US6733924B1 — Lithium anodes for electrochemical cells

Claim 1

Independent Claim 126 words

An anode of an electrochemical cell, wherein said anode comprises: an anode active layer, which anode active layer comprises: (i) a first layer comprising lithium metal; (ii) a second layer of atemporary protective metal in contact with a surface of said first layer; and (iii) a third layer comprising a single ion conducting layer, wherein said third layer is in contact with said second layer on the side opposite to said first layer and wherein said single ion conducting layer comprises a glass selected from the group consisting of lithium silicates, lithium borates, lithium aluminates, lithium phosphates, lithium phosphorus oxynitrides, lithium silicosulfides, lithium permanosulfides, lithium lanthanum oxides, lithium tantalum oxides, lithium niobium oxides, lithium titanium oxides, lithium borosulfides, lithium aluminosulfides, and lithium phosphosulfides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 126 words

An anode of an electrochemical cell, wherein said anode comprises: an anode active layer, which anode active layer comprises: (i) a first layer comprising lithium metal; (ii) a second layer of atemporary protective metal in contact with a surface of said first layer; and (iii) a third layer comprising a single ion conducting layer, wherein said third layer is in contact with said second layer on the side opposite to said first layer and wherein said single ion conducting layer comprises a glass selected from the group consisting of lithium silicates, lithium borates, lithium aluminates, lithium phosphates, lithium phosphorus oxynitrides, lithium silicosulfides, lithium permanosulfides, lithium lanthanum oxides, lithium tantalum oxides, lithium niobium oxides, lithium titanium oxides, lithium borosulfides, lithium aluminosulfides, and lithium phosphosulfides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The anode of claim 1 , wherein said temporary protective metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, magnesium, aluminum, silver, gold, lead, cadmium, bismuth, indium, germanium, gallium, zinc, tin, and platinum.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

The anode of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said first layer is 2 to 100 microns.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The anode of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said second layer is 5 to 500 nanometers.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The anode of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said second layer is 20 to 200 nanometers.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

The anode of claim 1 , wherein said anode further comprises a substrate, wherein said substrate is in contact with a surface of said first layer on the side opposite to said second layer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 13 words

The anode of claim 6 , wherein said substrate comprises a current collector.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

The anode of claim 6 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymer films, metallized polymer films, electrically conductive polymer films, polymer films having an electrically conductive coating, electrically conductive polymer films having an electrically conductive metal coating, and polymer films having conductive particles dispersed therein.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

The anode of claim 1 , wherein said anode further comprises a fourth layer, said fourth layer comprising a polymer, and wherein said fourth layer is in contact with said third layer on the side opposite to said second layer.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The anode of claim 9 , wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive polymers, ionically conductive polymers, sulfonated polymers, and hydrocarbon polymers.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 13 words

The anode of claim 9 , wherein said polymer is a crosslinked polymer.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 152 words

An electrochemical cell comprising: (a) a cathode comprising a cathode active material; (b) an anode; and (c) a non-aqueous electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode; wherein said anode comprises an anode active layer, which anode active layer comprises: (i) a first layer comprising lithium metal; (ii) a second layer of a temporary protective metal in contact with a surface of said first layer; and (iii) a third layer comprising a single ion conducting layer, wherein said third layer is in contact with said second layer on the side opposite to said first layer and wherein said single ion conducting layer of said third layer comprises a glass selected from the group consisting of lithium silicates, lithium borates, lithium aluminates, lithium phosphates, lithium phosphorus oxynitrides, lithium silicosulfides, lithium permanosulfides, lithium lanthanum oxides, lithium tantalum oxides, lithium niobium oxides, lithium titanium oxides, lithium borosulfides, lithium aluminosulfides, and lithium phosphosulfides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 152 words

An electrochemical cell comprising: (a) a cathode comprising a cathode active material; (b) an anode; and (c) a non-aqueous electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode; wherein said anode comprises an anode active layer, which anode active layer comprises: (i) a first layer comprising lithium metal; (ii) a second layer of a temporary protective metal in contact with a surface of said first layer; and (iii) a third layer comprising a single ion conducting layer, wherein said third layer is in contact with said second layer on the side opposite to said first layer and wherein said single ion conducting layer of said third layer comprises a glass selected from the group consisting of lithium silicates, lithium borates, lithium aluminates, lithium phosphates, lithium phosphorus oxynitrides, lithium silicosulfides, lithium permanosulfides, lithium lanthanum oxides, lithium tantalum oxides, lithium niobium oxides, lithium titanium oxides, lithium borosulfides, lithium aluminosulfides, and lithium phosphosulfides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said temporary protective metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, magnesium, aluminum, silver, gold, lead, cadmium, bismuth, indium, germanium, gallium, zinc, tin, and platinum.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 38 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said temporary protective metal is characterized by forming an alloy with, dissolving into, blending with, or diffusing into said lithium metal of said first layer during electrochemical cycling of said cell.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 39 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said temporary protective metal is characterized by forming an alloy with, dissolving into, blending with, or diffusing into said lithium metal of said first layer prior to electrochemical cycling of the cell.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of said first layer is 2 to 100 microns.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of said second layer is 5 to 500 nanometers.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said anode further comprises a substrate, wherein said substrate is in contact with a surface of said first layer on the side opposite to said second layer.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The cell of claim 18 , wherein said substrate comprises a current collector.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 52 words

The cell of claim 18 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymer films, metallized polymer films, electrically conductive polymer films, polymer films having an electrically conductive coating, electrically conductive polymer films having an electrically conductive metal coating, and polymer films having conductive particles dispersed therein.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 40 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said anode further comprises a fourth layer, said fourth layer comprising a polymer, and wherein said fourth layer is in contact with said third layer on the side opposite to said second layer.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

The cell of claim 21 , wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive polymers, ionically conductive polymers, sulfonated polymers, and hydrocarbon polymers.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 13 words

The cell of claim 21 , wherein said polymer is a crosslinked polymer.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of liquid electrolytes, solid polymer electrolytes and gel polymer electrolytes.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 25 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said electrolyte comprises a separator selected from the group consisting of polyolefin separators and microporous xerogel layer separators.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 35 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cathode active material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of electroactive metal chalcogenides, electroactive conductive polymers, and electroactive sulfur-containing materials, and combinations thereof.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cathode active material comprises elemental sulfur.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 46 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cathode active material comprises an electroactive sulfur-containing organic polymer, wherein said sulfur-containing organic polymer, in its oxidized state, comprises one or more polysulfide moieties, —S m —, where m is an integer equal to or greater than 3.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 47 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cathode active material comprises an electroactive sulfur-containing organic polymer, wherein said sulfur-containing organic polymer, in its oxidized state, comprises one or more polysulfide moieties, —S m − , where m is an integer equal to or greater than 3.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 47 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cathode active material comprises an electroactive sulfur-containing organic polymer, wherein said sulfur-containing organic polymer, in its oxidized state, comprises one or more polysulfide moieties, S m 2− , where m is an integer equal to or greater than 3.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 13 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cell is a secondary cell.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 13 words

The cell of claim 12 , wherein said cell is a primary cell.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-05-11	2007-11-10	2008-05-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-05-11	2011-11-10	2012-05-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-05-11	2015-11-10	2016-05-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Lithium anodes for electrochemical cells

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