Materials and methods for components of lithium batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to materials and methods for components of lithium batteries, such as metal anodes having a protective coating.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A metal anode having a protective coating comprising:
 a metal layer; and   a protective coating on the metal layer, wherein the protective coating comprises aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, zirconium dioxide, lithium oxide, lanthanum oxide, zinc oxide, antimony tetroxide, antimony pentoxide, arsenic trioxide, arsenic pentoxide, barium oxide, bismuth oxide, calcium oxide, cerium oxide, chromium oxide, cobalt oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide, lead oxide, magnesium oxide, manganese oxide, mercury oxide, nickel oxide, rubidium oxide, silicon dioxide, silver oxide, thallium oxide, thorium oxide, tin oxide, uranium oxide, tungsten oxide, selenium dioxide, tellurium dioxide, lithium sulfide, lithium nitride, lithium nitrate, lithium carbonate, lithium fluoride, lithium chloride, lithium bromide, lithium carbide, lithium borate, lithium sulfate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium hydroxide, lithium tantalite, lithium iodide, lithium tetrakispentafluorophenyl borate, yttrium lithium fluoride, polyethylene glycol, gelatin, or polytetrafluoroethylene, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the metal is lithium or copper. 
     
     
         3 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the metal layer consists of lithium. 
     
     
         4 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the protective coating comprises polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         5 . The metal anode of  claim 4 , wherein the protective coating further comprises aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, zirconium dioxide, lithium oxide, lanthanum oxide, zinc oxide, antimony tetroxide, antimony pentoxide, arsenic trioxide, arsenic pentoxide, barium oxide, bismuth oxide, calcium oxide, cerium oxide, chromium oxide, cobalt oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide, lead oxide, magnesium oxide, manganese oxide, mercury oxide, nickel oxide, rubidium oxide, silicon dioxide, silver oxide, thallium oxide, thorium oxide, tin oxide, uranium oxide, tungsten oxide, selenium dioxide, tellurium dioxide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the protective coating comprises aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, zirconium dioxide, lithium oxide, lanthanum oxide, zinc oxide, antimony tetroxide, antimony pentoxide, arsenic trioxide, arsenic pentoxide, barium oxide, bismuth oxide, calcium oxide, cerium oxide, chromium oxide, cobalt oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide, lead oxide, magnesium oxide, manganese oxide, mercury oxide, nickel oxide, rubidium oxide, silicon dioxide, silver oxide, thallium oxide, thorium oxide, tin oxide, uranium oxide, tungsten oxide, selenium dioxide, tellurium dioxide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the protective coating is a combination of aluminum oxide and polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         8 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the protective coating comprises aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, lithium oxide, or manganese oxide. 
     
     
         9 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the protective coating has a thickness from 0.1 nanometers to 50 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The metal anode of  claim 9 , wherein the protective coating has a thickness from 0.5 nm to 500 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The metal anode of  claim 1 , wherein the protective coating has a thickness from 0.5 nm to 500 nm. 
     
     
         12 . A method of preparing the metal anode of  claim 1 , comprising depositing the protective coating on the metal layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the protective coating is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), sputtering, physical vapor deposition (PVD), plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), spinning coating, dip coating, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the protective coating is deposited by a roll-to-roll process. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the protective coating is deposited by spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD) in a roll-to-roll process. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the protective coating is deposited by extrude printing or 3D printing.