Background of invention
Secondary cell or the rechargeable battery of recently having found lithium and lithium ion can be with in some applications, for example, portable phone, camcorder and kneetop computer, even more be used to recently in the high-power applications such as motor vehicle and hybrid electric vehicles.In these were used, preferably, this secondary cell had the highest as far as possible specific capacity, but still safe operating condition and good circulation ability can be provided, so as afterwards recharge with discharge cycles in can keep this height ratio capacity.
Though secondary cell has various structures, every kind of structure all comprises positive electrode (or negative electrode), negative electrode (or anode) and the division board that negative electrode and anode are separated, and the electrolyte that keeps electrochemistry to get in touch with negative electrode and anode.For serondary lithium battery, when this secondary cell discharged, when promptly using in concrete the application, lithium ion was transferred to negative electrode by electrolyte from anode.During this process, electronics compiles and is delivered to negative electrode by external circuit from anode.When this secondary cell was recharged or recharged, lithium ion was transferred to anode by electrolyte from negative electrode.
In the past, serondary lithium battery was to use the compound that does not carry out lithia chemical combination (non-lithiated) with height ratio capacity, for example TiS
2, MoS
2, MnO
2And V
2O
5Produce as active material of cathode.These active material of cathode and lithium anodes pairing are used.When this secondary cell discharged, lithium ion was transferred to negative electrode by electrolyte from the anode of lithium metal.Yet at circulation time, this lithium metal produces the dendrite that finally can cause unsafe condition in battery.Therefore, just stopped producing the secondary cell of these types at the initial stage in generation nineteen ninety, and adopted lithium ion battery.
Lithium ion battery generally uses such as LiCoO
2And LiNiO
2Lithium metal oxide as the active material of cathode that is used with carbon based anode.In these batteries, avoided the generation of lithium dendrite on anode, thereby made this battery safer.Yet, this lithium, its quantity has determined the capacity of battery, all is to be provided by negative electrode, this has just limited the selection of active material of cathode, because this active material must contain movably lithium.In addition, at charging (for example, Li
xCoO
2And Li
xNiO
2, 0.4<x<1.0 wherein) or (for example, the Li that overcharges
xCoO
2And Li
xNiO
2, x<0.4 wherein) during form and LiCoO
2And LiNiO
2The corresponding product that takes off lithia chemical combination (delithiated) is unsettled.Specifically, these take off product easy and the electrolyte reaction and the generation heat of lithia chemical combination, and it causes the concern to fail safe.
Summary of the invention
The present invention is a kind of have height ratio capacity and good circulation ability and secondary cell that can safety operation.According to the present invention, the secondary cell of this prepared fresh comprise by can be in electro-chemical systems the host material of absorption and desorption lithium and the anode that the lithium metal that disperses in host material is formed.Preferably, this lithium metal is fine lithium powder, and more preferably it has less than about 20 microns average particle size particle size.This host material comprises one or more materials that are selected from the group that is made of carbonaceous material, Si, Sn, tin-oxide, compound ashbury metal, transition metal oxide, metal lithium nitride and lithium metal oxide.Preferably, this host material comprises carbonaceous material, more preferably comprises graphite.
The secondary cell of the present invention of this prepared fresh comprises the positive electrode that contains active material, contain in electro-chemical systems matrix material system that can the absorption and desorption lithium and the negative electrode of the lithium metal that disperses in host material, dividing plate that positive electrode and negative electrode are separated, and with the electrolyte of positive electrode and negative electrode UNICOM.Preferably, active material of cathode be a kind of be can carry out the compound of lithia chemical combination (lithiated) at 0.2 to 0.5 o'clock at the relative electrochemical potentials of lithium.For example, active material of cathode can be MnO
2, V
2O
5Or MoS
2, or their mixture.At preferably a kind of fine lithium powder of the lithium metal of anode, more preferably have less than about 20 microns average particle size particle size.Host material comprises one or more materials that are selected from the group that is made of carbonaceous material, Si, Sn, tin-oxide, compound ashbury metal, transition metal oxide, metal lithium nitride and lithium metal oxide.Preferably, comprise carbonaceous material, more preferably comprise graphite at the host material of negative electrode.The quantity that is present in the lithium metal of negative electrode preferably is not more than the quantity that is enough to the maximum that sandwiches, fuse or be absorbed in the host material of negative electrode.For example, if host material is a carbon, then the quantity of lithium preferably is not more than and generates LiC
6Needed quantity.
The present invention also comprises a kind of preparation method of secondary cell anode of prepared fresh, it comprise provide a kind of can be in electro-chemical systems the host material of absorption and desorption lithium, in host material, disperse the lithium metal, with host material be dispersed in its inner lithium metallic and become the step of anode.Preferably lithium metal and host material and on-aqueous liquid are mixed to produce a kind of slurries, subsequently it is coated on the collector electrode and dry to form anode.In addition, anode can prepare by chemical method, and it is by host material being immersed in the lithium metal in a kind of suspension of on-aqueous liquid, making anode then.
The present invention further comprises a kind of method of operating secondary cell.At first, freshly prepared secondary cell is provided, it comprises the positive electrode that contains active material, contain can be in electro-chemical systems the negative electrode, the dividing plate that positive electrode and negative electrode are separated of the host material of absorption and desorption lithium and the lithium metal that in host material, disperses, and with the electrolyte of positive electrode and negative electrode UNICOM.Specifically, this secondary cell is to make with the lithium metal in the host material that is dispersed in anode.The battery of this fresh assembling is to be in the electric state that filled, and more preferably is to be in to have filled electric state (being present in all lithiums movably in the anode of this freshly prepared battery) fully.This freshly prepared secondary cell is to begin discharge by lithium ion is sent to positive electrode from negative electrode through electrolyte.Then, this secondary cell can charge or recharges by lithium ion is sent to negative electrode from positive electrode through electrolyte, once more lithium ion is sent to positive electrode from negative electrode through electrolyte subsequently and discharges.The step generation that can repeatedly circulate of charging and discharge, and can keep the height ratio capacity of active material of cathode and keep safe operating condition.
These and other characteristic and advantage of the present invention, concerning those those skilled in the art, (it has described preferred and alternative embodiment of the present invention) will be understood easilier after having investigated following detailed and accompanying drawing.
The detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention
Accompanying drawing and below detailed description in, describe a kind of embodiment preferred in detail, so that implement the present invention.Though the present invention describes with reference to these specific preferred embodiments, should be appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to these embodiment preferred.On the contrary, the present invention includes many alternative, improved and equivalent embodiments, consider to become clearer behind following detailed and the accompanying drawing.
As described in Figure 1, the present invention is a kind of secondary cell 10, and it comprises positive electrode or negative electrode 12, negative electrode or anode 14, the dividing plate 16 that positive electrode and negative electrode are separated and the electrolyte that is communicated with positive electrode and negative electrode.This secondary cell 10 also comprises collector electrode 20, and it contacts with cathodic electricity and another collector electrode 22, and it and anode electrically contact. Collector electrode 20 and 22 is electrical contact with each other by the external circuit (not shown).This secondary cell 10 can have any structure well known in the art, such as " colloid cartridge type " (" jelly roll ") or stacked (stack) structure.
Negative electrode 12 is made by active material, and its general and carbonaceous material and binder polymer combine.Be used for the active material of negative electrode 12 preferably a kind of under effective voltage (being 2.0 to 5.0 volts for example) to lithium can carry out the material of lithia chemical combination.Preferably, such as MnO
2, V
2O
5Or MoS
2, or the material of the such non-lithiaization of their mixture can be used as this active material, and more preferably, use MnO
2But, all LiMn that if can further carry out lithia chemical combination
2O
4The material that has carried out lithia chemical combination, also can be used.This active material of lithia chemical combination that do not carry out is by preferred, because they than those active materials of having carried out lithia chemical combination have higher specific capacity usually, thereby can provide more electric power than those secondary cells that comprise the active material that carries out lithia chemical combination in this structure.In addition, because anode 14 comprises lithium, as described below, the negative electrode 12 of secondary cell 10 comprises that the lithia combination materials is unnecessary to operation.Preferably enough accept to be present in movably lithium on the anode 14 in the quantity of the active material that negative electrode 12 provides.For example,,, preferably in negative electrode 12, there is one mole MnO2, so that produce LiMnO at negative electrode during discharge so for the lithium of each mole in anode 14 if MnO2 is an active material of cathode
2
Aforesaid can carry out the active material of cathode of lithia chemical combination the time when using, the movably lithium that is recycled in battery is all provided by anode 14, and as preferred version, and this battery is assembled or is mixed with and is in complete charged state.Yet negative electrode 12 can also comprise that a spot of one or more have carried out the active material (LiCoO for example of lithia chemical combination
2And LiNiO
2), they further do not absorb lithium under 2.0 volts to 5.0 volts voltage, and this battery still can be provided as being in initial state of charge.In this case, negative electrode preferably has the material that more preferably has less than 50% (mole) less than the chemical combination of lithia of 10% (mole) (LiCoO for example
2And LiNiO
2) as active material.Because LiCoO
2And LiNiO
2Further do not absorb lithium, the existence of these materials does not reduce and receives the movably quantity of the needed active material of cathode of lithium from anode 14 in negative electrode 12.
Anode 14 is to be made by host material 24 that can the absorption and desorption lithium in electro-chemical systems, is dispersed with lithium metal 26 in described host material.For example, when battery (particularly anode) when recharging, the lithium that exists in anode 14 can sandwich in host material, fuses or be absorbed.This host material is included in the material of energy absorption and desorption lithium in the electro-chemical systems, for example carbonaceous material; The material that contains Si, Sn, tin-oxide or compound ashbury metal; Transition metal oxide, for example CoO; Metal lithium nitride, for example Li
3-xCo
xN, wherein 0<x<0.5, and lithium metal oxide, for example Li
4Ti
5O
12This lithium metal 26 preferably offers anode 14 with fine lithium powder form.In addition, the average particle size particle size that this lithium metal 26 preferably has is less than about 20 microns, more preferably less than about 10 microns.This lithium metal can be pyrophoric powder or stable low incendivity powder, for example, by using the carbon dioxide treatment lithium metal powder, form provide.
With respect to the lithium metal from greater than 0.0 volt to being less than or equal under 1.5 volts the electrochemical potentials, this anode 14 generally can reversibly carry out lithia chemical combination and take off lithia chemical combination.If the electrochemical potentials to lithium is less than or equal to 0.0, so this lithium metal can not reenter anode 14 when charging.On the other hand, if to the electrochemical potentials of lithium greater than 1.5 volts, the voltage of battery will be undesirable low so.Preferably, the quantity that is present in the lithium metal 26 in the anode 14 is not more than is enough to the maximum quantity that sandwiches, fuse or be absorbed in the host material of anode 14 when battery is recharged.For example, if host material 24 is a carbon, the quantity of lithium 26 preferably is not more than is enough to produce LiC
6Quantity.In other words, the mol ratio of lithium and carbon preferably is not more than 1: 6 in this anode.
According to the present invention, anode 14 can by be provided in the electro-chemical systems can the absorption and desorption lithium host material, in host material, disperse the lithium metal, and this host material and the lithium formation anode that disperses therein prepared.Preferably, mix with lithium metal and host material and such as the on-aqueous liquid and the adhesive of tetrahydrofuran, and make slurries.Use this slurries to prepare anode 14 then, for example, this slurries are coated on the collector electrode 22, dry these slurries then.Also can contain in the suspension of lithium metal, the lithium metal is provided in the anode by host material being immersed at on-aqueous liquid such as hydrocarbon solvent (for example hexane).As mentioned above, the lithium metal that uses in this suspension is preferably fine lithium powder.This host material can be made into the shape of anode, immerses then in the suspension of lithium metal, and perhaps it can combine to generate a kind of slurries with the suspension of lithium metal, is coated on the collector electrode then, and is dried to make anode.This on-aqueous liquid that is used for supending can pass through dry anode (for example, under elevated temperature) and remove.No matter but how make, the lithium metal is distributed in the host material preferably as well as possiblely.Therefore, as mentioned above, the average particle size particle size that lithium metal 26 preferably has is less than about 20 microns, more preferably less than about 10 microns.
Host material 24 in the anode 14 can comprise one or more can be in electro-chemical systems the material of absorption and desorption lithium, for example carbonaceous material; The material that contains Si, Sn, tin-oxide or compound ashbury metal; Transition metal oxide, for example CoO; Metal lithium nitride, for example Li
3-xCo
xN, wherein 0<x<0.5; And lithium metal oxide, for example Li
4Ti
5O
12Preferably, as mentioned above, host material 24 preferably includes graphite.In addition, host material 24 preferably includes a spot of carbon black (for example less than 5 weight %) as conductive agent.
As shown in Figure 1, negative electrode 12 separates with anode 14 by electric insulation baffle 16.Usually, dividing plate 16 is by making such as the material of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).
Secondary cell 10 further comprises electrolyte, and it and negative electrode 12 and anode 14 remain in electrochemistry UNICOM.This electrolyte can be non-water liquid, gelinite or solid, preferably includes lithium salts, for example LiPF
6Electrolyte is provided in the entire cell 10, especially in negative electrode 12, anode 14 and dividing plate 16.Usually, this electrolyte is liquid, and negative electrode 12, anode 14 and dividing plate 16 are to be immersed in the electrolyte so that the porous material of electrochemistry UNICOM to be provided at these inter-modules.
As mentioned above, battery 10 comprises collector electrode 20 and 22, and they are used to transmit electronics to external circuit.Preferably, collector electrode 20 is made by aluminum slice, and collector electrode 22 is made by copper foil.
Battery 10 of the present invention can prepare with method well known in the art, and preferably has layer thickness in following scope (in Fig. 1 from left to right):
Layer thickness
Collector electrode (20) 20-40 μ m
Negative electrode (12) 70-100 μ m
Dividing plate (16) 25-35 μ m
Anode (14) 70-100 μ m
Collector electrode (22) 20-40 μ m
Battery 10 also is included in the electrolyte that disperses in negative electrode 12, anode 14 and the dividing plate 16, and shell (not shown).
When operation, this freshly prepared secondary cell 10 is initially in a kind of electric state that filled, more preferably be to be in to have filled electric state fully, and by through electrolyte lithium ion being sent to negative electrode 12 by initial discharge from anode 14.Simultaneously, by collector electrode 22, external circuit and collector electrode 20 electronics is sent to negative electrode 12 from anode 14.Then, secondary cell 10 can charge or recharges by lithium ion is sent to anode 14 from negative electrode 12 through electrolyte, is discharged as mentioned above then again.The generation that can repeatedly circulate of the step of this charging and discharge, and can keep the height ratio capacity of active material of cathode and keep safe operating condition.
Secondary cell 10 can be used in various types of application.For example, this secondary cell can be used to mancarried electronic aid, as portable phone, field camera and kneetop computer, and is used for high-power applications, such as in motor vehicle and the hybrid electric vehicles.
The invention provides have height ratio capacity, the secondary cell of the operating condition of safety and good circulation ability.Specifically, because provide the lithium metal at anode, the material that does not carry out lithia chemical combination in secondary cell can be used as preferred active material of cathode.These materials that do not carry out lithia chemical combination have higher specific capacity than the material that carries out lithia chemical combination that uses at present in lithium ion battery.Have the active material of cathode that do not carry out lithia chemical combination and a lithium secondary battery of lithium metal anode unlike traditional, the secondary cell of having found to use the active material of cathode that does not carry out lithia chemical combination that combines with anode of the present invention to produce can be operated safely and can not produce Li dendrite at circulation time.In addition, secondary cell of the present invention is more safer than lithium ion battery operation because the latter between charge period when the instability that when negative electrode moves lithium ion, can become.Specifically, when battery during by fresh preparation, because the active material of cathode in the secondary cell of the present invention generally is to be in the state of charging fully, so it is more stable than the cathode material that uses at lithium ion battery.In addition, battery of the present invention can be recharged and discharge heap of times, and can keep the safe operating condition and the height ratio capacity of active material of cathode.
Should be appreciated that read the above-mentioned description of this invention and investigated accompanying drawing after, those skilled in the art can therefrom modify and change.But these modifications and variations all are included in the spirit and scope of appended claims.