Preparation and powder film deposition of pre-coated powders

Abstract

Methods of forming encapsulated electrochemical and/or ionically conducting particles as well as their use in manufacturing electrochemical cells are described.

1 . A method comprising:
 combining a plurality of core particles with a binder to form a mixture, wherein the core particles comprise at least one of an electrochemical material and an ionically conductive material, and wherein the binder comprises a thermoplastic polymer; and   spraying the mixture to form coatings of the binder on the plurality of core particles that at least partially encapsulate separate particles of the plurality of core particles, wherein the separate encapsulated particles are not bonded to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core particles comprise the electrochemical material, and the electrochemical material comprises at least one of lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium manganese cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, lithium manganese iron phosphate, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, lithium titanate, and graphite. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core particles comprise the ionically conductive material, and the ionically conductive material comprises at least one of an ionically conductive metal oxide and an ionically conductive glass. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the core particles comprise at least one of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , MgO, ZnO, ZrO 2 , CuO, CdO, and Li 2 O. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the core particles comprise at least one of Li 2 S, P 2 S 5 , xLi 2 S-(1-x)P 2 S 5 , and glass electrolytes comprising Li (3-x) H (x) OCl. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, styrene-butadiene, polyethylene oxide, and polyethylene oxide with a dissolved Li salt. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein spraying the mixture includes aerosolizing the mixture. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and/or polyethylene oxide with a dissolved lithium salt. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles are substantially free from a solvent. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a lithium salt dissolved in the thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt comprises at least one selected from the group of LiClO 4 , LiBF 4 , LiPF 6 , LiAsF 6 , LiTf, LiTFSI, LiBETI, LiCTFSI, LiBOB, LiTDI, LiPDI, LiDCTA, and LiB(CN) 4 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt comprises a fluorinated lithium salt. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reacting a polymerization initiator with the binder to form the coating of the binder on the plurality of core particles. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 combining a plurality of core particles with a monomer, a polymerization initiator, and a solvent to form a mixture, wherein the core particles comprise at least one of an electrochemical material and an ionically conductive material; and   reacting the monomer and polymerization initiator to form thermoplastic polymer coatings on the plurality of core particles that at least partially encapsulate the plurality of core particles.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the solvent comprises supercritical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising agitating the mixture. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the core particles comprise the electrochemical material, and the electrochemical material comprises at least one of lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium manganese cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, lithium manganese iron phosphate, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, lithium titanate, and graphite. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the core particles comprise the ionically conductive material, and the ionically conductive material comprises at least one of an ionically conductive metal oxide and an ionically conductive glass. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the core particles comprise at least one of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , MgO, ZnO, ZrO 2 , CuO, CdO, and Li 2 O. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the core particles comprise at least one of Li 2 S, P 2 S 5 , xLi 2 S-(1-x)P 2 S 5 , and glass electrolytes comprising Li (3-x) H (x) OCl. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, styrene-butadiene, polyethylene oxide, and polyethylene oxide with a dissolved Li salt. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and/or polyethylene oxide with a dissolved lithium salt. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a lithium salt dissolved in the thermoplastic polymer coatings, and wherein the lithium salt comprises a fluorinated lithium salt. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising spraying the mixture to form the thermoplastic polymer coatings on the plurality of core particles that at least partially encapsulate separate particles of the plurality of core particles. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising heating the mixture.