Bendable, creasable, and printable batteries with enhanced safety and high temperture stability - methods of fabrication, and methods of using the same

Abstract

A method of applying a separator ink onto a dried electrode of a lithium ion battery. The method includes preparing a separator ink suspension, applying the separator ink suspension onto the dried electrode, and drying the applied separator ink suspension. The separator ink suspension includes a binder comprising 20 wt % to 50 wt % of a total weight of the separator ink suspension, the binder being selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), Poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and combinations thereof, a solvent selected from the group consisting of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylformamide (DMF), acetone, dimethylacetamide (DMAc), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), trimethyl urea, triethyl phosphate, and combinations thereof, a non-solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerol, water, ethanol, methanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, hexane, heptane, and combinations thereof, and a ceramic filler comprising 50 wt % to 80 wt % of the total weight of the composite electrolyte the ceramic filler being selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , MgO, Li 2 O, LiAlO 2 , BaTiO 3 , lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), lithium lanthanum titanate (LLTO), and combinations thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of applying a separator ink onto a dried electrode of a lithium ion battery, the method comprising:
 preparing a separator ink suspension comprising:
 a binder comprising 20 wt % to 50 wt % of a total weight of the separator ink suspension, the binder being selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), Poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and combinations thereof, 
 a solvent selected from the group consisting of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylformamide (DMF), acetone, dimethylacetamide (DMAc), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), trimethyl urea, triethyl phosphate, and combinations thereof, 
 a non-solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerol, water, ethanol, methanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, hexane, heptane, and combinations thereof, and 
 a ceramic filler comprising 50 wt % to 80 wt % of the total weight of the composite electrolyte the ceramic filler being selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , MgO, Li 2 O, LiAlO 2 , BaTiO 3 , lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), lithium lanthanum titanate (LLTO), and combinations thereof, 
   applying the separator ink suspension onto the dried electrode; and   drying the applied separator ink suspension.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dried electrode is uncalendared. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the separator ink coated dried electrode is calendared. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dried electrode is calendared. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the separator ink coated dried electrode is calendared. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dried electrode includes a metal foil current collector. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dried electrode is a composite electrode fabricated by a method comprising:
 preparing the composition as a suspension, the suspension comprising:
 an active material selected from the group consisting of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , LiCoO 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , LiFePO 4 , LiNiMnCoO 2 , carbon nanofibers, silicon, graphite, and combinations thereof, a conductive additive comprising a carbon based material or a metallic material; and a binder; 
 a solvent; and 
 optionally, a non-solvent having a boiling point that is greater than a boiling point of the solvent, is configured to cause binder self-interaction inducing porosity, 
   
       wherein an amount of the active material of the solids ranges from 25 wt % to 80 wt % of the suspension, an amount of the conductive additive of the solids ranges from 10 wt % to 40 wt % of the suspension, and an amount of the binder of the solids ranges from 10 wt % to 50 wt % of the suspension,
 wherein a weight fraction of non-solvent to solvent ranges from 0 wt % to 30 wt %, and 
 wherein a viscosity of the composition is selected for printing or casting, 
 casting, printing, slot die, or doctor blading the suspension; and 
 drying the suspension 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein applying the separator ink includes ink jet printing.