Electrochemical cell including functionally graded and architectured components and methods

Abstract

Electrochemical cells or batteries featuring functional gradations, and having desirable, periodic configurations, and methods for making the same. One or more methods, in alone or in combination, are utilized to fabricate components of such electrochemical cells or batteries, which are designed to achieve certain thermal, mechanical, kinetic and spatial characteristics, and their effects, singly and in all possible combinations, on battery performance. The thermal characteristics relate to temperature distribution during charge and discharge processes. The kinetic characteristics relate to rate performance of the cells or batteries such as the ionic diffusion process and electron conduction. The mechanical characteristics relate to lifetime and efficiency of the cells or batteries such as the strength and moduli of the component materials. Finally, the spatial characteristics relate to the energy and power densities, stress and temperature mitigation mechanisms, and diffusion and conduction enhancements. The electrochemical cells or batteries constructed according to the methods presented in this invention are useful for all applications that require high rate performance, high energy/power density, good durability, high safety and long lifetime.

1 . A micro-architectured electrochemical cell and/or battery device comprising:
 an anode;   a cathode arranged anti-symmetrically with the anode;   a predetermined distance between the cathode and the anode;   an electrical insulation provided to separate the anode from the cathode, the electrical insulation being characterized by a graded material property that changes within a portion of the predetermined distance or one or more layers of insulating material to separate the anode from the cathode;   a nanocomposite anode material characterizing the anode, the nanocomposite anode material having one or more first intensive characteristics that is a function of one or more second extensive characteristics;   a nanocomposite cathode material characterizing the cathode, the nanocomposite cathode material having one or more first intensive characteristics that is a function of one or more second extensive characteristics;   an electrolyte material provided between the anode and the cathode;   a cathode current collector in communication with the cathode; and   an anode current collector in communication with the anode.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a substrate to support the current collector if depositing current collector material mechanical properties are not suitable for further deposition. 
     
     
         3 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode member having one or more first spatial features and formed substantially from a first nanocomposite material, the first nanocomposite material having an average feature size ranging from about 50 Å to about 500 nanometers, the first nanocomposite material having a first resistivity value of greater than 8 microohms centimeters;   a cathode member having one or more second spatial features, the cathode member being operably coupled the anode member and formed substantially from a second nanocomposite material, the second nanocomposite material having an average feature size ranging from about 50 Å to about 500 nanometers, the second nanocomposite having a second resistivity value of greater than 14.3 ohms centimeters;   a predetermined gap between the anode and the cathode, the predetermined gap being greater than 500 nanometers;   an electrolyte provided between the anode and the cathode;   a separator provided between the anode and the cathode;   a first current collector coupled to the anode via at least a first contact; and   a second current collector coupled to the cathode via at least a second contact.   
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  further comprising an aggregate resistance, the aggregate resistance being derived from a sum of resistance values from one or more leads, the first contact, the second contact, the first resistance value, the second resistance value, and one or more resistance values between one or more different elements of the electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the first nanocomposite material is substantially free from a localized charge of 1 eV and greater. 
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the second nanocomposite material is substantially free from a localized charge of 1 eV and greater. 
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the first nanocomposite material is selected from at least a transition metal, oxide of a metal, Groups IA, IVA, VIA, and IIB. 
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the second nanocomposite material is selected from at least a transition metal, oxide of a metal, Groups IA, VIII, IVA, VIA, IB, IVB and VIIB. 
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the electrolyte is selected from a liquid, solid, or gel. 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the electrolyte is selected from a ceramic, a semiconductor, a polymeric material, or any material in an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the electrolyte is either homogeneous or inhomogeneous. 
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the electrolyte is a nanocomposite, microcomposite, or other heterogeneous structure. 
     
     
         13 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the electrolyte comprises one or more first intensive characteristics referenced against one or more second extensive characteristics. 
     
     
         14 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 3  wherein the anode member and/or cathode member comprises a dopant to maintain surfaces of either or both the anode member and/or the cathode member substantially free from dendrites. 
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 14  wherein the dopant is selected from any one or more combinations of Groups IA through VIIA, and Groups IIB-VIIB, and Group VIII, inclusive and in any permutation. 
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 14  wherein the dopant is provide in a homogeneous configuration or graded configuration. 
     
     
         17 . A method for fabricating an electrode for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate member having a predetermined spatial pattern;   depositing a thickness of material using one or more species overlying the predetermined spatial pattern in a conformal manner, the thickness of material being characterized as a nanocomposite structure having an average feature size of about 500 nanometers and less;   adjusting one or more parameters related to the deposition during a time period associated with the deposition of the thickness of material from a first spatial region of the thickness of material to a second spatial region of the thickness of material; and   outputting an electrode element having a graded feature of one or more characteristics from the first spatial region to the second spatial region.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the electrodes are formed using at least one technique from the group of evaporation, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), direct laser writing (DLW), sputtering, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), nanoimprint, ion implantation, laser ablation, spray deposition, spray pyrolysis, spray coating or plasma spraying. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprises adding a non liquid electrolyte for an electrochemical cell using the electrode element, the non-liquid electrolyte being made using a process selected from physical vapor deposition, laser deposition, centrifuge, spinning, microwave, thermal gradient, sintering, spray deposition, and chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein an anode element, the electrolyte, and a cathode member are deposited sequentially or in reverse order. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the one or more characteristics is selected from an intensive property including mass density, energy density, power density, composition, concentration, thermal/electronic/ionic conductivities, thermal/ionic diffusivities, maximum strain, ultimate strength, moduli, ductility, and plasticity. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the electrode element is characterized by an optimized morphology created for neutralizing internal stresses, stopping crack growth, maximizing material strength, and stabilizing active material structure in anode, electrolyte, cathode and current collectors. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising a refresh process to reintroduce the graded feature of one or more characteristics from the first spatial region to the second spatial region if the graded feature is diminished from the first spatial region to the second spatial region. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the predetermined spatial pattern is an electrode design, the electrode design being provided by a mathematical process. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the mathematical process uses a minimization or maximization of an intensive characteristic from within an allowed set of material characteristics. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the mathematical process is selected from at least a surrogate-base analysis, genetic algorithm, adaptive topology optimization, design of experiments, ANOVA/MANOVA, basin based analysis, solid isotropic microstructure with intermediate mass penalization (SIMP), power penalized stiffness model, topology optimization of continuum structure, normal boundary intersection (NBI) optimization method, multivariable optimization method, or multidisciplinary design optimization. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the depositing and adjusting is provided in a deposition chamber. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the deposition chamber is provided to output a complete battery. 
     
     
         29 . A method for fabricating an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate member having a predetermined spatial pattern;   depositing a first thickness of material using one or more species overlying the predetermined spatial pattern in a conformal manner, the first thickness of material being characterized as a nanocomposite structure having an average feature size of about 500 nanometers and less;   adjusting one or more parameters related to the deposition during a time period associated with the deposition of the first thickness of material from a first spatial region of the first thickness of material to a second spatial region of the first thickness of material to form a first electrode element having a graded feature of one or more characteristics from the first spatial region to the second spatial region;   forming an electrolyte overlying the first electrode element; and   forming a second electrode element overlying the electrolyte.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first electrode element, the second electrode element, and the electrolyte are provided within one or more deposition chambers. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first electrode element is a cathode and the second electrode element is an anode. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first electrode element is an anode and the second electrode element is a cathode. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising depositing an anode current collector and a cathode current collector. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first electrode element, the electrolyte, and the second electrode element are deposited sequentially. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first electrode element, the electrolyte, and the second electrode element are deposited sequentially and continuously without breaking vacuum. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising providing a separator between the first electrode element and the second electrode element. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the separator is provided within the electrolyte. 
     
     
         38 . A method for fabricating an electrode for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate member comprising a current collector;   depositing a thickness of material using one or more species overlying a surface region of the substrate member, the thickness of material being characterized as a nanocomposite material;   adjusting one or more parameters during a time period associated with the depositing of the thickness of material from a first spatial region of the thickness of material to a second spatial region of the thickness of material; and   causing formation of an electrode element having a graded feature of one or more characteristics from the first spatial region to the second spatial region.   
     
     
         39 . A method for fabricating a periodic geometric feature for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
 masking and exposing a region of substrate for an electrode member or current collector, or exposing the electrode member itself, by periodically varying one or more parameters selected from at least a magnetic field, an electric field, a temperature gradient, and an optical beam intensity to seed the exposed region of the substrate with one or more precursors.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising periodically modifying one or more spatial regions of the exposed region of the substrate for the electrode member or the electrode member itself, using at least one or more processes selected from drilling, masking, molding, indentation, nanoimprint, abrasive, laser ablation, radiation and neutron scattering.