Dual-Ion Battery Systems for Electric Vehicles

An electrode design for thicker lithium-ion batteries that enables higher energy density and longer life compared to conventional thin electrodes. The electrode uses a three-dimensional network of metal fibers that are directly sintered together. The fibers provide a conductive backbone for the active material to grow onto. This network reduces ohmic losses and allows thicker electrodes with higher areal capacities. The metal fiber network also enhances ion diffusion in the electrolyte, reducing the overpotential. The thicker electrodes can have 4 mAh/cm2 capacity compared to 2 mAh/cm2 for thin electrodes.

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Battery design with improved energy density and cycle life for electric vehicles. The battery contains a specific positive electrode active material formula, Li x(NiaCobMnc)1-dMdO2-yAy, where x is 0.2-1.2, 0.6≤a≤1, 0≤b≤0.2, 0≤c≤0.4, 0≤d≤1, 0≤y≤2, M is Al, Mg, Fe, Cu, V, Ti, Zr, W, Sb, Dy, Te, and A is P, S, halogens. The battery also has an electrolyte with controlled free electrolyte-to-capacity ratio (KEL≤1.9g/Ah) and electrode stack volume utilization (η≥0.8).

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Battery pack design to improve low-temperature performance and safety. The pack contains two types of lithium-ion cells, one with better low-temperature capacity and another with better safety. The pack has a region with poor thermal insulation (e.g., bottom) where the low-capacity cells are placed. The remaining region has better insulation, and a majority of the high-safety cells are placed there. This balances low-temp performance and safety by leveraging the trade-offs between cell types.

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Graphene/asphalt-based graphite anode material for lithium-ion batteries that improves energy density and uses environmentally friendly and resource-rich materials. The anode is prepared by mixing graphene oxide and asphalt solutions. The asphalt acts as a binder to hold the graphene sheets together, improving conductivity and preventing separation. The graphene provides more intercalation sites for anions during charge/discharge compared to traditional graphite, enhancing battery performance. The asphalt also improves anode-electrolyte interface stability.

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Dual-cation metal battery with reduced cost, long life, and versatility compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. The battery uses a composite negative electrode of lithium and sodium metals, and a positive electrode made from intercalating lithium and sodium ions into iron phosphate (FePO4) olivine structure. This allows two voltage platforms of LiFePO4 and NaFePO4 in the battery. The lithium ions can be partially replaced by sodium ions in the positive electrode. Charging and discharging can be done using constant-current-constant-voltage or ramp voltage modes to control the ratio of lithium vs sodium ion intercalation.

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Electrolyte additive for double-ion batteries that improves capacity and cycle performance. The additive is a combination of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, succinonitrile, and lithium nitrate in a specific ratio. The additive is mixed with the electrolyte in a dual-ion battery to provide a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the electrode, prevent electrolyte decomposition, and minimize capacity loss.

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Battery design to balance charging speed and endurance mileage in electric vehicles. The battery has specific electrolyte weight requirements to optimize charging performance without sacrificing range. The weight of the electrolyte should meet M = (2.13*D) + (0.04*C) + 290, where D is the particle size of the negative electrode active material and C is the thickness of the positive electrode plate. This electrolyte quantity reduces charging time by minimizing internal resistance while preventing excessive electrolyte that increases weight and reduces energy density.

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A low-cost, high-performance anode material for lithium-sulfur batteries that uses a pitch-based carbon instead of traditional transition metal oxides. The anode is made from mesophase pitch-derived carbon fiber, which has simpler production processes and lower costs compared to transition metal oxides. The pitch-based carbon also eliminates the environmental harm and expensive raw materials of transition metals. The pitch-carbon anode in lithium-sulfur batteries provides higher energy density and better cycle performance compared to traditional anodes.

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High energy density rechargeable battery systems with stable, non-combustible electrolytes that enable higher energy densities than conventional lithium-ion batteries while maintaining safety. The systems use high-energy-density lithium-based anodes in conjunction with ionic liquid electrolytes that replace flammable organic solvents. The ionic liquid electrolytes have etheric cosolvents to dramatically increase conductivity. This allows cycling commercial cathodes at higher voltages to unlock more lithium storage capacity. The stable ionic liquid electrolytes also minimize formation of new SEI layers during cycling compared to organic electrolytes, reducing capacity fade. The lithium metal anodes are compactly stacked to minimize new SEI formation.

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Integrated secondary battery with improved rate performance by directly attaching the positive current collector to the active material. The battery has a layered structure with a porous separator sandwiched between the positive and negative electrodes. The positive electrode has an active material layer on one side and the current collector directly attached to that side. This eliminates the need for a separate current collector foil and improves contact between the active material and collector. The porous separator allows ionic transfer between the electrodes. The integrated design simplifies battery assembly and reduces resistance compared to separate current collectors.

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Recycling lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries by using the spent LFP cathode material as anode material for secondary batteries. The method involves extracting LFP powder from the spent cathode and mixing it with graphite powder from the spent anode. This composite anode material can be used in dual-ion batteries with organic electrolytes. The co-intercalation of lithium and anions in the composite allows higher capacity than either material alone.

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A double-ion battery with improved capacity, cycle life, rate performance, and safety compared to single-ion batteries. The battery uses different materials for the positive and negative electrodes, with MnO or Sn foil as the negative electrode instead of graphite. The electrolyte contains additives like vinylene carbonate to improve film formation on the negative electrode. The design enables simultaneous intercalation of two types of ions into the positive and negative electrodes, providing synergistic benefits like lower cost, green color, and better rate capability compared to using graphite for both electrodes.

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Preparation method for high energy density lithium-ion battery cathodes using sulfur-containing paper pretreated in inert gas. The method involves heating dried paper with sulfur-containing salt to generate sulfur gas. This is followed by further heating to carbonize the paper and dopant sulfur into the porous carbon network. This improves cathode activity and uniformity compared to adding sulfur to the slurry. The resulting cathodes have higher energy density and cycle life.

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Pre-embedding potassium ions into metal foils to improve the stability and cycling performance of potassium-based batteries. The method involves inserting potassium into metal foils to form potassium alloys and/or a potassium-selective SEI layer on the foil surface. This enhances the structural integrity and stability of the negative electrode during cycling compared to using pure metal foils. It helps prevent capacity fade and degradation issues associated with potassium-based batteries. The pre-embedding also allows using thicker SEI layers without impeding ion transport, avoiding SEI growth issues. The pre-embedded potassium foils have improved cycle life and rate capability compared to regular metal foils in potassium-based batteries.

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A method to prepare transition metal chalcogenide nanoscale layered materials for high-performance battery anodes. The method involves a simple and efficient two-step process to synthesize few-layer transition metal chalcogenide nanosheets. It involves mixing transition metal precursors with chalcogen precursors in appropriate ratios, followed by sintering at moderate temperatures. This avoids the complex and lengthy processes of traditional layer materials synthesis like chemical vapor deposition or hydrothermal methods. The resulting nanoscale layered materials have improved electrochemical performance for battery anodes compared to bulk layered materials.

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Organic gel polymer electrolyte for sodium-based dual ion batteries that improves safety and performance compared to liquid electrolytes. The gel electrolyte contains a solid polymer matrix and organic electrolyte. It eliminates the need for separate separators and reduces battery cost. The gel electrolyte can be used as both the electrolyte and separator in sodium-based dual ion batteries. It provides better electrochemical performance, safety, and avoids leaks/explosions compared to liquid electrolytes.

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High energy density secondary battery for electric vehicles and stationary storage applications. The battery uses aluminum as the positive electrode material and lithium as the negative electrode material. The aluminum-ion rich positive electrode contains an aluminum ion-containing electrolyte. A separator with lithium ion conductivity is placed between the aluminum and lithium electrodes. This allows lithium ions to move between the electrodes while preventing direct contact between the aluminum and lithium. The aluminum-rich positive electrode and lithium-rich negative electrode enable high energy density compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. The separator selectively permeating lithium ions prevents aluminum plating on the negative electrode during discharge.

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Grid-scale energy storage system using road embedded batteries to provide cost-effective, high capacity electrical storage for renewable power generation. The batteries are formed by vertically-oriented metal current collectors coated with active cathode and anode materials, with electrolyte between them. The battery components are disposed partially under roadways. The selected materials are lower cost, like Mn oxides/phosphates/silicates, versus high-cost high-energy density materials. This allows leveraging civil engineering methods and road construction equipment for battery fabrication. The road embedded batteries can be charged and discharged multiple times.

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A polyion battery with improved performance and safety compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. The polyion battery uses a non-lithium based anode material along with a non-lithium based electrolyte to enable high voltage operation. The anode can be a carbon material like graphite, but instead of using lithium ions, it intercalates and deintercalates other ions like bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI). This allows higher voltages and capacities compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. The electrolyte also uses a non-lithium salt like lithium trifluoromethanesulfonyl (TFSA) instead of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LF6). This enables higher cutoff voltages for the battery. The use of non-lithium anode

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Lithium-ion battery with higher capacity retention and charging/discharging method to improve battery life, especially for solid-state batteries. The battery has an additional lithium foil and activated carbon electrode sandwiched between the regular negative and positive electrodes. This provides an extra lithium source and capacity boost. After charging, the center electrodes are discharged separately to replenish lithium lost during cycling. This prevents capacity fade and enables long-cycle capacity retention.

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