Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for Efficient EV Batteries
19 patents in this list
Updated:
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are reshaping the landscape of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. These materials promise to enhance energy storage, allowing EVs to travel farther on a single charge. As the demand for efficient, reliable energy sources grows, TMDs offer a pathway to meet these needs by improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries.
However, integrating TMDs into battery systems presents challenges. These include managing their structural stability and ensuring consistent conductivity under various operating conditions. Professionals in the field face the task of optimizing these materials to withstand the rigors of daily use while maintaining efficiency and longevity.
This page explores a range of strategies and solutions, such as hierarchical foam anodes and graphene-coated composites, that address these challenges. By employing innovative architectures and material combinations, these approaches aim to enhance energy density, cycle life, and overall battery performance, paving the way for more efficient and reliable EV batteries.
1. Rechargeable Battery with Aluminum Anode, Transition Metal Cathode, and Aluminum-Containing Electrolyte
EQONIC GROUP LTD, 2024
A rechargeable battery that uses aluminum as the anode instead of lithium, along with specific cathode materials and an aluminum-containing electrolyte. The aluminum anode provides higher charge/discharge rates, longer lifespan, and improved safety compared to lithium-ion batteries. The cathode materials are transition metal dichalcogenides (MX2) or oxides (MOz) that intercalate anions. The electrolyte contains aluminum ions that reversibly deposit/dissolve at the aluminum anode and intercalate/deintercalate at the cathode. The aluminum electrolyte avoids the issues of liquid electrolytes like flammability and leakage.
2. Hierarchical Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Foam Anodes with Nanometer-Sized Channels and Interconnected Cell Structure
KING ABDULLAH UNIV OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO, 2024
Structured transition metal dichalcogenide foams for high-performance battery anodes that can withstand excessive volume expansion during cycling. The foams have a hierarchical 3D structure with channels and interconnected cells made of TMD layers. The channels have nanometer-sized internal diameters. The foam anodes provide high capacity, high yield, and dynamic recovery. The foams are made by chemically exfoliating TMD, jetting it onto a substrate, dewetting to form layers, and applying voltage to spray particles between layers.
3. Lithium Battery Cathode Materials with Enhanced Specific Capacity and Conductivity and Associated Manufacturing Methods
Nanotech Instruments Incorporated, 2023
Lithium battery cathode materials and manufacturing methods to overcome the limitations of current cathode materials and enable higher energy density, power density, and safety in lithium-ion batteries. The cathode materials are designed to have higher specific capacity, faster solid-state lithium diffusion, improved electrical conductivity, reduced thermal runaway potential, and reduced oxygen content compared to conventional cathode materials. The manufacturing methods involve using high elasticity binders with optimized lithium ion-conductive additives to enhance the performance of these new cathode materials.
4. Graphene-Coated Molybdenum Disulfide Composite Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries
KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RES, KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH, 2023
High-performance hybrid composite for lithium-ion batteries that has improved capacity and charging speed compared to traditional graphite anodes. The composite is made by coating graphene onto a layer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to create a heterostructure. This composite anode has higher capacity and faster charging than pure graphite anodes due to the intercalation reaction between the MoS2 and lithium ions. The MoS2 layer enhances lithium ion intercalation into the graphite. The composite can be manufactured at scale using simple methods without requiring high pressures or temperatures.
5. Lithium Sulfur Battery with Metallic Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Conductive Substrate in Sulfur Cathode
CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LTD, 2023
Lithium sulfur battery with improved energy density, cycle life, and capacity retention compared to conventional sulfur cathodes. The key innovation is using a metallic phase transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) like MoS2 or NbS2 as a conductive substrate in the sulfur cathode instead of carbon or conductive additives. The metallic TMD provides better sulfur confinement, ionic conductivity, and lithium polysulfide adsorption compared to carbon. This reduces sulfur dissolution, capacity fade, and shuttle effects. The TMD cathodes also have higher utilization and faster kinetics.
6. Lithium Battery Electrodes with Alternating Conductive Porous and Active Material Layers
NanoTech Instruments Inc., NANOTECHNOLOGY INSTRUMENTS INK, 2023
Lithium batteries with unprecedented high volumetric energy density by using thick electrodes with high mass loading of active materials. The method involves consolidating alternating layers of conductive porous layers and wet active material layers to form the electrodes. The porous layers have interconnected pathways and high pore volume to accommodate the thicker electrodes. The consolidation step compresses the components into the porous layers to create dense electrodes. This allows high mass loading and thickness without sacrificing conductivity.
7. Rolled Alkali Metal Batteries with Separate Anode and Cathode Wound Rolls and Single Ionic Separator
NanoTech Instruments Incorporated, NANOTEK INSTRUMENTS INC, NanoTech Instruments, Incorporated, 2022
Rolled alkali metal batteries with high volumetric capacity and energy density for applications like electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The batteries have separate wound rolls containing only anode or cathode materials, instead of stacking them together like conventional cylindrical cells. This allows higher active material loading and volumetric capacity compared to stacked rolls. The rolls are separated by a single ionically conductive separator layer. The anode and cathode rolls have parallel planes perpendicular to the separator. This enables higher areal density and volumetric capacity without increasing thickness or impeding ion/electron transport.
8. Cable-Shaped Alkali Metal Battery with Porous Electrode Structure and Protective Casing
NanoTech Instruments Incorporated, NANOTEK INSTRUMENTS INC, NanoTech Instruments, Incorporated, 2022
Flexible, conformable alkali metal batteries like lithium, sodium, potassium, etc. batteries that can be bent, twisted, and integrated into confined spaces. The batteries have cable-like shapes with porous electrodes and separators. The first electrode is a porous rod filled with anode material like lithium or sodium. The second electrode is a porous layer with pore filling cathode material. This allows high active material loading and volumetric energy density. The electrodes are enclosed in a protective casing. The battery can have the same or different electrolyte in the first and second electrode pores.
9. Lithium Battery with Thick Electrode Design Utilizing 3D Porous Current Collectors for Enhanced Volumetric Energy Density
Nanotechnology Instruments Company, NANOTEK INSTRUMENTS INC, 2022
Lithium batteries with high energy density for electric vehicles and portable electronics. The batteries have thick electrodes, high active material loading, and low overhead weight. The electrodes are made by assembling the active material, conductive additive, and separator directly in 3D porous current collectors with high pore volume. This allows using thicker electrodes without increasing thickness or weight of the entire cell. The thick electrodes have high mass loading of active material relative to the cell weight. The high mass loading improves volumetric energy density. The thick electrodes also have higher volumetric capacity due to reduced electron/ion transport distances. The batteries have volumetric energy densities above 750 Wh/L and volumetric power densities above 1 kW/kg.
10. Positive Electrode Composition with Transition Metal Sulfide and Oxide Compounds for Solid-State Batteries
FRENCH COLLEGE, FRENCH NATIONAL SCIENT RESEARCH CENTER, FRENCH NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CENTER, 2022
Using transition metal sulfide compounds in positive electrodes of solid-state batteries to improve performance and stability. The transition metal sulfide compounds, like LiFeS2, are combined with oxide compounds like layered oxides. This composite material provides benefits like improved cycling stability, lower overpotential, and reduced degradation compared to using just the oxide. The sulfide component stabilizes the interface between the oxide and solid electrolyte. It can also be used alone as a solid-state battery active material.
11. Alkali Metal Ion Batteries with Porous Conductive Layer for Enhanced Active Material Loading and Electrode Thickness
NanoTech Instruments, Inc., NANOTECH INSTRUMENTS INC, 2021
Alkali metal ion batteries, such as lithium, sodium, and potassium batteries, with high active material mass loading, high volume capacity, and unprecedented volumetric energy and power densities. The batteries are made by a unique manufacturing method that involves impregnating a porous conductive layer with the active materials and stacking them into the battery. This allows much higher active material loadings compared to conventional slurry coating methods. The porous conductive layer provides structural integrity and prevents crushing of the thicker electrodes. The batteries also have higher electrode thicknesses and active material fractions compared to conventional batteries.
12. Polymer-Encapsulated Cathode Particles with Elastic Strain and Lithium Ion Conductivity for Lithium Batteries
GLOBAL GRAPHENE GROUP INC, 2020
Highly elastic polymer-encapsulated cathode active material particles for lithium batteries to improve cycle life and energy density. The encapsulation provides structural stability, prevents particle fragmentation, and maintains electrical contact during cycling. The encapsulating polymer has elastic strain over 2% and lithium ion conductivity over 10^-6 S/cm. It encapsulates the cathode active material particles completely. This prevents particle separation and delamination. The encapsulation thickness is 5 nm to 10 um. The encapsulating polymer can contain ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) segments and lithium salts for conductivity.
13. Protective Anode Formed via Electrochemical Cycling in Carbon Dioxide-Infused Electrolyte with Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Cathode
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, 2019
Protective anode for metal-based batteries like lithium-air, lithium-sulfur, and metal-ion batteries that can significantly improve cycle life without compromising performance. The protective anode is made by discharging and charging a cathode with transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) and an anode with a metal, such as lithium, in an electrolyte with carbon dioxide dissolved. The cycling forms a protective layer on the anode containing Li2CO3. The protective anode can be removed and used in a regular battery with the TMDC cathode and electrolyte, providing improved cycle life compared to regular lithium anodes.
14. Flexible Alkali Metal Batteries with Braided Filamentary Electrodes and Porous Separators
HONEYCOMB BATTERY CO, 2018
Flexible, shape-conformable alkali metal batteries like lithium-ion, sodium-ion, or potassium-ion batteries with high energy density, mass loading, and flexibility. The batteries have electrodes made of filamentary or rod-like active materials impregnated with electrolyte, wrapped in porous separators, and braided or twisted together. This enables high packing density, flexibility, and conformability compared to traditional flat electrodes. The braided shape provides a 3D volume filling battery with improved energy density. The filamentary electrodes can have higher mass loadings and thicknesses without degradation. The porous separators prevent short circuits between filaments.
15. Few-Layer Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 2017
Anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity and low electrode potential for improved safety and performance. The anode materials are transition metal dichalcogenides like TiS2 in a few-layer configuration. Few-layer TiS2 has a lower lithiation potential compared to bulk TiS2, making it usable as an anode material in lithium-ion cells. The few-layer structure enables higher capacity and lower potential compared to bulk TiS2, which is limited to cathode use due to high lithiation potential.
16. Nanocrystalline Metal Dichalcogenides with Expanded Atomic Spacing and Defected Structure for Enhanced Pseudocapacitive Charge Storage
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, 2017
Highly defected nanocrystalline metal dichalcogenides like MoS2 with expanded atomic spacing for pseudocapacitive energy storage. The defected structure provides access to interlayer crystals and facilitates pseudocapacitive charge storage. The nanocrystal electrodes have high power density due to synergy between the nanostructure and composite electrode architecture. The defected nanocrystals can reversibly store high capacities in seconds, cycle thousands of times, and operate at high voltages without crystal destruction.
17. Composite Granules of Magnesium-Yttrium-Transition Metal Carbides and Transition Metal Sulfides
NANJING TECH UNIV, NANJING TECH UNIVERSITY, 2017
Two-dimensional materials like magnesium-yttrium-transition metal carbides (MXene) and transition metal sulfides for improved electrochemical energy storage in lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The composite granules made by combining the two-dimensional materials have enhanced electrochemical performance compared to using just one material. The composite granules can be prepared by mixing and drying the suspensions of the two-dimensional materials. This provides a composite powder that can be applied as a negative electrode material in batteries or electrode material in supercapacitors. The composite granules have improved specific capacity, cycling stability, and rate capability for energy storage applications.
18. Lithium Secondary Battery with Transition Metal Chalcogen Negative Electrode and Anion-Absorbing Carbon Positive Electrode
YUASA BATTERY CO LTD, YUASA CORP, 2003
A lithium secondary battery with improved discharge capacity, output density, storage stability, and cycle life compared to conventional lithium batteries. The key feature is using a transition metal chalcogen compound as the negative electrode material instead of graphite. These compounds can absorb and release lithium ions like graphite, but at higher potentials. This prevents lithium plating on the negative electrode during charging. The positive electrode uses a carbon material that can absorb and release anions, balancing the charge transfer. This reduces concentration gradients of electrolyte salt during charging and discharging, improving cycle life and storage stability.
19. Layered Chalcogenide Electrode with Transition Metal Substitution for Enhanced Ion Intercalation Reversibility
BELL TELEPHONE LABOR INC, BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES INC, 1978
Improving the reversibility and cycling performance of nonaqueous cells using layered chalcogenide positive electrode materials like LiVS2 or LiCrS2 by substituting some of the transition metal atoms in the chalcogenide with other metals like Mn, Fe, Ni, or Co. This allows easier and more complete intercalation of lithium or sodium ions during charging and discharging compared to pure vanadium or chromium chalcogenides. The substituted chalcogenides have weaker and broader intermediate phases as the lithium concentration varies, making the intercalation process more reversible.
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