Electrochemical Cell With Getter And Method of Forming Same

Abstract

An electrochemical cell including a getter material, a battery including the electrochemical cell, and methods of forming the electrochemical cell and battery are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming an electrochemical cell that can generate a gas internally within the electrochemical cell during operation, wherein the gas has been identified as a gas that is desired to be adsorbed during the operation of the electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
 providing each of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and a liquid electrolyte; and   adding a gas getter material to one or more of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, the separator, and the liquid electrolyte during manufacture of the electrochemical cell for the purpose of adsorbing the gas and so that, after the electrochemical cell has been assembled, the gas getter material is in direct simultaneous contact with the liquid electrolyte and a surface of at least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting at least one gas getter for the gas getter material from the group consisting of LOH, Li 2 O, NaOH, Na 2 O, KOH, K 2 O, Mg(OH) 2 , MgO, Ca(OH) 2 , and CaO. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the group consists of LOH, Li 2 O, NaOH, Na 2 O, KOH, K 2 O. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the getter material further comprises one or more of carbon, polymer, resin, metal, and ceramic, alone or in any combination. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the getter material comprises at least one metal oxide gas getter and at least one metal hydroxide gas getter. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising setting a molar ratio between the at least one metal oxide gas getter and the at least one metal hydroxide gas getter to obtain a desired balance of speed of gas adsorption and capacity of gas adsorbed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the electrolyte solution is a lithium-based electrolyte solution, and the getter material comprises Li 2 O and LOH. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the gas getter material includes adding the gas getter material in a coating applied to at least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying the coating to at least two of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein applying the coating to at least two of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator includes applying the coating to all three of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying the coating to the separator. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the coating initially further includes a liquid and the method further includes removing at least a portion of the liquid prior to adding the liquid electrolyte to the electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising selecting the liquid for the coating from the group consisting of water, an alcohol, an ester, a ketone, an ether, a lactam, an amide, a nitrile, and a carbonate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising selecting the liquid from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, ethyl methyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, tetrahydrofuran, 1,2-dimethoxy ethane, acetone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and acetonitrile. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the gas getter material includes adding the gas getter material to the liquid electrolyte so that the gas getter material is dispersed in the liquid electrolyte. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gas getter material and the liquid electrolyte form a colloid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gas getter material and the liquid electrolyte form a suspension. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gas getter material and the liquid electrolyte form a solution. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises at least one of the following anions: triflate (CF 3 SO 3   −1 ), triflinate (CF 3 SO 2   −1 ), perfluorobutanesulfonate (C 4 F 9 SO 3   −1 ), bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide [N((C x F 2x+1 ) x SO 2 ) 2   −1 ], bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide [N(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2   −1 ], bis(perfluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [N(C 2 F 2 SO 2 ) 2   −1 ], bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide [N(SO 2 F) 2   −1 ], bis(perfluoropinacolato)borate [B(C 6 F 12 O 2 ) 2   −1 ], bis(oxalato)borate [B(C 2 O 4 ) 2   −1 ], difluoro(oxalato)borate [BF 2 (C 2 O 4 ) −1 ], difluoro (malonato)borate [BF 2 (C 3 H 2 O 4 ) −1 ], bis(benzenesulfonyl)imide [N(C 6 H 5 SO 2 ) 2   −1 ], and bis(salicylato)borate [B(C 7 H 4 O 3 ) 2   −1 ]. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assembling the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator with one another to form a structure, wherein adding the gas getter material includes, prior to adding the liquid electrolyte:
 providing a mixture of the gas getter material and a liquid other than the liquid electrolyte to the structure, wherein the gas getter material directly contacts one or more of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator; and   removing at least a portion of the liquid.