Method of making stabilized electrochemical cell active...

Details Method of making stabilized electrochemical cell active... Method of making stabilized electrochemical cell active...

1999-05-07

2001-02-06

Bos, Steven (Department: 1754)

Chemistry of inorganic compounds

Oxygen or compound thereof

Metal containing

C429S224000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06183718

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electrochemical cells and batteries, and more particularly, to such cells and batteries having lithium-based active material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lithium batteries are prepared from one or more lithium electrochemical cells. Such cells have included an anode (negative electrode), a cathode (positive electrode), and an electrolyte interposed between electrically insulated, spaced apart positive and negative electrodes. The electrolyte typically comprises a salt of lithium dissolved in one or more solvents, typically nonaqueous (aprotic) organic solvents. By convention, during discharge of the cell, the negative electrode of the cell is defined as the anode. During use of the cell, lithium ions (Li+) are transferred to the negative electrode on charging. During discharge, lithium ions (Li+) are transferred from the negative electrode (anode) to the positive electrode (cathode). Upon subsequent charge and discharge, the lithium ions (Li+) are transported between the electrodes. Cells having metallic lithium anode and metal chalcogenide cathode are charged in an initial condition. During discharge, lithium ions from the metallic anode pass through the liquid electrolyte to the electrochemically active material of the cathode whereupon electrical energy is released. During charging, the flow of lithium ions is reversed and they are transferred from the positive electrode active material through the ion conducting electrolyte and then back to the lithium negative electrode.
The lithium metal anode has been replaced with a carbon anode, that is, a carbonaceous material, such as non-graphitic amorphous coke, graphitic carbon, or graphites, which are intercalation compounds. This presents a relatively advantageous and safer approach to rechargeable lithium as it replaces lithium metal with a material capable of reversibly intercalating lithium ions, thereby providing the sole called “rocking chair” battery in which lithium ions “rock” between the intercalation electrodes during the charging/discharging/recharging cycles. Such lithium metal free cells may thus be viewed as comprising two lithium ion intercalating (absorbing) electrode “sponges” separated by a lithium ion conducting electrolyte usually comprising a lithium salt dissolved in nonaqueous solvent or a mixture of such solvents. Numerous such electrolytes, salts, and solvents are known in the art. Such carbon anodes may be prelithiated prior to assembly within the cell having the cathode intercalation material.
In a battery or a cell utilizing a lithium-containing electrode it is important to eliminate as many impurities as possible which may affect cell performance. More particularly, the rechargeability of a lithium metal foil electrode is limited by side reactions between metallic lithium and impurities. When impurities react with lithium there is formed a solid surface layer on the lithium which increases the impedance of the anode (negative electrode). Non-metallic, carbon anodes are also subject to passivation through reaction with cell impurities.
Loss of performance due to impurities has lead to the selection of solvents and salts which are less reactive with cell components. Yet, this avoids use of some solvents and salts which would have better performance in a cell as compared to their less reactive counterparts. In another approach, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,985, acidic desiccants, and/or hydrolyzable compounds are added to precursor components of the cell. These compounds are used to take up water or hydrolyze with water and then the hydrolysis products are removed before the cell components are assembled. However, since the source of impurities which causes adverse reaction may be from any component within the cell, including negative electrode, positive electrode, and electrolyte, it is very difficult to completely eliminate the impurities prior to assembly of the completed cell. Therefore, such desiccants and hydrolyzable compounds are not sufficiently effective. This is particularly evident since after assembly of the cell, moisture and other impurities from the environment may penetrate through the cell's protective covering. Therefore, what is needed is an understanding of the mechanisms by which impurities cause undesirable loss of performance and reduce cycle life of battery due to undesirable interaction with impurities. Although interaction with metallic lithium has now been resolved by eliminating the use of the metallic lithium, yet there still remains the challenge of determining how impurities cause detrimental loss of capacity and an effective means for preventing loss of cell performance as a result of such interaction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the invention provides a novel composition and method for preventing decomposition of one or more electrochemical cell components comprising an electrode having an active material, and an electrolyte. In co-pending PCT/US97/22525 filed Nov. 21, 1997 (now WO 98/26469) and in then co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/762,081 filed Dec. 9, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,207, there is described a method which effectively overcomes problems which arise between the interaction of cell components and contaminate water retained in a cell. Such contaminate water reacts with the electrolyte which comprises a salt of lithium in a solvent. Solubilizing of the salt in solution with attendant interaction between the salt and water causes formation of hydrogen-containing acids. The method of the invention effectively blocks decomposition of a lithium metal oxide cathode active material, and particularly lithium manganese oxide (LMO, nominally LiMn
2
O
4
). Such decomposition is prevented by including in the cell a basic compound which forms an electron donor species in the electrolyte solution; and by neutralizing at least a portion of the acid by reacting the donor species with the hydrogen-containing acids thereby preventing decomposition of the lithium manganese oxide by the acid. The preservation of the lithium manganese oxide prevents degradation of other cell components by other mechanism. In the aforesaid co-pending applications, it was shown that subsequent additional related reactions occur to the same extent as the decomposition of the LMO, suggesting that the LMO break down provides a catalytic effect which causes one or more of the following: generation of water which in turn is capable of being reduced to hydrogen (H
2
) gas at the anode; generation of additional hydrogen-containing gas (HY, where Y is the anion, for example, HF); and generation of additional decomposition products from components in the cell such as the electrolyte solvent, forming any of a variety of gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane, which may further decompose to form H
2
. The evolution of hydrogen gas by reduction at the anode significantly increases to volumetric size of the battery. In one embodiment described in the aforesaid co-pending applications, the basic compound of the invention forms electron donor species by dissociation in solution when the basic compound is represented by MX where M represents a metal and X represents the electron donor species. In another mechanism, the basic compound additive is an organic compound which provides electron donor species, such as in the case of an NH
2
group which is capable of forming an NH
3
thereby interfering with formation of the acid component, with the result that acid attack of cell elements is prevented.
The electrochemical cell of the present invention contains LMO stabilized against decomposition. In one embodiment, the cell of the invention comprises the electrolyte, the lithium salt, and a solvent which solubilizes the salt. The cell comprises lithium manganese oxide (LMO) active material and a lithium-containing compound adjacent particles of the LMO active material, and desirably in intimate contact with the LMO active material. More desirably the lithium compound is dispersed on and carried on the LMO

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