US 20130280611A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0280611 A1 ALKORDI et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 24, 2013 (54) ELECTRODE SEPARATOR Related US. Application Data (71) Applicant: King Abdullah University of Science (60) Provisional application No. 61/625,973, ?led on Apr. and Technology, (US) 18, 2012. Publication Classi?cation (72) Inventors: Mohamed Helmi ALKORDI, ThuWal (SA); Mohamed EDDAOUDI, ThuWal (51) Int. Cl. (SA) H01M 2/16 (2006.01) H01M 2/14 (2006.01) (73) Assignee: King Abdullah University of Science (52) US. Cl. and Technology, ThuWal (SA) CPC .......... .. H01M2/1673 (2013.01); H01M2/145 (2013.01) USPC ........... .. 429/224; 429/246; 29/623.5; 427/58 Appl. No.: 13/861,775 (21) (57) ABSTRACT A nanostructured separator for a battery or electrochemical (22) Filed: Apr. 12, 2013 cell can be a nanostructured separator. Anode Separator, 9.9. MOF/CP/COF , Cathode Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 1 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Anode Separator, e.g. MOF/CP/COF _ Cathode Fig. 1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 2 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Bridging group Polyvalentoore m Fig.2A Bridging group \ Polyvaient core — Fig.2B Bridging group \ Polyvalent core // Fig. 2C Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 3 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 .. .. Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 4 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Fig. 4A Fig. 4B Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 5 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 6 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 aa“Aa gmmmwmwgwmmwx wmun» w 28 25 39 35 A3 #5 28 Fig. 6 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 7 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 8 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 a“.... .... Fig. 8B Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 9 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 m. Fig. 9B Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 10 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 1.0 » pauw 2G 25 35 28 Fig. 10 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 11 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Fig. 11 Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 12 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 Fig. 12A Patent Application Publication Oct. 24, 2013 Sheet 13 0f 13 US 2013/0280611 A1 a;my MN 3 Q, b, 3(Ti v.mnw C 41.3,a3. a3“£4.2maw 1% 2% 25 35 45 28“ Fig. 13 US 2013/0280611Al Oct. 24, 2013 ELECTRODE SEPARATOR DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a battery CLAIM OF PRIORITY or an electrochemical cell. [0001] This application claims the bene?t of prior US. [0016] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are diagrams illustrating a Provisional Application No. 61/625,973, ?led on Apr. 18, lattice structure that can be built to create a nanostructured 2012, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. separator. [0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B are photographs of electrode pellet TECHNICAL FIELD and nanostructured separator coated electrode pellet. [0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B are micrograph images of elec [0002] This invention relates to an electrode separator for trode pellet and nanostructure separator coated electrode pel use in a battery or an electrochemical cell. let. [0019] FIGS. 5A and 5B are micrograph images of elec BACKGROUND trode pellet and nanostructured separator coated electrode [0003] Batteries and electrochemical cells can be used as pellet. sources of energy. Generally, batteries and electrochemical [0020] FIG. 6 is a graph depicting the X-ray powder dif cells include a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a sepa fraction pattern of the nanostructured separator on the elec rator between the positive electrode and the negative elec trode pellet. trode that prevents electrical contact between the two elec [0021] FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting the X-ray crystal struc trodes, and an electrolytic solution in contact with the ture of the nanostructured separator on the electrode pellet. electrodes and separator that permits ion migration. Electrons [0022] FIGS. 8A and 8B are photographs of electrode pellet ?ow from electrode to electrode via a conductor. The physical and nanostructured separator coated electrode pellet. and chemical properties of the separator can affect the per [0023] FIGS. 9A and 9B are micrograph images of elec formance properties of the battery or electrochemical cell. trode pellet and nanostructured separator coated electrode pellet. SUMMARY [0024] FIG. 10 is a graph depicting the X-ray powder dif fraction pattern of the nanostructured separator on the elec [0004] A separator for a battery or electrochemical cell can trode pellet. be a nanostructured separator. [0025] FIG. 11 is a diagram depicting the X-ray crystal [0005] In one aspect, an electrode material includes an elec structure of the nanostructured separator on the electrode trode substrate and a nanostructured separator on a surface of pellet. the electrode substrate. [0026] FIGS. 12A and 12B are micrograph images of the [0006] In another aspect, an electrochemical cell compris surface of an electrode pellet after pellet-press of a nanostruc ing an electrode substrate, a nanostructured separator on a tured separator. surface of the electrode substrate and a second electrode in [0027] FIG. 13 is a graph depicting the X-ray powder dif contact with the nanostructured separator. fraction pattern of the nanostructured separator on the elec [0007] In another aspect, a method of forming an electrode trode pellet. material includes forming the nanostructured separator on a surface of the electrode support. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0008] In another aspect, a method of forming an electro chemical cell includes forming the nanostructured separator [0028] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery or electrochemical cell on a surface of the electrode support and contacting the nano can include a cathode, an anode and a separator between the structured separator with the second electrode. cathode and anode. The battery or electrochemical cell can be [0009] In certain embodiments, the nanostructured separa contained within a suitable housing (not shown). tor can include a metal-organic material. The metal-organic [0029] The battery and electrochemical cell include a pri material can be a metal-organic framework, a metal-organic mary cell or a non-rechargeable battery or a secondary cell or polyhedron, or a coordination polymer. rechargeable battery. Examples of a primary cell includes an [0010] In other embodiments, the nanostructured separator alkaline battery, aluminum battery, chromic acid cell, Clark can be a covalent-organic framework. cell, Daniell cell, dry cell, Earth battery, Galvanic cell, Grove cell, Leclanché cell, lithium battery, lithium air battery, mer [0011] In certain embodiments, the nanostructured separa cury battery, molten salt battery, nickel oxyhydroxide battery, tor can include a Zinc or lead coordination compound, for oxyride battery, organic radical battery, paper battery, Pulver example, a Zinc terephthalate metal-organic framework or a macher’s chain reserve battery, silver-oxide battery, solid lead-(4,4'-sulfonyldibenZoate) metal-organic framework. In state battery, voltaic pile, penny battery, trough battery, water other embodiments, the nanostructured separator can include activated battery, Weston cell, Zinc-air battery, Zinc-carbon a 2,5-thiophenediboronicacid covalent-organic framework. battery, or Zinc chloride battery. Examples of a secondary cell [0012] In certain aspects, the electrode substrate can be a includes a ?ow battery, vanadium redox battery, Zinc-bro manganese oxide. mine ?ow battery, fuel cell, lead-acid battery, deep cycle [0013] Advantageously, the nanostructured separator can battery, VRLA battery, AGM battery, gel battery, lithium air allow for unprecedented control over ion conductivity and battery, lithium-ion battery, Beltway battery, lithium ion related performance characteristics of batteries or electro polymer battery, lithium iron phosphate battery, lithium-sul chemical cells. fur battery, lithium-titanate battery, molten salt battery, [0014] Other aspects, embodiments, and features will be nickel-cadmium battery, nickel-cadmium battery, vented cell apparent from the following description, the drawings, and type nickel hydrogen battery, nickel-iron battery, nickel metal the claims. hydride battery, low self-discharge NiMH battery, nickel-Zinc US 2013/0280611A1 Oct. 24, 2013 battery, organic radical battery, polymer-based battery, The scaffold or regions thereof can be one-, tWo- or three polysul?de bromide battery, potas sium-ion battery, recharge dimensional in structure and can consist of the various bond able alkaline battery, silicon air battery, sodium-ion battery, ing motifs shoWn in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C. sodium-sulfur battery, super iron battery, zinc-bromine ?oW [0035] The polyvalent core canbe carbon, silicon, a di-, tri-, battery, or zinc matrix battery. or quadravalent organic moiety (for example, carbon atom, [0030] The primary function of an electrode separator is to ethylene group, aryl group, and the like), or a metal ions of sever as an electrical insulator betWeen a positive electrode one or more main group element or transition metal including and a negative electrode (for example, a cathode and an ions ofLi, Na, K, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, anode, respectively) to prevent migration of electrons from Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, electrode to electrode through the separator While alloWing Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, In, Ti, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, or for migration