| CPC H01M 10/0565 (2013.01) [H01M 4/622 (2013.01); H01M 4/625 (2013.01); H01M 2004/027 (2013.01); H01M 2004/028 (2013.01); H01M 2300/0082 (2013.01); H01M 2300/0085 (2013.01)] | 28 Claims |
|
1. A method for forming a gel electrolyte battery comprising:
receiving a first gel precursor solution comprising a plasticizer and a polymer precursor;
receiving a second gel precursor solution comprising a solvent and a polymerization initiator;
mixing the first gel precursor solution and the second gel precursor solution to form a gel electrolyte precursor with a viscosity between 10 and 50 centipoise;
immediately after mixing, adding the gel electrolyte precursor to a battery;
wetting a cathode, an anode, and a separator of the battery with the electrolyte precursor via pulsed vacuum wetting, wherein a vacuum pressure during each vacuum pulse is at most 0.95 Bar;
at least 6 hours after wetting the cathode, the anode, and the separator of the battery; curing the gel electrolyte precursor by:
fixing the battery with a force between 5-1000 psi; and
heating the gel electrolyte precursor to a temperature between 60-80° C. for between 30 minutes and 24 hours;
wherein after curing the gel electrolyte precursor forms a gel electrolyte throughout the cathode, the anode, and the separator.
|
|
7. A method comprising:
receiving a gel electrolyte precursor solution comprising:
an acrylate oligomer or a methacrylate oligomer comprising a toughening region;
an initiator; and
a plasticizer;
adding the gel electrolyte precursor solution to a battery stack comprising a cathode, an anode, and a separator;
wetting the battery stack with the gel electrolyte precursor solution;
prior to or during wetting the battery stack, tap charging the battery stack to a voltage between 1.5 and 2.2 V; and
curing the gel electrolyte precursor solution to form a covalently bonded gel electrolyte network interspersed throughout the cathode, the anode, and the separator.
|
|
22. A method comprising:
receiving a gel electrolyte precursor solution comprising:
an acrylate oligomer or a methacrylate oligomer comprising a toughening region;
an initiator; and
a plasticizer;
adding the gel electrolyte precursor solution to a battery stack comprising a cathode, an anode, and a separator;
wetting the battery stack with the gel electrolyte precursor solution; and
thermally curing the gel electrolyte precursor solution to form a covalently bonded gel electrolyte network interspersed throughout the cathode, the anode, and the separator by maintaining a temperature of the gel electrolyte precursor and the battery stack between 6° and 80° C. for between 0.5 and 24 hours and mechanically fixing the gel electrolyte precursor and the battery stack with a pressure between 5 psi and 1000 psi.
|