Sintered electrodes for batteries and method of preparing same

Abstract

A sintered electrode for a battery, the sintered electrode having a first surface positioned to face a current collector and a second surface positioned to face an electrolyte layer, such that the sintered electrode includes: a chalcogenide compound having at least one of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal; such that the sintered electrode has a thickness between the first surface and the second surface of 2 μm to 100 μm; and such that the sintered electrode has an open porosity of from 0.1% to 30%. A cathode for a battery, includes: a sintered electrode having a first surface and a second surface; such that the sintered electrode: has a thickness between the first surface and the second surface in a range of 2 μm to 100 μm, has a cross-sectional area of at least 3 cm2, and is a substrate of the battery.

1 . A sintered electrode, the sintered electrode comprising:
 a first surface configured to be positioned facing a current collector and a second surface configured to be positioned facing an electrolyte layer;   a chalcogenide compound comprising at least one of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal;   a thickness between the first surface and the second surface of 2 μm to 100 μm; and   an open porosity of from 0.1% to 30%;   wherein the sintered electrode tape or sheet does not comprise Li 2 CO 3 .   
     
     
         2 . The sintered electrode of  claim 1 , wherein chalcogenide compound comprises at least one of lithium cobaltite, lithium manganite spinel, lithium nickel cobalt aluminate, lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt phosphate, lithium titanate, lithium niobium tungstate, or lithium titanium sulfide. 
     
     
         3 . The sintered electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the chalcogenide compound comprises a solid phase of the sintered electrode, wherein the open porosity comprises a pore phase which is continuous within the solid phase. 
     
     
         4 . The sintered electrode of  claim 3 , wherein the pore phase provides fluid communication between the first surface and the second surface. 
     
     
         5 . The sintered electrode of  claim 1 , comprising a first phase and a second phase wherein the first phase comprises a chalcogenide compound and wherein the second phase is intermixed with the first phase. 
     
     
         6 . A cathode, comprising:
 a sintered electrode having a first surface and a second surface;   the sintered electrode comprising:
 a thickness between the first surface and the second surface in a range of 2 μm to 100 μm, and 
 a lithium chalcogenide selected from at least one of: lithium cobaltite (LCO), lithium manganite spinel (LMO), lithium nickel cobalt aluminate (NCA), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium cobalt phosphate (LCP), lithium titanate, lithium niobium tungstate, lithium nickel manganate, and lithium titanium sulfide (LiTiS 2 ), wherein the sintered electrode does not comprise Li 2 CO 3 . 
   
     
     
         7 . The cathode of  claim 6 , wherein a charging capacity of the cathode is maintained at greater than 135 mA·hr/g after twenty charge-discharge cycles at a C/5 rate and 4.3 V charging potential. 
     
     
         8 . The cathode of  claim 6 , at least one of the first surface and the second surface having an area of at least 3 cm 2 . 
     
     
         9 . A battery, comprising:
 the cathode of  claim 6 ;   an electrolyte region penetrating a porous region of the cathode;   wherein the cathode is a substrate of the battery.   
     
     
         10 . The battery of  claim 9 , wherein the electrolyte region comprises a solid electrolyte being at least one of: lithium-phosphorous-oxynitride (LiPON), lithium garnet (Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 ), or lithium phosphosulfide. 
     
     
         11 . The battery of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a current collector disposed on a surface of the sintered electrode.   
     
     
         12 . The battery of  claim 9 , wherein the current collector has a thickness of less than 5 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The battery of  claim 9 , wherein a volume of the battery is less than a volume of a battery comprising a cathode disposed over a substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The battery of  claim 9 , wherein a capacity of the battery is at least seven-fold higher in volumetric or absolute terms than a capacity of a battery comprising a cathode disposed over a substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The battery of  claim 9 , wherein a capacity of the battery is at least ten-fold higher on a weight basis than a capacity of a battery comprising a cathode disposed over a substrate. 
     
     
         16 . A battery comprising:
 a cathode comprising a sintered electrode having a first surface and a second surface;   the sintered electrode comprising:
 a thickness between the first surface and the second surface in a range of 2 μm to 100 μm, 
 at least one of the first surface and the second surface having an area of at least 3 cm 2 , and 
   wherein the sintered electrode does not comprise Li 2 CO 3  and is a substrate of the battery.   
     
     
         17 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein a charging capacity of the sintered cathode is maintained at greater than 135 mA·hr/g after twenty charge-discharge cycles at a C/5 rate and 4.3 V charging potential. 
     
     
         18 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein a volume of the battery is less than a volume of a battery comprising a cathode disposed over a substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein a capacity of the battery is at least seven-fold higher in volumetric or absolute terms than a capacity of a battery comprising a cathode disposed over a substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein a capacity of the battery is at least ten-fold higher on a weight basis than a capacity of a battery comprising a cathode disposed over a substrate. 
     
     
         21 . A sintered electrode made by a process comprising:
 sintering a green tape or sheet comprising less than 10% by weight organic material, in a continuous fashion at a rate measured in inches per minute and at a maximum temperature of 1100° C.;   the sintered electrode comprising:
 a first surface configured to be positioned facing a current collector and a second surface configured to be positioned facing an electrolyte layer; 
 a chalcogenide compound comprising at least one of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal; 
 a thickness between the first surface and the second surface of 2 μm to 100 μm; and 
 an open porosity of from 0.1% to 30%. 
   
     
     
         22 . The sintered electrode of  claim 21 , wherein the green tape or sheet comprises less than 5% by weight organic material. 
     
     
         23 . The sintered electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the sintered electrode has a length and a width measuring at least one centimeter. 
     
     
         24 . The sintered electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the sintered electrode is a continuous tape or sheet.