Continuous process for producing electrodes and alkali metal batteries having ultra-high energy densities

Abstract

A process for producing an electrode for an alkali metal battery, comprising: (a) Continuously feeding an electrically conductive porous layer to an anode or cathode material impregnation zone, wherein the conductive porous layer has two opposed porous surfaces and contain interconnected conductive pathways and at least 70% by volume of pores; (b) Impregnating a wet anode or cathode active material mixture into the porous layer from at least one of the two porous surfaces to form an anode or cathode electrode, wherein the wet anode or cathode active material mixture contains an anode or cathode active material and an optional conductive additive mixed with a liquid electrolyte; and (c) Supplying at least a protective film to cover the at least one porous surface to form the electrode.

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         13 . A process for producing an electrode for an alkali metal battery wherein said alkali metal is selected from Li, Na, K, or a combination thereof, said process comprising:
 (A) continuously feeding an electrically conductive porous layer to an anode or cathode material impregnation zone, wherein said conductive porous layer has two opposed porous surfaces and contains interconnected electron-conducting pathways;   (B) impregnating a wet anode or cathode active material mixture into said electrically conductive porous layer from at least one of said two porous surfaces to form an anode electrode or cathode electrode, wherein said wet anode active material mixture or wet cathode active material mixture contains an anode or cathode active material mixed with a liquid electrolyte; and   (C) supplying at least a protective film to cover said at least one porous surface to form said electrode.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein step (A) and step (B) include delivering, continuously or intermittently on demand, said wet anode or cathode active material mixture to said at least one porous surface through spraying, printing, coating, casting, conveyor film delivery, and/or roller surface delivery. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said cathode active material contains a lithium intercalation compound or lithium absorbing compound selected from the group consisting of lithium cobalt oxide, doped lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel oxide, doped lithium nickel oxide, lithium manganese oxide, doped lithium manganese oxide, lithium vanadium oxide, doped lithium vanadium oxide, lithium mixed-metal oxides, lithium iron phosphate, lithium vanadium phosphate, lithium manganese phosphate, lithium mixed-metal phosphates, metal sulfides, lithium polysulfide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said anode active material contains an alkali intercalation compound selected from petroleum coke, carbon black, amorphous carbon, activated carbon, hard carbon, soft carbon, teplated carbon, hollow carbon nanowires, hollow carbon sphere, titanates, NaTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 , Na 2 C 8 H 4 O 4 , carboxylate based materials, C 8 H 4 Na 2 O 4 , C 8 H 6 O 4 , C 8 H 5 NaO 4 , C 8 Na 2 F 4 O 4 , C 10 H 2 Na 4 O 8 , C 14 H 4 O 6 , C 14 H 4 Na 4 O 8 , or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said cathode active material contains a sodium intercalation compound or a potassium intercalation compound selected from NaFePO 4 , Na (1-x) K x PO 4 , KFePO 4 , Na 0.7 FePO 4 , Na 1.5 VOPO 4 F 0.5 , Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 2 F 3 , Na 2 FePO 4 F, NaFeF 3 , NaVPO 4 F, KVPO 4 F, Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 2 F 3 , Na 1.5 VOPO 4 F 0.5 , Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , NaV 6 O 15 , Na x VO 2 , Na 0.33 V 2 O 5 , Na x CoO 2 , Na 2/3 [Ni 1/3 Mn 2/3 ]O 2 , Na x (Fe 1/2 Mn 1/2 )O 2 , Na x MnO 2 , λ-MnO 2 , Na x K (1-x) MnO 2 , Na 0.44 MnO 2 , Na 0.44 MnO 2 /C, Na 4 Mn 9 O 18 , NaFe 2 Mn(PO 4 ) 3 , Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 , Ni 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 O 2 , Cu 0.56 Ni 0.44 HCF, NiHCF, Na x MnO 2 , NaCrO 2 , KCrO 2 , Na 3 Ti 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , NiCo 2 O 4 , Ni 3 S 2 /FeS 2 , Sb 2 O 4 , Na 4 Fe(CN) 6 /C, NaV 1-x Cr x PO 4 F, Se z S y , y/z=0.01 to 100, Se, sodium polysulfide, sulfur, Alluaudites, or a combination thereof, wherein x is from 0.1 to 1.0. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said liquid electrolyte a lithium salt or sodium salt dissolved in a liquid solvent and wherein said liquid solvent is water, an organic solvent, an ionic liquid, or a mixture of an organic solvent and an ionic liquid. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said cathode active material contains an alkali metal intercalation compound or alkali metal-absorbing compound selected from a metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal dichalcogenide, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said cathode active material contains nanodiscs, nanoplatelets, nanocoating, or nanosheets of an inorganic material selected from: (a) bismuth selenide or bismuth telluride, (b) transition metal dichalcogenide or trichalcogenide, (c) sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a transition metal; (d) boron nitride, or (e) a combination thereof; wherein said discs, platelets, or sheets have a thickness less than 100 nm. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein a conductive additive is also included in said wet anode active material mixture or wet cathode active material mixture.