Specification
TECHNICAL FIELD
Cross-reference to Related Applications
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the priority of
10 Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0117153, filed on September
11, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its
entirety by reference.
Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a negative electrode
15 active material, a negative electrode including the negative
electrode active material, and a secondary battery including the
negative electrode, and specifically, the negative electrode
active material is characterized by including silicon-based
composite particles containing SiOx (0
[0020] A negative electrode active material according to an
20 embodiment of the present invention includes silicon-based
composite particles containing SiOx (0
[0052] A negative electrode according to another embodiment of
the present invention may include a negative electrode active
10 material, wherein the negative electrode active material is the
same as the negative electrode active material of the abovedescribed
embodiments. Specifically, the negative electrode may
include a negative electrode current collector and a negative
electrode active material layer disposed on the negative electrode
15 current collector. The negative electrode active material layer
may include the negative electrode active material. Furthermore,
the negative electrode active material layer may further include
a binder and/or a conductive agent.
[0053] The negative electrode current collector is not
20 particularly limited so long as it has conductivity without
causing adverse chemical changes in the battery. For example,
copper, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, titanium, sintered
carbon, or aluminum or stainless steel that is surface-treated
with one of carbon, nickel, titanium, silver, or the like may be
25 used. Specifically, a transition metal that adsorbs carbon well,
16
such as copper and nickel, may be used as the current collector.
The current collector may have a thickness of 6 μm to 20 μm, but
the thickness of the current collector is not limited thereto.
[0054] The binder may include at least one selected from the
5 group consisting of a polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene
copolymer (PVDF-co-HFP), polyvinylidene fluoride,
polyacrylonitrile, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol,
carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), starch, hydroxypropyl cellulose,
regenerated cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone,
10 polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, an
ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), a sulfonated EPDM, a
styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), a fluorine rubber, poly acrylic
acid, and a material having hydrogen thereof substituted with
lithium (Li), sodium (Na), or calcium (Ca), or may include various
15 copolymers thereof.
[0055] The conductive agent is not particularly limited as long
as it has conductivity without causing adverse chemical changes
in the battery, and, conductive materials, for example, graphite
such as natural graphite and artificial graphite; carbon black
20 such as acetylene black, Ketjen black, channel black, furnace
black, lamp black, and thermal black; conductive fibers such as
carbon fibers or metal fibers; conductive tubes such as carbon
nanotubes; fluorocarbon powder; metal powder such as aluminum
powder, and nickel powder; conductive whiskers such as zinc oxide
17
whiskers and potassium titanate whiskers; conductive metal oxide
such as titanium oxide; or polyphenylene derivatives, may be used.
[0056]
5
[0057] The secondary battery according to another embodiment of
the present invention may include the negative electrode of the
above-described embodiment. Specifically, the secondary battery
may include a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a
10 separator disposed between the negative electrode and the positive
electrode, and an electrolyte, wherein the negative electrode is
the same as the above-described negative electrode. Since the
negative electrode has been described above, detailed descriptions
thereof will be omitted.
15 [0058] The positive electrode may include a positive electrode
current collector and a positive electrode active material layer
which is formed on the positive electrode current collector and
includes a positive electrode active material.
[0059] In the positive electrode, the positive electrode current
20 collector is not particularly limited as long as it has
conductivity without causing adverse chemical changes in the
battery, and, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel,
titanium, fired carbon, or aluminum or stainless steel that is
surface-treated with one of carbon, nickel, titanium, silver, or
25 the like may be used. Also, the positive electrode current
18
collector may typically have a thickness of 3 μm to 500 μm and may
have a surface with fine roughness to improve adhesion to the
positive electrode active material. For example, the positive
electrode current collector may be used in various forms such as
5 a film, a sheet, a foil, a net, a porous body, a foam, and a nonwoven
fabric body.
[0060] The positive electrode active material may be a typically
used positive electrode active material. Specifically, the
positive electrode active material may include a layered compound,
10 such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) or lithium nickel oxide
(LiNiO2), or a compound substituted with one or more transition
metals; lithium iron oxides such as LiFe3O4; lithium manganese
oxides such as Li1+c1Mn2-c1O4 (0≤c1≤0.33), LiMnO3, LiMn2O3, and LiMnO2;
lithium copper oxide (Li2CuO2); vanadium oxides such as LiV3O8, V2O5,
15 and Cu2V2O7; nickel (Ni)-site type lithium nickel oxide expressed
by a chemical formula of LiNi1-c2Mc2O2 (where M is at least one
selected from the group consisting of cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn),
aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), boron (B),
and gallium (Ga), and c2 satisfies 0.01≤c2≤0.3); lithium manganese
20 composite oxide expressed by a chemical formula of LiMn2-c3Mc3O2
(where M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Co,
Ni, Fe, chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), and tantalum (Ta), and c3
satisfies 0.01≤c3≤0.1) or Li2Mn3MO8 (where M is at least one
selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn); and
25 LiMn2O4 having a part of Li being substituted with alkaline earth
19
metal ions, but the positive electrode active material is not
limited thereto. The positive electrode may be Li-metal.
[0061] The positive electrode active material layer may include
a positive electrode conductive agent and a positive electrode
5 binder as well as the above-described positive electrode active
material.
[0062] In this case, the positive electrode conductive agent is
used for providing conductivity to the electrode, wherein any
conductive agent may be used without particular limitation as long
10 as it has electronic conductivity without causing adverse chemical
changes in the battery. Specific examples of the conductive agent
may be graphite such as natural graphite or artificial graphite;
carbon based materials such as carbon black, acetylene black,
Ketjen black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black, thermal
15 black, and carbon fibers; powder or fibers of metal such as copper,
nickel, aluminum, and silver; conductive whiskers such as zinc
oxide whiskers and potassium titanate whiskers; conductive metal
oxides such as titanium oxide; or conductive polymers such as
polyphenylene derivatives, and any one thereof or a mixture of two
20 or more thereof may be used.
[0063] Also, the positive electrode binder functions to improve
binding between positive electrode active material particles and
adhesion between the positive electrode active material and the
positive electrode current collector. Specific examples of the
25 binder may be polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidene
20
fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (PVDF-co-HFP), polyvinyl
alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), starch,
hydroxypropyl cellulose, regenerated cellulose,
polyvinylpyrrolidone, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene,
5 polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), a
sulfonated EPDM, a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), a fluorine
rubber, or various copolymers thereof, and any one thereof or a
mixture of two or more thereof may be used.
[0064] The separator separates the negative electrode and the
10 positive electrode and provides a movement path of lithium ions,
wherein any separator may be used as the separator without
particular limitation as long as it is typically used in a
secondary battery, and particularly, a separator having high
moisture-retention ability for an electrolyte as well as low
15 resistance to the transfer of electrolyte ions may be used.
Specifically, a porous polymer film, for example, a porous polymer
film prepared from a polyolefin-based polymer, such as an ethylene
homopolymer, a propylene homopolymer, an ethylene/butene copolymer,
an ethylene/hexene copolymer, and an ethylene/methacrylate
20 copolymer, or a laminated structure having two or more layers
thereof may be used. In addition, a typical porous non-woven
fabric, for example, a non-woven fabric formed of high melting
point glass fibers, polyethylene terephthalate fibers, or the like
may be used. Furthermore, a coated separator including a ceramic
25 component or a polymer material may be used in order to secure
21
heat resistance or mechanical strength, and may be optionally used
in a single-layered or a multi-layered structure.
[0065] The electrolyte may include an organic liquid electrolyte,
an inorganic liquid electrolyte, a solid polymer electrolyte, a
5 gel-type polymer electrolyte, a solid inorganic electrolyte, or a
molten-type inorganic electrolyte which may be used in the
preparation of the lithium secondary battery, but is not limited
thereto.
[0066] Specifically, the electrolyte may include a non-aqueous
10 organic solvent and a metal salt.
[0067] For example, aprotic organic solvents, such as N-methyl-
2-pyrrolidone, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, butylene
carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, γ-butyrolactone,
1,2-dimethoxy ethane, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran,
15 dimethyl sulfoxide, 1,3-dioxolane, formamide, dimethylformamide,
dioxolane, acetonitrile, nitromethane, methyl formate, methyl
acetate, phosphate triester, trimethoxy methane, a dioxolane
derivative, sulfolane, methyl sulfolane, 1,3-dimethyl-2-
imidazolidinone, a propylene carbonate derivative, a
20 tetrahydrofuran derivative, ether, methyl propionate, and ethyl
propionate, may be used as the non-aqueous organic solvent.
[0068] Particularly, among the carbonate-based organic solvents,
since ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate, as cyclic
carbonate, are highly viscous organic solvents and well dissociate
25 a lithium salt due to high permittivity, the cyclic carbonate may
22
be preferably used. Since an electrolyte having high electrical
conductivity may be prepared when the above cyclic carbonate is
mixed with low viscosity, low permittivity linear carbonate, such
as dimethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate, in an appropriate
5 ratio and used, the cyclic carbonate may be more preferably used.
[0069] A lithium salt may be used as the metal salt, and the
lithium salt is a material that is readily soluble in the nonaqueous
electrolyte solution, wherein, for example, at least one
selected from the group consisting of F-, Cl-, I-, NO3
-, N(CN)2
-,
BF4
-, ClO4
-, PF6
-, (CF3)2PF4
-, (CF3)3PF3
-, (CF3)4PF2
10 -, (CF3)5PF-, (CF3)6P-,
CF3SO3
-, CF3CF2SO3
-, (CF3SO2)2N-, (FSO2)2N-, CF3CF2(CF3)2CO-,
(CF3SO2)2CH-, (SF5)3C-, (CF3SO2)3C-, CF3(CF2)7SO3
-, CF3CO2
-, CH3CO2
-,
SCN-, and (CF3CF2SO2)2N- may be used as an anion of the lithium salt.
[0070] At least one additive, for example, a haloalkylene
15 carbonate-based compound such as difluoroethylene carbonate,
pyridine, triethylphosphite, triethanolamine, cyclic ether,
ethylenediamine, n-glyme, hexaphosphoric triamide, a nitrobenzene
derivative, sulfur, a quinone imine dye, N-substituted
oxazolidinone, N,N-substituted imidazolidine, ethylene glycol
20 dialkyl ether, an ammonium salt, pyrrole, 2-methoxy ethanol, or
aluminum trichloride, may be further included in the electrolyte
in addition to the above-described electrolyte components for the
purpose of improving life characteristics of the battery,
preventing a decrease in battery capacity, and improving discharge
25 capacity of the battery.
23
[0071] According to another embodiment of the present invention,
a battery module including the secondary battery as a unit cell
and a battery pack including the battery module are provided.
5 Since the battery module and the battery pack include the secondary
battery having high capacity, high rate capability, and high cycle
characteristics, the battery module and the battery pack may be
used as a power source of a medium and large sized device selected
from the group consisting of an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric
10 vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and a power storage
system.
[0072] Hereinafter, preferred examples will be provided for
better understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent
15 to those skilled in the art that these examples are only provided
to illustrate the present invention and various modifications and
alterations are possible within the scope and technical spirit of
the present invention, and such modifications and alterations are
definitely included in the attached claims.
20
[0073] Examples and Comparative Examples
[0074] Example 1: Preparation of Negative Electrode Active
Material
24
[0075] Powder (94 g) in which Si and SiO2 was mixed in a mole
ratio of 1:1 and Mg (6 g) were mixed in a reaction furnace, and
then the resulting mixture was heated under vacuum at a sublimation
temperature of 1,400 °C. Then, the mixed gas of Si, SiO2, and Mg
5 gasified was reacted in a cooling zone in a vacuum state having a
cooling temperature of 800 °C to cooled to be a solid phase. Then,
a heat-treatment was performed in an inert atmosphere at a
temperature (further heat-treatment temperature) of 800 °C to
prepare Mg-SiO-based particles. Then, the Mg-SiO-based particles
10 were pulverized by using a ball mill to prepare silicon-based
composite particles having a size of 6 μm. Then, while an Ar gas
was flowed in, thus maintaining the inert atmosphere, the siliconbased
composite particles were located in a hot zone of CVD
equipment, Ar was used as a carrier gas, and the methane was blown
15 in the hot zone at 900 °C, reacting in 10-1 torr for 20 minutes to
prepare a negative electrode active material in which carbon
coating layer was formed on a surface of the silicon-based
composite particles.
20 [0076] Example 2: Preparation of Negative Electrode Active
Material
[0077] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
was 1,450 °C.
25
25
[0078] Example 3: Preparation of Negative Electrode Active
Material
[0079] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
5 was 1,350 °C.
[0080] Example 4: Preparation of Negative Electrode Active
Material
[0081] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
10 same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
was 1,000 °C.
[0082] Comparative Example 1: Preparation of Negative Electrode
Active Material
15 [0083] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
was 1,480 °C.
[0084] Comparative Example 2: Preparation of Negative Electrode
20 Active Material
[0085] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
was 1,320 °C.
26
[0086] Comparative Example 3: Preparation of Negative Electrode
Active Material
[0087] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
5 was 1,500 °C.
[0088] Comparative Example 4: Preparation of Negative Electrode
Active Material
[0089] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
10 same manner as in Example 1 except that the sublimation temperature
was 1,280 °C.
[0090] Comparative Example 5: Preparation of Negative Electrode
Active Material
15 [0091] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the further heat-treatment
was not performed.
[0092] Comparative Example 6: Preparation of Negative Electrode
20 Active Material
[0093] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the further heat-treatment
temperature was 600 °C.
27
[0094] Comparative Example 7: Preparation of Negative Electrode
Active Material
[0095] A negative electrode active material was prepared in the
same manner as in Example 1 except that the further heat-treatment
5 temperature was 1,100 °C.
[0096] [Table 1]
MgSiO3
Content
(wt%)
of
Mg2SiO4
Content
(wt%)
of MgO
Average
particle
diameter
(D50) of
siliconbased
composite
particles
Specific
surface area
(m2/g) of
silicon-based
composite
particles
Content
(wt%)
of
MgSiO3
Content
(wt%) of
first
MgSiO3
phase
having
enstatite
structure
Content
(wt%) of
second
MgSiO3
phase
having
clinoenst
atite
structure
Weight
ratio of
first
MgSiO3
phase
having
enstatite
structure
and
second
MgSiO3
phase
having
clinoenst
atite
structure
.
Example 1 20 6 14 1:2.33 3.2 0 6.2 6.6
Example 2 22.5 5 17.5 1:3.50 1.5 0 6.1 6.4
Example 3 19 7.5 11.5 1:1.53 4 0 6.2 6.8
Example 4 20.4 6.2 14.2 1:2.29 3 0 6.5 6.2
Comparative
Example 1
23 3 20 1:6.67 1.2 0 6.1 6.8
Comparative
Example 2
18.7 9.9 8.8 1:0.89 4.2 0 6.2 6.3
Comparative
Example 3
23.5 1 22.5 1:22.50 0.8 0 6.3 6.4
Comparative
Example 4
16 15.5 0.5 1:0.03 6 0 6.1 6.5
Comparative
Example 5
14.7 8.5 6.2 1:0.73 3.8 1.2 6.3 6.2
Comparative
Example 6
14.8 8 6.8 1:0.85 3.8 1.8 6.1 6.6
Comparative
Example 7
19.2 3 16.2 1:5.4 3.8 0 6.2 6.4
[0097] The content of MgSiO3, the content of Mg2SiO4, and the
content of MgO mean the contents (wt%) of MgSiO3, Mg2SiO4, and MgO
28
in the silicon-based composite particles, respectively, and it was
possible to confirm each of the contents through the XRD Rietveld
refinement method by using the D4 ENDEAVOR/X-ray diffraction
equipment manufactured by Bruker Co.
5 [0098] It was possible to confirm the content of the first MgSiO3
phase having the enstatite structure, the content of the second
MgSiO3 phase having the clinoenstatite structure, and the weight
ratio of the first MgSiO3 phase having the enstatite structure and
the second MgSiO3 phase having the clinoenstatite structure through
10 the XRD Rietveld refinement method by using the D4 ENDEAVOR/X-ray
diffraction equipment manufactured by Bruker Co.
[0099] The average particle diameter (D50) of the silicon-based
composite particles was confirmed through PSD instrument.
[00100] The specific surface area of the silicon-based composite
15 particles was confirmed by a BET analyzer.
[00101] Experimental Example 1: Evaluation of Discharge Capacity,
Initial Efficiency, Life (Capacity Retention) Characteristics
20 [00102] Each negative electrode active material of Examples and
Comparative Examples was used to prepare a negative electrode and
a battery.
[00103] The negative electrode active material, carbon black as a
conductive agent, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and a styrene25
butadiene rubber (SBR) as a binder were mixed at a weight ratio
29
of 95.8:1:1.7:1.5 to prepare a mixture. Then, distilled water
(7.8 g) was added to the mixture (5 g) and stirred to prepare a
negative electrode slurry. The negative electrode slurry was
coated on a 20 μm thick copper (Cu) metal thin film, as a negative
5 electrode current collector, and then dried. In this case, a
temperature of circulating air was 60 °C. Subsequently, the
negative electrode current collector was roll-pressed and dried
in a vacuum oven at 130 °C for 12 hours to prepare a negative
electrode.
10 [00104] The prepared negative electrode was cut in a circle having
an area of 1.7671 cm2, and a lithium (Li) metal thin film was
prepared as a positive electrode. A separator formed of porous
polyethylene was interposed between the positive electrode and the
negative electrode, then an electrolyte, in which vinylene
15 carbonate was dissolved in an amount of 0.5 wt% in a mixed solution
of methylethyl carbonate (EMC) and ethylene carbonate (EC) in a
mixed volume ratio of 7:3, and in which LiPF6 having a
concentration of 1 M was dissolved, was injected thereto to prepare
a lithium coin half-cell.
20
[00105] The prepared battery was charged and discharged, the
discharge capacity, initial efficiency, and capacity retention
were evaluated, and the results are shown in Table 2 below.
[00106] A first cycle and a second cycle were charged and
25 discharged at 0.1 C, and a third cycle to a 49th cycle were charged
30
and discharged at 0.5 C. A 300th cycle was terminated in a charged
state (a state in which lithium is in the negative electrode), and
the battery was disassembled to measure the thickness, and then
the electrode thickness change rate was calculated.
5 [00107] Charging condition: CC (Constant Current) / CV (Constant
Voltage) (5 mV / 0.005 C current cut-off)
[00108] Discharging condition: CC (Constant Current) condition 1.5
V
[00109] The discharge capacity (mAh/g) and initial efficiency (%)
10 were derived from the results during the first charge and discharge.
Specifically, the initial efficiency (%) was derived from the
following calculation.
[00110] Initial efficiency (%) = (discharge capacity after first
discharge/first charge capacity) × 100
15 [00111] The capacity retention and the electrode thickness change
rate were derived from the following calculations, respectively.
[00112] Capacity retention (%) = (300th discharge capacity/first
discharge capacity) × 100
[00113] Electrode thickness change rate (%) = (change amount of
20 final negative electrode thickness / initial negative electrode
thickness) × 100
31
[00114] [Table 2]
Battery Discharge capacity
(mAh/g)
Initial efficiency
(%)
Capacity retention
(%)
Example 1 1460 82.6 92
Example 2 1450 82.4 91
Example 3 1430 82.4 91
Example 4 1455 82.5 88
Comparative
Example 1
1400 81.9 85
Comparative
Example 2
1380 81.7 86
Comparative
Example 3
1360 81.2 84
Comparative
Example 4
1350 81.3 83
Comparative
Example 5
1280 78.2 80
Comparative
Example 6
1300 78.6 81
Comparative
Example 7
1456 82.1 70.
CLAIMS
1. A negative electrode active material comprising siliconbased
composite particles containing SiOx (0
Documents
Application Documents
| # |
Name |
Date |
| 1 |
202217053121.pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 2 |
202217053121-TRANSLATIOIN OF PRIOIRTY DOCUMENTS ETC. [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 3 |
202217053121-STATEMENT OF UNDERTAKING (FORM 3) [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 4 |
202217053121-PRIORITY DOCUMENTS [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 5 |
202217053121-POWER OF AUTHORITY [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 6 |
202217053121-FORM 1 [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 7 |
202217053121-DRAWINGS [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 8 |
202217053121-DECLARATION OF INVENTORSHIP (FORM 5) [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 9 |
202217053121-COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [16-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-16 |
| 10 |
202217053121-FORM 3 [28-02-2023(online)].pdf |
2023-02-28 |
| 11 |
202217053121-FORM 18 [11-03-2024(online)].pdf |
2024-03-11 |