Lithium-ion batteries with nanostructured electrodes and associated methods of making

Abstract

Several embodiments related to lithium-ion batteries having electrodes with nanostructures, compositions of such nanostructures, and associated methods of making such electrodes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for producing an anode suitable for a lithium-ion battery comprising preparing a surface of a substrate material and forming a plurality of conductive nanostructures on the surface of the substrate material via electrodeposition without using a template.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate, including a metallic material, having a nucleation layer grown thereon; and   forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on a surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 providing the substrate includes growing the nucleation layer on the substrate at a first temperature; and 
 forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition at a second temperature different than the first temperature. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template at a temperature greater than about 40° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanoneedles on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of tin nanoneedles on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of tin nanoneedles on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template; and 
 the metallic material of the substrate includes copper with surface copper oxide (Cu 2 O). 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures over 1% or more of the surface of the nucleation layer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanoneedles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of tin nanoneedles individually having a base and a tip, wherein the individual ones of the plurality of tin nanoneedles are about 2 μm to about 5 μm in length between the base and the tip, about 20 nm to about 50 nm in width at the tip, and about 50 nm to about 200 nm in width at the base. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures directly on the nucleation layer of the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a deposition temperature, a deposition current density, a chemical composition of a deposition electrolyte, or agitation during the electrodeposition effective to form the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising growing the nucleation layer on a surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein growing the nucleation layer on a surface of the substrate includes growing the nucleation layer as a film. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein growing the nucleation layer as a film includes growing the film to exhibit a thickness of about 1 μm to about 10 μm. 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
 preparing a surface of a substrate including a metallic material;   growing a nucleation layer on the surface of the substrate; and   forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures directly on a surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein preparing the surface of the substrate includes at least one of polishing the substrate, treating the substrate with a basic solution, or treating the substrate with an acidic solution. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures over 1% or more of the surface of the nucleation layer. 
     
     
         18 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
 growing a nucleation film on a surface of a substrate, wherein the nucleation film has a film thickness of about 1 μm to about 10 μm, and wherein the substrate includes copper; and   forming a plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures directly on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein forming a plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures individually to have a base and a tip, wherein the individual ones of the plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures are about 2 μm to about 5 μm in length between the base and the tip, about 20 nm to about 50 nm in width at the tip, and about 50 nm to about 200 nm in width at the base. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a deposition temperature, a deposition current density, a chemical composition of a deposition electrolyte, or agitation during the electrodeposition effective to form the plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer.