Solid Power Operating, Inc.

An argyrodite companion compound having high ionic conductivity and low material hardness, a solid electrolyte composite including the argyrodite companion compound, and a solid state battery device including the argyrodite companion compound and/or the composite. The argyrodite companion compound is a sulfide solid electrolyte compound with a distinctive crystal structure defined by an XRD pattern featuring peaks at 2θ=20.9°±0.5°, 31°±0.5°, and 33°±0.5°. The argyrodite companion compound comprises at least lithium (Li), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S).

Methods for purifying metal sulfides include combining an alkali metal sulfide and composites that include a metal sulfide in an aprotic solvent, filtering undissolved solids from the mixture, and adding a secondary sulfide to the solution to precipitate the highly pure metal sulfide. The purified metal sulfides may be used in the production of solid-state electrochemical cells.

Sacrificial carbon structures for inhibiting thermal runaway in an electrochemical cell, and electrodes and electrochemical cells including the same. Structures having increased carbon content may be incorporated into the electrodes such that the carbon is positioned to react with released oxygen, to mitigate thermal runaway. These structures may take the form of a sacrificial carbon layer, a plurality of sacrificial carbon layers, and/or a multilayer active material layer having a sacrificial carbon base layer.

Methods for making solid-state electrochemical battery cell layers include forming a slurry that includes a solid-state electrolyte material and an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent. The aromatic hydrocarbon solvent may contain one or more aromatic units. The slurries provide enhanced stability, safety, and do not degrade the solid-state electrolyte material.

Cathode composites include a transition metal sulfide and a molybdenum sulfide material. The composites display more favorable characteristics, such as charge capacity, as compared to known cathode composites.

Methods for increasing the particle size of solid electrolyte materials include combining the solid electrolyte material with molten elemental sulfur. By combining the solid electrolyte material with molten elemental sulfur, the particle size of the solid electrolyte material increases and the specific surface area of the solid electrolyte material decreases.

Systems and methods using a plasma source and molten sulfur produce a homogeneous mixture of reactants and powder product devoid of a carbon residue. The systems and methods are used to form materials for use in a solid-state electrochemical cell without using organic solvents, which may form a chemical residue or may carbonize during high-temperature heat treatment.

Systems and methods for utilizing one or more spools and/or rollers for the gentle application of a lithium layer onto a separator layer in an electrode stack of a solid-state battery cell to prevent or minimize damage to the conductive layer. In one embodiment, a feeder spool of provides a conductive foil and interleaf stack combination to an application roller. The application roller may then apply the conductive foil onto a separator layer of the electrode stack. An interleaf rewind spool may collect the remaining interleaf material from the conductive foil/interleaf combination once the conductive foil is deposited onto the separator layer. The conductive foil may adhere to the separator layer through a combination of a gravity force pressing the conductive foil and/or surface energy between the conductive foil and the SSE layer, thereby allowing the interleaf rewind spool to pull the interleaf material from the combination.

The present disclosure provides an electrolyte composition. The present disclosure also provides a composite composition comprising the electrolyte composition and an Argyrodite phase. Furthermore, the present disclosure is directed to a method of making and using the electrolyte composition.

The present disclosure provides an electrolyte composition. The disclosure also generally relates to solid state batteries, and electrolyte compositions that may be used in solid state batteries. The disclosure also provides an electrolyte composition comprising lithium, phosphorous, and/or sulfur. The composition may further include a halogen. Without being bound by theory, the disclosure also provides an electrolyte composition comprising a novel x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern.