US 12,243,978 B2
Thermally responsive solid state composite electrolyte separator
Kevin Wujcik, Berkeley, CA (US); Joanna Burdynska, Berkeley, CA (US); and Irune Villaluenga, Berkeley, CA (US)
Assigned to Blue Current, Inc., Hayward, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/623,237
Filed by Blue Current, Inc., Hayward, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 26, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/070200
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/264579, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/868,729, filed on Jun. 28, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0255116 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. H01M 10/056 (2010.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01)
CPC H01M 10/056 (2013.01) [H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 2300/0071 (2013.01); H01M 2300/0082 (2013.01); H01M 2300/0091 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A battery, comprising:
an anode layer comprising anode active material;
a cathode layer comprising cathode active material; and
an electrolyte positioned between the anode layer and the cathode layer, the electrolyte comprising:
a primary electrolyte layer comprising an inorganic phase that is ionically conductive and a polymer matrix that consists essentially of one or more non-ionically conductive polymers, and
a thermally responsive composite layer comprising:
a plurality of inorganic particles that are ionically conductive between the anode layer and the cathode layer, and
one or more polymers that have a positive coefficient of thermal expansion and are not ionically conductive, wherein the electrolyte has a first ionic conductivity below a cutoff temperature (Tc), and a second ionic conductivity that is lower than the first ionic conductivity at or above Tc, wherein Tc is between 60° C. and 180° C., wherein the thermally responsive composite is a shutdown separator layer between the primary electrolyte layer and one of the anode layer and the cathode layer, wherein below Tc the plurality of inorganic particles contact each other and the ionic conductivity of the thermally responsive composite layer is mostly defined by the ionic conductivity of the plurality of inorganic particles, and wherein above Tc the one or more polymers expand in volume such that the ionic conductivity is defined mostly by the one or more polymers.