Electric current-producing device having sulfone-based electrolyte

Abstract

Electrolytic solvents and applications of such solvents including electric current-producing devices. For example, a solvent can include a sulfone compound of R 1 —SO 2 —R 2 , with R 1 being an alkyl group and R 2 a partially oxygenated alkyl group, to exhibit high chemical and thermal stability and high oxidation resistance. For another example, a battery can include, between an anode and a cathode, an electrolyte which includes ionic electrolyte salts and a non-aqueous electrolyte solvent which includes a non-symmetrical, non-cyclic sulfone. The sulfone has a formula of R 1 —SO 2 —R 2 , wherein R 1 is a linear or branched alkyl or partially or fully fluorinated linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, and R 2 is a linear or branched or partially or fully fluorinated linear or branched oxygen containing alkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms. The electrolyte can include an electrolyte co-solvent and an electrolyte additive for protective layer formation.

1 . A solvent comprising a non-cyclic sulfone of the general formula:
   R 1 —SO 2 —R 2  
   wherein
 R 1  is an alkyl group, and 
 R 2  is an alkyl group that is at least partially oxygenated. 
   
     
     
         2 . The solvent according to  claim 2  wherein R 2  is at least partially fluorinated. 
     
     
         3 . The solvent according to  claim 1  wherein R 2  is fully fluorinated. 
     
     
         4 . The solvent according to  claim 1  wherein R 1  is at least partially fluorinated. 
     
     
         5 . The solvent according to  claim 1  wherein R 1  is fully fluorinated. 
     
     
         6 . The solvent according to  claim 2  wherein the non-cyclic sulfone is non-symmetric. 
     
     
         7 . The solvent according to  claim 1 , wherein R 1  comprises at least one of: methyl(—CH 3 ); ethyl(—CH 2 CH 3 ); n-propyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 ); n-butyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 ); n-pentyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 ); n-hexyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 ); n-heptyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 ); iso-propyl(—CH(CH 3 ) 2 ); iso-butyl(—CH 2 CH(CH 3 ) 2 ); sec-butyl(—CH(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 3 ); tert-butyl(—C(CH 3 ) 3 ); iso-pentyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CH(CH 3 ) 2 ); trifluoromethyl(—CF 3 ); 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl(—CH 2 CF 3 ); 1,1-difluoroethyl (—CF 2 CH 3 ); perfluoroethyl(—CF 2 CF 3 ); 3,3,3-trifluoro-n-propyl(—CH 2 CH 2 CF 3 ); 2,2-difluoro-n-propyl(—CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 ); 1,1-difluoro-n-propyl(—CF 2 CH 2 CH 3 ); 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoro-n-propyl(—CF 2 CH 2 CF 3 ); 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoro-n-propyl(—CH 2 CF 2 CF 3 ); perfluoro-n-propyl(—CF 2 CF 2 CF 3 ); perfluoro-n-butyl(—CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 3 ); perfluoro-n-pentyl(—CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 3 ); perfluoro-n-hexyl(—CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 3 ); perfluoro-n-heptyl(—CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 CF 3 ); —CF (CH 3 ) 2 ; —CH(CH 3 )CF 3 ; —CF (CF 3 ) 2 ; —CH(CF 3 ) 2 ; —CH 2 CF(CH 3 ) 2 ; —CF 2 CH(CH 3 ) 2 ; —CH 2 CH(CH 3 )CF 3 ; —CH 2 CH(CF 3 ) 2 ; —CF 2 CF(CF 3 ) 2 ; —C(CF 3 ) 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The solvent according to  claim 1 , wherein R 2  comprises at least one of: —CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCF 3 ; —CHFCF 2 OCF 2 H; —CF 2 CF 2 OCF(CF 3 ) 2 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCF(CF 3 ) 2 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCF(CF 3 ) 2 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCF(CF 3 ) 2 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OC(CF 3 ) 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OC(CF 3 ) 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OC(CF 3 ) 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OC(CF 3 ) 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CF 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCF 2 CH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCF 2 CF 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCH 2 CH 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CH 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCH 2 CF 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCF 2 CH 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CF 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 OCF 2 CF 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OCH 2 CH 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CH 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OCH 2 CF 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 CF 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CF 2 CF 2 CH 2 OCF 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CF 2 CH 2 OCF 3 ; —CF 2 CH 2 CH 2 OCF 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 ; —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 . 
     
     
         9 . The solvent according to  claim 1 , wherein R 1  is at least partially oxygenated. 
     
     
         10 . The solvent according to  claim 9  wherein R 1  has a different formulation than R 2 . 
     
     
         11 . A device, comprising:
 an electrolyte comprising:
 one or more ionic electrolyte salts; and 
 a solvent comprising a non-cyclic sulfone of the general formula:
   R 1 —SO 2 —R 2  
 
 
 wherein R 1  is an alkyl group, and R 2  is an alkyl group that is at least partially oxygenated. 
   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11  wherein R 2  is at least partially fluorinated. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 11  wherein R 2  is fully fluorinated. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 11  wherein R 1  is at least partially fluorinated. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 11  wherein R 1  is fully fluorinated. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein R 1  is at least partially oxygenated. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 16  wherein R 1  has a different formulation than R 2 . 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the ionic electrolyte salt comprises at least one of MClO 4 , MPF 6 , MPF x (C n F 2n−1 ) 6−x , MBF 4 , MBF 4−x (C n F 2n−1 ) x , MASF 6 , MSCN, MB(CO 2 ) 4 , MN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 , and MSO 3 CF 3 , or any mixture thereof; where “M” is lithium or sodium. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 11  comprising an electrolyte co-solvent. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the electrolyte co-solvent comprises at least one of carbonates, N-methyl acetamide, acetonitrile, symmetric sulfones, sulfolanes, 1,3-dioxolanes, glymes, polyethylene glycols, siloxanes, and ethylene oxide grafted siloxanes. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 11  further comprising an electrolyte additive. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21  wherein the electrolyte additive comprises at least one of: vinylene carbonate (VC), ethylene sulfite (ES), propylene sulfite (PS), fluoroethylene sulfite (FEC), α-bromo-γ-butyrolactone, methyl chloroformate, t-butylene carbonate, 12-crown-4, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), sulfur trioxide (SO 3 ), acid anhydrides, reaction products of carbon disulfide and lithium, polysulfide, and other inorganic additives. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 11 , comprising an anode and a cathode in contact with the electrolyte to form an electric current-producing device which produces an electric current. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 23  wherein the electric current-producing device is configured as a voltaic cell. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 23  wherein electric current-producing device is configured as a supercapacitor. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the electrolyte is configured to exhibit high oxidation resistance.