Dry Prelithiation Of Electrode Materials For Lithium Batteries And Supercapacitors By Controlled Dose Low Energy Implantation Of Lithium Ions

Abstract

In this disclosure, we describe a method of creating new and improved battery electrodes by doping conventional battery electrode materials with dry lithium (Li+) ions, using ion implantation techniques under vacuum.  This dry "prelithiation" step will both (a) increase the amount of active Li+ in the material that is available during subsequent electrolyte based electrochemical charge/discharge cycles and (b) reduce the amount of deleterious/ unwanted side reactions of the electrode materials with the liquid electrolyte, thereby enhancing capacity of the battery system. Our prelithiation technique would leverage the ion implantation tools and processes that are widely used to dope silicon in the semiconductor industry. The fact that our process uses dry lithium ions under vacuum has a distinct advantage over wet or solvent based electrochemical processes, which can induce unwanted side reactions of the Li+ ions that do not enhance performance.