Materials and methods for components of lithium batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of preparing a thin layer comprising lithium. One or more interlayer materials are applied onto a substrate to form an interlayer material coated substrate. The interlayer material coated substrate is heated to an elevated temperature. One or more metal layers are applied onto the interlayer material coated substrate, wherein the metal layer comprises lithium.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of preparing a thin layer comprising lithium, the method comprising
 a) applying one or more interlayer materials onto a substrate to form an interlayer material coated substrate;   b) heating the interlayer material coated substrate to an elevated temperature; and   c) applying one or more metal layers onto the interlayer material coated substrate, wherein the metal layer comprises lithium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer material comprises aluminum metal, tin metal, indium metal, zinc metal, nickel metal, molybdenum metal, titanium metal, a metal oxide or metal nitride, an organic material, silicon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer material comprises Al 2 O 3 , CuO, ZnO, TiO 2 , HfO 2 , aluminum nitride (AlN), Li 2 O, SiO 2 , NbO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , FeO, MnO 2 , LiN, Li 2 CO 3 , Si 3 N 4 , Nb 3 N 4 , or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer material comprises a carbonate, an ester, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer material comprises aluminum metal, indium metal, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises copper (Cu) foil, nickel (Ni) foil, stainless steel foil, titanium (Ti) foil, tantalum (Ta) foil, tungsten (W) foil, vanadium (V) foil, carbon, graphite, or a polymer film. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises copper (Cu) foil. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer material has a thickness of 0.1 nm to 50 m, and the substrate has a thickness of 1.0 m to 45 km. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of from 10 nm to 100 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of from 10 nm to 100 microns. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elevated temperature is between 100 and 250° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal layer is applied onto the interlayer material coated substrate by pressing rolling, printing or extruding. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interlayer material is applied to the substrate by chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, physical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, spinning coating, dip coating, pulsed laser deposition, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising peeling the metal layer from the substrate to provide a substrate-free metal film. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a current collector, or wherein the substrate is configured as a current collector. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more metal layers are applied without being under vacuum. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises copper (Cu) foil and has a thickness of 1.0 m to 45 m;
 the interlayer material comprises aluminum metal, tin metal, indium metal, zinc metal, nickel metal, molybdenum metal, or titanium metal, and has a thickness of 0.1 nm to 50 μm; and   the metal layer has a thickness of 10 nm to 100 microns.