Solid state electrolytes for safe metal and metal-ion batteries

Abstract

A Li or Li-ion or Na or Na-ion battery cell is provided that comprises anode and cathode electrodes, a separator, and a solid electrolyte. The separator electrically separates the anode and the cathode. The solid electrolyte ionically couples the anode and the cathode. The solid electrolyte also comprises a melt-infiltration solid electrolyte composition that is disposed at least partially in at least one of the electrodes or in the separator.

1 . A battery cell, comprising
 an anode electrode;   a cathode electrode;   a separator electrically separating the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; and   a solid electrolyte ionically coupling the anode electrode and the cathode electrode,   wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a melt-infiltration solid electrolyte composition disposed at least partially in at least one of the electrodes or in the separator,   wherein the melt-infiltration solid electrolyte composition comprises at least one of the following elements: F, Br, or Cl, and   wherein the melt-infiltration solid electrolyte composition comprises Al.   
     
     
         2 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the melt-infiltration solid electrolyte composition further comprises at least one of: Na, K, Cs and Li. 
     
     
         3 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode electrode comprises an intercalation-type active material. 
     
     
         4 . The battery cell of  claim 3 , wherein the cathode electrode comprises at least one of: Na, K and Li. 
     
     
         5 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode electrode comprises a cathode particle that exhibits a core-shell morphology comprising a shell and a core. 
     
     
         6 . The battery cell of  claim 5 , wherein the shell at least partially encases a cathode active material. 
     
     
         7 . The battery cell of  claim 5 , wherein an average thickness of the shell is in excess of about 1 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The battery cell of  claim 5 , wherein an average thickness of the shell ranges from about 0.05% to about 20% of a radius of the cathode particle. 
     
     
         9 . The battery cell of  claim 5 , wherein the shell is porous. 
     
     
         10 . The battery cell of  claim 9 , wherein a pore size in the shell ranges from about 0.3 nm to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The battery cell of  claim 5 , wherein the shell is a composite comprising two or more materials. 
     
     
         12 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode electrode comprises a first metal-comprising current collector and the cathode electrode comprises a second metal-comprising current collector. 
     
     
         13 . The battery cell of  claim 12 , wherein the first metal-comprising current collector, the second metal-comprising current collector, or both, comprise at least one of: Al, steel, and conductive C. 
     
     
         14 . The battery cell of  claim 12 , wherein the first metal-comprising current collector, the second metal-comprising current collector, or both, comprise a metal foil, a metal mesh or a metal foam. 
     
     
         15 . The battery cell of  claim 12 , wherein the first metal-comprising current collector, the second metal-comprising current collector, or both, comprise C. 
     
     
         16 . The battery cell of  claim 15 , wherein the C comprises one or more of:
 a carbon nanofiber, a carbon whisker, a carbon nanotube, graphene, multilayered graphene, exfoliated graphite, a graphite flake, disordered or turbostratic carbon, carbon black, branched carbon, amorphous carbon, porous carbon, conductive carbon, a mixture thereof, and a composite thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode electrode comprises a metal-comprising active material or a metal alloy-comprising active material. 
     
     
         18 . The battery cell of  claim 17 , wherein the metal-comprising active material or the metal alloy-comprising active material comprise Al or an Al alloy, respectively. 
     
     
         19 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises glass or a ceramic material. 
     
     
         20 . The battery cell of  claim 19 , wherein the glass or the ceramic material comprises Si. 
     
     
         21 . The battery cell of  claim 20 , wherein the glass or ceramic material comprises silicon oxide. 
     
     
         22 . The battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a fibrous material.