US 12,469,838 B2
Systems and methods involving use of nitrogen-containing plasma to treat lithium iron phosphate cathodes
Venkatraman Prabhakar, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Assigned to Sparkz Inc., Livermore, CA (US)
Filed by Venkatraman Prabhakar, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/103,488.
Application 18/103,488 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/308,042, filed on May 4, 2021, granted, now 12,015,142.
Application 17/308,042 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/030533, filed on May 3, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/019,399, filed on May 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0231103 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 4/04 (2006.01); H01M 4/1391 (2010.01); H01M 4/505 (2010.01); H01M 4/525 (2010.01); H01M 10/04 (2006.01); B05D 3/14 (2006.01); H01M 4/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 4/0459 (2013.01) [H01M 4/0404 (2013.01); H01M 4/0435 (2013.01); H01M 4/0471 (2013.01); H01M 4/1391 (2013.01); H01M 4/505 (2013.01); H01M 4/525 (2013.01); H01M 10/0404 (2013.01); B05D 3/141 (2013.01); B05D 3/145 (2013.01); H01M 2004/028 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of fabricating a Lithium-ion cell, the method comprising:
coating a cathode powder on a metal foil to produce a cathode-coated metal foil;
wherein the cathode powder comprises one or more cathode active materials;
wherein the cathode powder includes Lithium and the one or more cathode active materials comprising Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) or Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP), and the Lithium is not lithium excess;
drying, by one or more dryer chambers, the cathode-coated metal foil, wherein each of the one or more dryer chambers is configured with a header, a solvent exhaust collection and a recovery system;
exposing, by at least one plasma chamber, the cathode-coated metal foil material with treating material comprising nitrogen containing plasma having a reactive nitrogen-containing gas that reacts with the one or more cathode active materials to incorporate Nitrogen into the Lithium-ion cell's cathode active material, wherein the plasma is a near-atmospheric pressure plasma source ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.5 atmospheric pressure;
wherein frequency of the plasma is a microwave frequency between 800 MHz and 5 GHz;
calendering or rolling the cathode-coated metal foil treated to incorporate the Nitrogen; and
placing the cathode-coated metal foil, treated to incorporate the Nitrogen, in a receptacle with a liquid electrolyte, to yield the Lithium-ion cell.