United States Patent and Trademark Office >>
Nov. 21, 2019: StoreDot receives patent that improves battery operation with electrolyte additives having dithioester functional group(s) in lithium-ion batteries
As Lithium-ion batteries grow in popularity, their safety and performance continue to improve to meet a wider range of applications. The electrolytes of lithium-ion batteries are an important component affecting their safety and performance.
Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI)-forming agents such as vinyl carbonate, sulfone, and cyclic sulfate are commonly believed to be film-forming additives that help enhance electrode stability in lithium-ion batteries.
Thioesters are molecules containing a C-S-CO-C grouping. They are like esters, but with a sulfur atom instead of oxygen. Like esters, they can be made from carboxylic acids. In the synthesis, thiol is used instead of alcohol.
Thus StoreDot’s patent calls for electrolyte additives having dithioester functional group(s) that stabilize the SEI at the surfaces of the anode material particles, and/or stabilize the CEI (cathode electrolyte interface) at the surfaces of the cathode material particles, and/or act as oxygen scavengers to prevent cell degradation.
The electrolyte additives having dithioester functional group(s) may function as polymerization controlling and/or chain transfer agents that regulate the level of polymerization of other electrolyte components, such as VC (vinyl carbonate) and improve the formation and operation of the batteries. The lithium ion batteries may have metalloid-based anodes - including mostly Si, Ge and/or Sn as anode active material particles.
