Rechargeable battery cells with negative electrodes comprising lithium metal supported on metalized plastic films

Abstract

A system for electrical energy production from chemical reagents in a compartmentalized cell includes: at least two electrodes, comprising at least one anode and at least one cathode; at least one separator, that separates the anodes and the cathodes; and an ionic liquid electrolyte system. The system can be a battery or one or more cells of a battery system. The ionic liquid electrolyte system comprises an ionic liquid solvent; an ether co-solvent, comprising a minority fraction, by weight, of the electrolyte; and a lithium salt. In preferred variations, the anode is a lithium metal anode and the cathode is a metal oxide cathode and the separator is a polyolefin separator.

1 . A rechargeable battery cell comprising:
 a negative electrode comprising lithium metal, supported on a metalized plastic film;   a positive electrode, comprising an intercalation material;   a separator that separates the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and   an ionic liquid electrolyte comprising
 an ionic liquid solvent, 
 an ether co-solvent comprising a non-fluorinated ether, and 
 a lithium salt solute. 
   
     
     
         2 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the metalized plastic film is a copperized plastic film. 
     
     
         3 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the metalized plastic film has a thickness of 3-30 micrometers. 
     
     
         4 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the intercalation material is a metal oxide having a mass loading ranging between 5-18 mg/cm 2  based on an area of the positive electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the intercalation material has a composition represented by LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 , and   wherein x+y+z=1.   
     
     
         6 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the intercalation material is selected from the group consisting of LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2  and LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the intercalation material is LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the ionic liquid solvent has a concentration of up to 75% by weight. 
     
     
         9 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the non-fluorinated ether has a concentration of at least 5% by weight. 
     
     
         10 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the non-fluorinated ether has a concentration of 5% by weight to 40% by weight. 
     
     
         11 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt solute has a concentration of 20-50%, by weight, of the ionic liquid electrolyte. 
     
     
         12 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt solute comprises at least one of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI), lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (LiTFSI), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB), lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB), lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiTf), and lithium nitrate (LiNO3). 
     
     
         13 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt solute comprises at least one of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (LiTFSI). 
     
     
         14 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt solute comprises lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI). 
     
     
         15 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the negative electrode further comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of sodium (Na), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), bismuth (Bi), arsenic (As), tin (Sn), and zinc (Zn), and   the one or more elements of the negative electrode form an alloy with the lithium metal.   
     
     
         16 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode further comprises sodium (Na). 
     
     
         17 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte further comprises a fluorinated ether. 
     
     
         18 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 , wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte further comprises a wetting agent having a concentration of 0.5-50% by weight of the ionic liquid electrolyte, and the wetting agent is selected to reduce viscosity and polarity of the ionic liquid electrolyte. 
     
     
         19 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 18 , wherein the wetting agent is a phosphate ester or a phosphite. 
     
     
         20 . The rechargeable battery cell of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the non-fluorinated ether comprises a linear ether, and   wherein the lithium salt solute comprises lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI).