Lithium electrode assembly

Abstract

A lithium ion-conductive solid electrolyte including a freestanding inorganic vitreous sheet of sulfide-based lithium ion conducting glass is capable of high performance in a lithium metal battery by providing a high degree of lithium ion conductivity while being highly resistant to the initiation and/or propagation of lithium dendrites. Such an electrolyte is also itself manufacturable, and readily adaptable for battery cell and cell component manufacture, in a cost-effective, scalable manner. An automated machine based system, apparatus and methods assessing and inspecting the quality of such vitreous solid electrolyte sheets, electrode sub-assemblies and lithium electrode assemblies can be based on spectrophotometry and can be performed inline with fabricating the sheet or web (e.g., inline with drawing of the vitreous Li ion conducting glass) and/or with the manufacturing of associated electrode sub-assemblies and lithium electrode assemblies and battery cells.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass comprising a vitreous Li ion conducting sulfide glass sheet having Li ion conductivity of at least 10 −5  S/cm and a glass sheet thickness in the range of 10 to 100 um, wherein the web further comprises an electrically insulating edge-protector element that is configured to interface with the lengthwise edges of the glass sheet to safeguard against physical damage of the Li ion conducting solid electrolyte web. 
     
     
         7 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 6 , wherein the vitreous glass sheet thickness is between 20 to 50 μm. 
     
     
         8 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 6 , wherein the web is long having a length/width ratio >10, and length >100 cm. 
     
     
         9 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 6 , wherein the edge protector further serves as a spacer to prevent contact between adjacent surfaces when the web is wound as a continuous roll. 
     
     
         10 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 6 , wherein the protector element is removable. 
     
     
         11 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 6 , wherein the edge protector element comprises a polymer film. 
     
     
         12 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 11 , wherein the polymer film is a tape adhered to and covering the lengthwise edges. 
     
     
         13 . The web of Li ion conducting solid electrolyte glass of  claim 10 , wherein the removable edge protector element is a polymeric bracket that is snug fit to the glass sheet lengthwise edges.