Yoke-shell nanoparticle, method and applications

Abstract

A nanoparticle and a method for fabricating the nanoparticle utilize a decomposable material yoke located within permeable organic polymer material shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space. When the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both a sulfur material vapor and a lithium ion within a battery electrolyte the nanoparticle may be used within an electrode for a Li/S battery absent the negative effects of battery electrode materials expansion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nanoparticle comprising:
 a decomposable material yoke;   a permeable organic polymer material shell surrounding the decomposable material yoke; and   a void space interposed between the decomposable material yoke and the permeable organic polymer material shell.   
     
     
         2 . The nanoparticle of  claim 1  wherein the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, S8 and other polysulfides. 
     
     
         3 . The nanoparticle of  claim 1  wherein the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a polymer that is permeable to a decomposable material yoke vapor. 
     
     
         4 . The nanoparticle of  claim 1  wherein:
 the decomposable material yoke comprises a sulfur material; and 
 the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a polyaniline material. 
 
     
     
         5 . The nanoparticle of  claim 1  wherein
 the decomposable material yoke has a diameter from about 200 to about 300 nanometers; and 
 the permeable organic polymer material shell has a diameter from about 300 to about 400 nanometers and a thickness from about 10 to about 20 nanometers. 
 
     
     
         6 . The nanoparticle of  claim 5  wherein the void space interposed between the decomposable material yoke and the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises from about 25 to about 50 percent of the volume enclosed by the permeable organic polymer material shell. 
     
     
         7 . An electrode comprising:
 a conductive substrate; and   a coating located upon the conductive substrate, the coating including a nanoparticle comprising:
 a sulfur material yoke; 
 a lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell surrounding the sulfur material yoke; and 
 a void space interposed between the sulfur material yoke and the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell. 
   
     
     
         8 . The electrode of  claim 7  wherein:
 a sulfur material within the sulfur material yoke is selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, S8 and other polysulfides; and 
 the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a polyaniline material. 
 
     
     
         9 . The electrode of  claim 7  wherein:
 the sulfur material yoke has a diameter from about 200 to about 300 nanometers; 
 the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell has a diameter from about 300 to about 400 nanometers; and 
 the void space interposed between the sulfur material yoke and the lithium ion permeable organic polymer shell comprises from about 25 to about 50 of the volume enclosed by the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell. 
 
     
     
         10 . A battery comprising an electrode comprising:
 a conductive substrate; and   a coating located upon the conductive substrate, the coating including a nanoparticle comprising:
 a sulfur material yoke; 
 a lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell surrounding the sulfur material yoke; and 
 a void space interposed between the sulfur material yoke and the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell. 
   
     
     
         11 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein:
 the sulfur material yoke comprises a sulfur material selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, S8 and other polysulfides; and 
 the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a polyaniline material. 
 
     
     
         12 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein:
 the sulfur material yoke has a diameter from about 200 to about 300 nanometers; 
 the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell has a diameter from about 300 to about 400 nanometers; and 
 the void space interposed between the sulfur material yoke and the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell comprises from about 25 to about 50 percent of the volume enclosed by the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell. 
 
     
     
         13 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the battery comprises a Li/S battery. 
     
     
         14 . A method for fabricating a nanoparticle comprising:
 forming surrounding and contacting a decomposable material core a permeable organic polymer material shell; and   decomposing part of the decomposable material core within the permeable organic polymer material shell to provide a decomposable material yoke within the permeable organic polymer shell and separated from the permeable organic polymer material shell by a void space.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein:
 the decomposable material core comprises a sulfur material selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, S8 and other polysulfides; and 
 the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a polyaniline material. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the permeable organic polymer material shell comprises a material permeable to both sulfur vapor and lithium ion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein:
 the decomposable material yoke has a diameter from about 200 to about 300 nanometers; 
 the permeable organic polymer material shell has a diameter from about 300 to about 400 nanometers; and 
 the void space interposed between the sulfur material yoke and the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell comprises from about 25 to about 50 percent of the volume enclosed by the lithium ion permeable organic polymer material shell. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the decomposing the part of the decomposable material yoke uses a thermal decomposition method. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the thermal decomposition method uses a temperature from about 150 to about 200 degrees centigrade for a time period from about 6 to about 18 hours.