Hybrid silicon-metal anode using microparticles for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

A system and method of forming a silicon-hybrid anode material. The silicon-hybrid anode material including a microparticle mixture of a quantity of silicon microparticles and a quantity of metal microparticles intermixed with the quantity of silicon microparticles in a selected ratio. The microparticle mixture is formed in a silicon-hybrid anode material layer having a thickness of between about 2 and about 15 μm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A silicon-hybrid anode material comprising:
 a microparticle mixture including:
 a quantity of silicon microparticles; and 
 a quantity of metal microparticles intermixed with the quantity of silicon microparticles in a selected ratio, the silicon microparticles and the metal microparticles being bound to each other; 
   wherein the microparticle mixture is formed in a silicon-hybrid anode material layer having a thickness of between about 2 micrometers and about 15 micrometers.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon microparticles and the metal microparticles are bound to each other by including at least one binder material in the microparticle mixture and heating the microparticle mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein the microparticle mixture is annealed. 
     
     
         5 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon microparticles have a size range of between about 1 micrometer and about 20 micrometers. 
     
     
         6 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein the metal microparticles have a size range of between about 1 micrometer and about 30 micrometers. 
     
     
         7 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein a size of the silicon microparticles is substantially equal to a size of the metal microparticles. 
     
     
         8 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein the selected ratio of the microparticle mixture includes between about 10 percent and about 40 percent, by weight, of silicon microparticles and between about 90 percent and about 60 percent, by weight, of metal microparticles. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein at least one silicon-hybrid anode material layer is included in a battery. 
     
     
         11 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein at least one silicon-hybrid anode material layer is included in a lithium-ion battery. 
     
     
         12 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein at least one silicon-hybrid anode material layer is included in a lithium-ion battery, the lithium-ion battery further including:
 a lithium containing electrolyte that includes a quantity of separator material;   an anode disposed on a first side of the lithium containing electrolyte and that includes the at least one silicon-hybrid anode layer; and   a cathode disposed on a second side of the lithium containing electrolyte opposite from the first side of the lithium containing electrolyte.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 forming a quantity of silicon microparticles;   forming a quantity of metal microparticles;   mixing the quantity of silicon microparticles and the quantity of metal microparticles in a selected ratio to form a microparticle mixture; and   forming the microparticle mixture into a silicon-hybrid anode material layer having a thickness of between about 2 micrometers and about 15 micrometers.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein mixing the quantity of silicon microparticles and the quantity of metal microparticles in the selected ratio includes mixing a quantity of at least one binder material into the microparticle mixture. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein mixing the quantity of silicon microparticles and the quantity of metal microparticles in the selected ratio includes:
 mixing a quantity of at least one binder material into the microparticle mixture; and   heating the microparticle mixture until the quantity of at least one binder material is substantially evaporated away.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein mixing the quantity of silicon microparticles and the quantity of metal microparticles in the selected ratio includes heating the microparticle mixture. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein mixing the quantity of silicon microparticles and the quantity of metal microparticles in the selected ratio includes heating the microparticle mixture and annealing the microparticle mixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the silicon microparticles have a size range of between about 1 micrometer and about 20 micrometers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the metal microparticles have a size range of between about 1 micrometer and about 30 micrometers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a size of the silicon microparticles is substantially equal to a size of the metal microparticles. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selected ratio of the microparticle mixture includes between about 10 percent and about 40 percent, by weight, of silicon microparticles and between about 90 percent and about 60 percent, by weight, of metal microparticles. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 mixing the quantity of silicon microparticles and the quantity of metal microparticles in the selected ratio includes mixing a quantity of at least one binder material into the microparticle mixture; and   the binder is between about 5 percent and about 10 percent by weight of the microparticle mixture.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising including the silicon-hybrid anode material layer in a battery. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising including the silicon-hybrid anode material layer in a lithium-ion battery, the lithium-ion battery further including:
 a lithium containing electrolyte that includes a quantity of separator material;   an anode disposed on a first side of the lithium containing electrolyte and that includes the silicon-hybrid anode layer; and   a cathode disposed on a second side of the lithium containing electrolyte opposite from the first side of the lithium containing electrolyte.   
     
     
         26 . The silicon-hybrid anode material of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon microparticles are formed by applying an electromagnetic wave to a silicon source material, hydrogen, and argon. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the quantity of silicon microparticles includes applying an electromagnetic wave to a silicon source material, hydrogen, and argon. 
     
     
         28 . A lithium-ion battery comprising:
 a lithium containing electrolyte that includes a quantity of separator material;   an anode disposed on a first side of the lithium containing electrolyte and that includes a silicon-hybrid anode layer, the silicon-hybrid anode layer including an annealed microparticle mixture that includes:
 a quantity of silicon microparticles having a size range between about 1 micrometer and about 20 micrometers; and 
 a quantity of metal microparticles having a size range between about 1 micrometer and 30 micrometers and intermixed with the quantity of silicon microparticles in a selected ratio, the silicon microparticles and the metal microparticles being bound to each other; and 
   a cathode disposed on a second side of the lithium containing electrolyte opposite from the first side of the lithium containing electrolyte.