US 11,916,217 B2
Methods for alkaliating roll anodes
Robert W. Grant, Lecanto, FL (US); Matthew Sweetland, Bedford, MA (US); and Asela Maha Acharige, Brookline, NH (US)
Assigned to Nanoscale Components, Inc., Bedford, NH (US)
Filed by Nanoscale Components, Inc., Bedford, NH (US)
Filed on May 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/313,541.
Application 17/313,541 is a division of application No. 16/157,253, filed on Oct. 11, 2018, granted, now 11,005,088.
Application 16/157,253 is a continuation of application No. 15/372,736, filed on Dec. 8, 2016, granted, now 10,128,487, issued on Nov. 13, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/265,090, filed on Dec. 9, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0399274 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01M 4/04 (2006.01); H01M 4/1393 (2010.01); H01M 4/1395 (2010.01); C25D 5/02 (2006.01); C25D 5/18 (2006.01); C25D 5/00 (2006.01); C25D 7/06 (2006.01); H01M 10/052 (2010.01); H01M 4/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 4/0452 (2013.01) [C25D 5/022 (2013.01); C25D 5/18 (2013.01); C25D 5/611 (2020.08); C25D 7/0642 (2013.01); C25D 7/0657 (2013.01); H01M 4/1393 (2013.01); H01M 4/1395 (2013.01); H01M 10/052 (2013.01); H01M 2004/021 (2013.01)] 39 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrochemical process to alkaliate an anode to produce an alkaliated anode characterized by bare substrate areas free of alkali metals comprising the steps of:
a. Subjecting an anode to a non-aqueous electrolytic solution comprising an alkali metal salt, wherein said anode comprises a conductive substrate comprising at least one surface characterized by at least one area having an alkaliation coating thereon and at least one area that is free of an alkaliation coating;
b. Applying a forward reducing current to alkaliate the anode for a time sufficient to at least partially alkaliate the anode in the areas having an alkaliation coating;
c. Maintaining the anode produced by step (b) in the solution and, optionally, applying a reversed oxidative current to remove any alkali metal deposits from the bare substrate areas; and
d. Repeating steps b and c, wherein the anode is maintained in at least one step c in the substantial absence of current for a time sufficient to permit diffusion of at least some of the alkali metal into the alkaliation coating.