US 12,230,808 B2
Rapid sulfur melt diffusion into carbon host for making electrodes
Caitlin Nicole Dillard, Philadelphia, PA (US); and Vibha Kalra, Garnet Valley, PA (US)
Assigned to DREXEL UNIVERSITY, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Filed by DREXEL UNIVERSITY, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Filed on Feb. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/187,217.
Application 17/187,217 is a division of application No. 15/881,172, filed on Jan. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,971,733.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/450,852, filed on Jan. 26, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0210766 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. H01M 4/88 (2006.01); H01M 4/02 (2006.01); H01M 4/13 (2010.01); H01M 4/136 (2010.01); H01M 4/139 (2010.01); H01M 4/1395 (2010.01); H01M 4/1397 (2010.01); H01M 4/36 (2006.01); H01M 4/38 (2006.01); H01M 4/58 (2010.01); H01M 4/587 (2010.01); H01M 4/62 (2006.01); H01M 4/80 (2006.01); H01M 10/052 (2010.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01)
CPC H01M 4/8875 (2013.01) [H01M 4/13 (2013.01); H01M 4/136 (2013.01); H01M 4/139 (2013.01); H01M 4/1395 (2013.01); H01M 4/1397 (2013.01); H01M 4/366 (2013.01); H01M 4/38 (2013.01); H01M 4/5815 (2013.01); H01M 4/587 (2013.01); H01M 4/624 (2013.01); H01M 4/80 (2013.01); H01M 4/8882 (2013.01); H01M 10/052 (2013.01); H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 2004/028 (2013.01); H01M 4/625 (2013.01); H01M 4/806 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing an electrically conductive porous structure with sulfur in pores of the electrically conductive porous structure, said electrically conductive porous structure being suitable for use as a cathode of a battery, said method comprising steps of:
heating sulfur for a period of from about 3 seconds to no more than 15 seconds on an electrically conductive porous substrate under a pressure greater than one atmosphere and to a temperature sufficient to melt the sulfur to provide melted sulfur,
adding an additive selected from the group consisting of selenium, tellurium, bromine, and iodine to reduce the viscosity of the melted sulfur; and
allowing at least a portion of the melted sulfur to diffuse into the electrically conductive porous substrate under the pressure of greater than one atmosphere to produce the electrically conductive porous structure with sulfur in the pores thereof.