Electrochemical cell

Abstract

Electrochemical cells including components and configurations for electrochemical cells, such as rechargeable lithium batteries, are provided. The electrochemical cells described herein may include a combination of components arranged in certain configurations that work together to increase performance of the electrochemical cell. In some embodiments, such combinations of components and configurations described herein may minimize defects, inefficiencies, or other drawbacks that might otherwise exist inherently in prior electrochemical cells, or that might exist inherently in prior electrochemical cells using the same or similar materials as those described herein, but arranged differently.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A final electrochemical cell, comprising:
 a first electrode comprising:
 a base electrode material layer comprising a first active electrode species, wherein the first active electrode species comprises lithium; and 
 a release layer, wherein the release layer has a greater adhesive affinity to a surface of the first electrode relative to its adhesive affinity to a carrier substrate on which the first electrode was formed; 
   a second electrode comprising a second active electrode species; and   an electrolyte,   wherein an anisotropic force is applied to the final electrochemical cell during at least one period of time during charge and/or discharge of the final electrochemical cell, wherein the anisotropic force comprises a component normal to a surface of the first electrode, and wherein the component defines a pressure of at least about 4.9 N/cm 2  and causes a surface morphology of at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode to be affected.   
     
     
         2 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one ceramic layer adjacent the base electrode material layer. 
     
     
         3 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode. 
     
     
         4 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first active electrode species comprises lithium metal. 
     
     
         5 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the base electrode material layer comprises lithium metal and a Li—Z alloy, where Z is a metal or semiconductor and is present in an amount greater than 100 ppm but less than or equal to 10 wt % of the alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 5 , wherein the first electrode is an anode, and wherein Z is substantially uniformly dispersed throughout a bulk portion of the anode prior to 10 th  discharge of the final electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         7 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , further comprising a current collector positioned between the release layer and the base electrode material layer. 
     
     
         8 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 2 , wherein the ceramic layer comprises pores, and wherein at least a portion of the pores are filled with a polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an external additive having the formula LiR or (Li—X) n R′, wherein
 R comprises a heteroalkyl or heteroaryl group, optionally substituted; 
 R′ comprises an alkyl or aryl group, optionally substituted; 
 X is a heteroatom; and 
 n is an integer equal to or greater than 1. 
 
     
     
         10 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a lithium compound additive that can be produced through reaction between the lithium of the first electrode and at least one other species of the final electrochemical cell during charge and/or discharge of the final electrochemical cell, and wherein the reaction is substantially irreversible under normal charge and/or discharge of the final electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         11 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the electrolyte together have a maximum thickness of 500 microns or less. 
     
     
         12 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises one or more N—O additives, the one or more N—O additives comprising one or more of inorganic nitrates, organic nitrates, organic nitrites, and organic nitro compounds. 
     
     
         13 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a solvent comprising one or more of an acyclic ether, a cyclic ether, a polyether, and a sulfone. 
     
     
         14 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises one or more lithium salts, the one or more lithium salts comprising one or more of LiNO 3 , LiSCN, LiCF 3 SO 3 , and LiN(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 . 
     
     
         15 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises a conductive carbon-containing material. 
     
     
         16 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises a porous structure comprising a plurality of pores having a total pore volume defined by the total of each of the individual pores volumes, and at least about 50% of the total pore volume is occupied by particles having a maximum diameter of between about 0.1 microns and about 10 microns. 
     
     
         17 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 16 , wherein the porous structure comprises at least one of carbon, a metal, a polymer, and a ceramic. 
     
     
         18 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 16 , wherein the pressure defined by the component of the anisotropic force is at least about 78 Newtons/cm 2 , and wherein the second electrode comprises a porous structure having a porosity of at least about 30% during the application of the anisotropic force. 
     
     
         19 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises a porous structure having a yield strength of at least 200 N/cm 2 . 
     
     
         20 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure defined by the component of the anisotropic force is at least about 4.9 N/cm 2  and less than about 250 N/cm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The final electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is an anode comprising an anode active surface, wherein the anisotropic force affects surface morphology of the anode active surface to inhibit an increase in anode active surface area through charge and discharge, and wherein, in the absence of the anisotropic force but under otherwise essentially identical conditions, the anode active surface area is increased to a greater extent through charge and discharge cycles.