer film is vacuum deposited using a conjugated polymer as an evaporation source and said lithium ion conducting polymer film comprises a conducting polymer with a different chemical structure than said conjugated polymer source.

Claim 33

A battery cell according to claim 30, wherein said conjugated polymer source is selected from the group consisting of poly(p-phenylene), polyacetylene, poly(phenylene vinylene), polyazulene, poly(perinaphthalene), polyacenes, and poly(naphthalene-2,6-diyl).