Solid Power Operating, Inc.

A battery cell is provided that includes a countered pouch form, tailored to match the geometry of the cell, including the tab region. The contoured pouch form provides a precise, conforming seat for the cell and tab region to reduce or mitigate deformation of cracking of layers of the pouched cell, particularly during vacuum sealing of the pouch. By optimizing the pouch form geometry to the shape of the contained stack, the structural integrity and reliability of battery pouch cells is improved.

Methods for recycling solid electrolytes include contacting the solid electrolyte with a metal halide in a solvent to produce a mixture comprising a metal sulfide, an alkali metal salt, and undissolved material. The undissolved material is removed from the mixture to form a solution, and then the solvent is removed to form a composite that includes a metal sulfide and an alkali metal salt.

A system and method for characterizing a susceptibility of part of a battery to thermal runaway. The method includes determining a first set of parameters of the part of the battery, the first parameters representing a chemical composition of the part of the battery, a dimension of the part of the battery, and a micro-structure of the part of the battery; and applying the first parameters to a thermal model of the part of the battery to determine second parameters, the thermal model simulates a runaway thermal event, and the second parameters include a heat of reaction, an activation energy, or an Arrhenius pre-factor. Further, the method includes obtaining measurements of a sample of the part of the battery; and analyzing the measurements together with the second parameters to determine the susceptibility of the part of the battery to thermal runaway.

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.

Processes for producing sulfide-based solid electrolytes include preparing a slurry by mixing a solvent with an alkali metal sulfide having a surface area greater than 6 m 2 /g or an alkaline earth metal sulfide having a surface area greater than 6 m 2 /g and a secondary sulfide. The slurry is then dried to produce the sulfide-based solid electrolyte.

Methods for producing metal sulfides generally include combining an alkali metal sulfide and a metal halide in an aprotic solvent to produce a mixture that includes an alkali metal halide and a metal sulfide. Additional methods include combining a first alkali metal sulfide, a second alkali metal sulfide, and a metal halide in an aprotic solvent to produce a mixture that includes a first alkali metal halide, a second alkali metal halide, and a metal sulfide. The methods may include adding a second solvent to cause an alkali metal halide to precipitate out of the mixture and improve the purity of the metal sulfide.

An encapsulated electrode for an electrochemical cell and a method for producing an encapsulated electrode. The encapsulated electrode structure has a first solid-state electrolyte composite (SSE) that has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral surface. Another layer of the encapsulated electrode structure is the electrode that has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral surface. Yet another layer of the encapsulated electrode structure is a second SSE that has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral surface. The first SSE is arranged so as to be attached to the electrode, wherein the bottom surface of the first SSE is attached to the top surface of the electrode. The bottom surface of the electrode is attached to the top surface of the second SSE. Pressure is applied to this stack so that the SSEs deform and encapsulate the electrode.

A solid electrolyte material comprises Li, T, X and A wherein T is at least one of P, As, Si, Ge, Al, and B; X is one or more halogens or N; A is one or more of S and Se. The solid electrolyte material has peaks at 17.8°±0.75° and 19.2°±0.75° in X-ray diffraction measurement with Cu-Kα(1,2)=1.5418 Å and may include glass ceramic and/or mixed crystalline phases.

Systems and methods of producing a solid-state battery cell using an isostatic press system to apply a substantially uniaxial load on the flat surfaces of the cell, while limiting or eliminating the pressure applied to the sides and outside of the cell. The cell frame is provided that may include a top plate and a bottom plate between which the battery cell may be located. The top and bottom plates of the frame may include a hollow center covered with a polymer or other flexible, liquid-impervious, material. An outer portion of the top and bottom plates may comprise a frame to support the polymer center portion. In some implementations, the frame may comprise a metal material.