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Lithium-ion batteries – electrolytes – solid & semi-solid
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A continuous process for producing solid-state separators was described (see
Figure below), in which a Cu metal foil was
unwound from a roller and pre-heated using a hot air blower (≥50°C).
The pre-heated Cu foil was guided through a molten solid electrolyte
(Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12,
LLZTO) maintained at 450-1,200°C in a vessel equipped with an electric
heating device. Inside the melt, the foil was guided around a cylindrical
ceramic roller (Al2O3-based) that was fully submerged
in the molten electrolyte. The viscosity of the melt was controlled by
adjusting the temperature to achieve the desired coating thickness.
Upon emerging from the melt, the electrolyte-coated Cu foil was cooled using a
blower, which resulted in solidification of the solid electrolyte and formation
of a ceramic layer (< 30 μm) on both sides of the metal foil. The
coated foil was continuously wound onto a take-up roller. No pressure was
applied during the coating process, which avoided the formation of grain
boundaries or defects in the ceramic layer.
24: Cu metal foil
26: ceramic layer (LLZTO)
27: solid electrolyte
40: unroller
42: heating device
44: container
46: vessel
48: melt
52: heating device for pre-warming foil
56: second component
58: ceramic roller
60: cooling component
64: take-up roller
This work illustrates a continuous coating process through high-temperature melting for producing
thin solid-state sintered oxide electrolyte layers on metal foils.
No electrochemical data was identified.
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Lithium-ion batteries – negative electrode (excluding Li metal electrodes)
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Activated carbon was heated at 800°C to prepare carbon-based particles
with pores.
These carbon-based particles were placed in a CVD reactor.
A mixed gas of monosilane (SiH4) and argon (93 vol% argon)
was injected at a flow rate of 5-25 mL/min. The temperature was
increased to 450°C at 5°C/min, followed by calcination for 12 h to
deposit silicon-containing particles on the carbon-based particles.
After calcination, a dehydrogenation reaction was performed by
injecting argon / nitrogen gas (1 : 1 by volume) for 4 h at 450°C to
reduce hydrogen content.
The resulting composite particles exhibit an Si content of 51 mass%,
a hydrogen content of 1.7 mass%, and an H / Si ratio of 3.3%.
The silicon-containing particles include SiHx
(0 < x ≤ 4) disposed on the surface of the carbon-based particles.
Negative electrodes were prepared by mixing 95.5 mass% composite
particles, 1 mass% carbon nanotubes (CNT), 2 mass%
styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) binder, and 1.5 mass%
carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) thickener in water, followed by coating
on copper foil.
Full cells were assembled with NCM622 positive electrodes,
a polyethylene separator (15 μm thickness), and an electrolyte
consisting of 1 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC) /
ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) / diethyl carbonate (DEC)
(25 : 45 : 30 by volume) with 3 mass% fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC),
1 mass% 1,3-propenesultone (PRS), and 0.5 mass% lithium
bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB).
In half-cell tests, a room-temperature (25°C) capacity retention of
≥93% was observed after 50 cycles (0.5 C charge / discharge,
4.2 V charge cutoff, 2.75 V discharge cutoff). After storage at 60°C
for 8 weeks at 100% state of charge, a high-temperature storage
capacity retention of ≥88% was measured, as compared to <70%
room-temperature capacity retention after 50 cycles and <50%
high-temperature capacity retention for comparative materials with
H / Si ratios of 6.8%-7.1%, and <80% room-temperature capacity
retention after 50 cycles with ≥80% high-temperature capacity
retention for comparative materials with H / Si ratios of 0.2%-0.4%.
This work illustrates how careful control of monosilane deposition temperature
(relatively low temperature of 450°C to limit crystallization) and
of hydrogen content in Si-carbon
active material particles can improve cycle life and high-temperature storage performance.
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Lithium-ion batteries – positive electrode
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Ni0.35Mn0.65(OH)2 precursor was
mixed with LiOH (Li to transition metal molar ratio of 1.32 : 1) and W raw
material (1.0 mol%), followed by calcination (910°C, atmosphere not specified).
This material was mixed
with Al raw material and calcined (600°C, atmosphere not specified)
to obtain a lithium-rich
manganese-based oxide active material with an average particle size of
9.5 μm and polycrystalline morphology.
Separately,
Ni0.65Co0.05Mn0.35(OH)2
precursor was mixed with LiOH (Li to transition metal molar ratio of 1.05 :
1), along with Zr and Y raw materials, followed by calcination
(940°C, atmosphere not specified) and
jet-milling. The milled material was mixed with Al and B raw materials and
calcined (360°C, atmosphere not specified) to obtain a single-crystal
lithium transition metal composite
oxide active material with an average particle size of 4.1 μm.
The two active materials were mixed at a mass ratio of 80 : 20
(lithium-rich manganese oxide to lithium transition metal composite oxide) to
prepare a positive electrode material.
In half-cells (lithium metal negative electrodes), the material exhibits a
discharge capacity of 192 mAh/g (0.1 C, 25°C, voltage window of
2.5-4.4 V vs. Li+/Li) and a capacity retention after 50 cycles of
90.6% (0.1 C charge / discharge), as compared to 174 mAh/g and 95.4% for a
comparative material consisting only of the lithium transition metal composite
oxide.
The positive electrode material exhibits a rolling density of
2.58 g/cm3 and an energy density of 1,834 Wh/L, as compared to
2.79 g/cm3 and 1,890 Wh/L for the comparative material consisting
only of the small-particle lithium transition metal composite oxide. The
improved rolling density of the blend material prevents particle cracking
during electrode manufacturing while maintaining high discharge capacity.
This work illustrates how the combination of two materials
leads to a favorable balance between performance
and raw material costs (comparably high Mn content, comparably
low Co content).
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Fuel cells (PEMFC / SOFC / PAFC / AEMFC) – electrochemically active materials
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A composite of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets and ionomer
was prepared for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
cathode catalyst layer.
h-BN nanosheets (short axis length: 150 nm, thermal conductivity:
600 W/mK, thickness: 20 nm) were mixed with Nafion D2021 ionomer in a
solvent mixture of water and ethanol (80 : 20 by volume). The solid content
of the mixture (100 parts by mass) consisted of 70 parts by mass h-BN
and 30 parts by mass ionomer.
The mixture was stirred (6,500 rpm, 1 h) using a high-shear mixer, dried
(90°C, 6 h), and heat-treated (150°C, 2 h) to produce the composite. The
ionomer coating covered ≈80% of the h-BN surface area with a
thickness of ≈4.0 nm.
The composite was mixed with platinum catalyst (TEC10E50E by Tanaka Precious Metals,
40 nm carbon
support, 46.8 mass% Pt) and additional Nafion D2021 ionomer (Chemours) to form a
catalyst layer composition. The composition (100 parts by mass) consisted of
20 parts by mass composite, 40 parts by mass catalyst, and 40 parts by mass
additional ionomer.
The composition was spray-coated onto a transfer substrate and dried to form
a catalyst layer (≈15 μm thickness). The catalyst layer was transferred to
both sides of a Nafion 117 membrane (Chemours) to produce a membrane electrode assembly
(MEA).
Durability testing (0.6-1.0 V, 50 mV/s, 10,000 cycles, 80°C, 50% relative
humidity, atmospheric pressure) exhibits a voltage loss of 13 mV, as
compared to 46 mV for a comparative MEA prepared without the h-BN-
ionomer composite.
Cell performance testing (80°C, 50% relative humidity, atmospheric pressure)
exhibits improved current density across the voltage range as compared to
comparative examples prepared without heat-dissipating materials or with
different composite formulations (see Figure).
Example 1 (실시예 1): h-BN nanosheets (150 nm, 600 W/mK)
Example 2 (실시예 2): graphene (150 nm, 800 W/mK)
Example 3 (실시예 3): carbon nanotubes (200 nm diameter, 460 W/mK)
Comparative Example 1 (비교예 1): no heat-dissipating material
Comparative Example 2 (비교예 2): h-BN without ionomer composite
formation
Comparative Example 3 (비교예 3): h-BN with lower thermal
conductivity (350 nm, 180 W/mK)
Comparative Example 4 (비교예 4): insufficient ionomer coating (15%
coverage)
Comparative Example 5 (비교예 5): insufficient composite content (1 parts by
mass)
Comparative Example 6 (비교예 6): excessive composite content (50 parts by
mass)
This work illustrates how boron nitride (BN) nanosheets as PEMFC catalyst layer
component result in improved heat dissipation, durability and voltage.
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The premium version includes another two patent discussions, plus an Excel list with 50-100 commercially relevant recent patent families.
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Triweekly patent lists for other categories (Excel files are included for premium users)
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- Lithium metal batteries (excluding Li-S, Li-Air): XLSX
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- Lithium-air batteries: XLSX
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- Lithium-ion batteries – electrolytes – liquid: XLSX
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- Lithium-ion batteries – separators: XLSX
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- Lithium-sulfur batteries: XLSX
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- Na-ion batteries: XLSX
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Prior patent updates
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2025-11-04
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2025-10-14
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2025-09-23
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2025-09-02
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2025-08-12
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