Background
As the demand for sustainable energy storage solutions grows during the advancement of portable electronics and electric vehicles, there is a pressing need for enhanced rechargeable batteries. Metal alloy batteries are a promising solution for energy storage due to their high energy-density capabilities. However, their widescale adoption has been limited by irreversible capacity loss that results from catastrophic volume change during battery operation. Prior strategies to mitigate volumetric expansion, such as the incorporation of nano-structured materials, lead to diminished active-material loading and expensive manufacturing costs, limiting their widescale adoption.
Technology overview
This invention presents a novel integrated metal foil anode (IMFA) design for high-stability rechargeable batteries. The stability of this anode design was demonstrated with an aluminum-zinc-tin (AZT) IMFA in lithium half-cells. Notably, AZT IMFA cells achieved a capacity of 250 mAhg-1 for more than 150 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency of 97.9%.
Unlike current tin-based alloy anodes that crack during the excessive volumetric expansion of battery operation, IMFA batteries accommodate large volumetric change by surrounding electrochemically active tin domains with an electrically conductive aluminum network. Furthermore, IMFAs do not require an external current collector, significantly reducing the amount of inactive anode material. Due to the lack of need for current collector and simple melting and rolling fabrication methods, IMFA batteries are a low-cost and commercially scalable improvement to commercial rechargeable batteries.
Benefits
- Eutectic alloy anodes enhance battery lifespan and safety through prevention of electrode cracking during battery operation.
- This approach can be applied to various rechargeable battery applications, offering versatility in battery design and optimization.
- Improved rechargeable battery performance and safety with tunable anode design
Applications
- Lithium-ion, aluminum-air, zinc-air battery manufacturing
- All-solid-state battery (ASSB) manufacturing
- Hydrogen generation
Opportunity
- This novel anode design addresses key challenges in rechargeable batteries, including volumetric expansion, capacity retention, and lithium anode stability.
- Pending US Pat. App. No. 17/629,726 is available for exclusive license. (https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220285692A1/en)
Publications
