Li-ion battery and battery active components on metal wire

Abstract

A battery on a conductive metal wire and components of a battery on a conductive metal wire of circular cross section diameter of 5-500 micrometers and methods of making the battery and battery components are disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery features a porous anode or cathode layer which assist with ion exchange in batteries. Methods of forming the porous anode or cathode layer include deposition of an inert gas or hydrogen enriched carbon or silicon layer on a heated metal wire followed by annealing of the inert gas or hydrogen enriched carbon silicon layer. Energy storage devices having bundles of batteries on wires are also disclosed as are other energy storage devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy storage device comprising:
 an array of batteries, each battery having a conductive metal wire with a circular cross-section and a length-to-diameter aspect ratio larger than 100:1, a first vapor deposited electrode formed upon the conductive metal wire, a cylindrical second vapor deposited electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and an electrolyte occupying the space between the first and second vapor deposited electrodes, wherein all first electrodes are connected at a first output electrode and all second electrodes are connected at a second electrode output.   
     
     
         2 . The energy storage device of  claim 1  wherein the metal wire of each battery is electrically connected in parallel to the first output electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The energy storage device of  claim 1  wherein the second electrode includes an outer current collector and wherein all outer current collectors in the array are in physical and electrical contact with each other and electrically connected to the second output electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The energy storage device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second array of batteries each battery having a conductive metal wire with a circular cross-section; a first electrode formed upon the conductive metal wire, a cylindrical second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and an electrolyte occupying the space between the first and second electrodes, wherein all first electrodes are connected at a first output electrode and all second electrodes are connected at a second electrode output wherein the second array of batteries is electrically connected in series to the first array of batteries. 
     
     
         5 . The energy storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one select battery of the array of batteries is of a different length and/or cross-sectional diameter than other batteries of the array of batteries. 
     
     
         6 . The energy storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the first array of batteries is in series electrical connection with a safety circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The energy storage device of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of battery elements are bundled together such that the outermost negative electrode current collectors are touching and in electrical contact and connected to a first external terminal while all substrate ends are electrically connected at a second external terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The energy storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at least the first electrode of each battery in the array comprises a set of alternating carbon and silicon concentric layers formed upon the conductive metal wire. 
     
     
         9 . The energy storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at least the first electrode of each battery in the array has a porous structure providing the first electrode with an enlarged area for ion exchange with the electrolyte. 
     
     
         10 . The energy storage device of  claim 9 , wherein the porous structure of the first electrode of each battery in the array having been formed by thermal annealing of inert gas or hydrogen enriched carbon or silicon electrode layer material. 
     
     
         11 . An energy storage device comprising:
 a first plurality of wire Li-ion batteries, each wire battery having a layer of active vapor deposited anode material on a conductive metal wire substrate core, a layer of lithium containing electrolyte material deposited on the anode material, a layer of active cathode material vapor deposited on the electrolyte material, a conductive metal current collector vapor deposited on the active cathode material.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of wire Li-ion batteries are bundled in a polymer casing forming a second plurality of batteries in a bundle, with opposed end regions of each bundle forming an anode and a cathode. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the second plurality of bundled batteries are connected in series. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the second plurality of bundled batteries are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the series connected bundled batteries are connected in a further series arrangement of bundled batteries. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the parallel connected bundled batteries are connected in a series arrangement of bundled batteries. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the current collectors of first plurality of Li-ion batteries touch each other. 
     
     
         18 . An energy storage device comprising:
 a first plurality of wire Li-ion batteries, each wire battery having a layer of active cathode material vapor deposited on a conductive metal substrate core, a layer of lithium containing electrolyte material deposited on the cathode material, a layer of active anode material vapor deposited on the electrolyte material, a conductive metal current collector vapor deposited on the active anode material.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the plurality of wire Li-ion batteries are bundled in a polymer casing forming a second plurality of batteries in a bundle, with opposed end regions of each bundle forming an anode and a cathode. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the second plurality of bundled batteries are connected in series. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the second plurality of bundled batteries are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the series connected bundled batteries are connected in a further series arrangement of bundled batteries. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the parallel connected bundled batteries are connected in a series arrangement of bundled batteries. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the current collectors of first plurality of Li-ion batteries touch each other.