US 12,244,014 B2
Method of producing graphene-carbon hybrid foam-protected anode active material coating for lithium-ion batteries
Bor Z. Jang, Centerville, OH (US)
Assigned to Honeycomb Battery Company, Dayton, OH (US)
Filed by Nanotek Instruments, Inc., Dayton, OH (US)
Filed on Jan. 21, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/252,817.
Prior Publication US 2020/0235393 A1, Jul. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. H01M 4/00 (2006.01); H01M 4/587 (2010.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01); H01M 4/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 4/587 (2013.01) [H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 2004/021 (2013.01); H01M 2004/027 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing a porous anode material structure for a lithium-ion battery, said method comprising (A) providing an integral 3D graphene-carbon hybrid foam comprising multiple pores, having a pore volume Vp, and pore walls; and (B) impregnating or infiltrating said pores with a fluid for forming a coating of an anode active material, having a coating volume Vc, coated on or bonded to surfaces of said pore walls; wherein said pore walls contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets chemically bonded by a carbon material having a carbon material-to-graphene weight ratio from 1/200 to 1/2, and wherein the volume ratio Vp/Vc is from 0.1/1.0 to 10/1.0, wherein said porous anode material structure is in a porous particulate form having a diameter from 5 μm to 50 μm, wherein said anode active material coating is selected from the group consisting of: (a) lithium-containing composites; (b) lithium titanate, lithium manganate, lithium aluminate, lithium-containing titanium oxide, lithium transition metal oxide; (c) prelithiated versions thereof; (d) particles of Li, Li alloy, or surface-stabilized Li having at least 60% by weight of lithium element therein; and (e) combinations thereof.