QuantumScape has filed a patent for processes to create lithium-stuffed garnet oxides with passivated surfaces that resist the formation of unwanted substances. The patent also covers new materials made using these processes. GlobalData’s report on QuantumScape gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData s company profile on QuantumScape, hydrogen storage alloys was a key innovation area identified from patents. QuantumScape's grant share as of June 2023 was 1%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Processes for making lithium-stuffed garnet oxides with passivated surfaces
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230207868A1) describes a process for making a sintered lithium-stuffed garnet thin film or pellet. The process involves several steps, including providing a solution comprising a salt and a solvent, immersing the sintered lithium-stuffed garnet thin film or pellet in the solution, and removing the surface of the film or pellet from the solution. The temperature of the solution during immersion ranges from 0°C to 60°C.
The patent claims specify that the salt used in the solution can be selected from a group of salts including LiPF6, LIBETI, LiTFSI, LiBF4, LiAsF6, and LiFSI, among others. The concentration of the salt in the solution is stated to be between 0.5 M and 1.5 M.
The solvent used in the process can be chosen from a group of solvents including EC, DMC, PC, DEC, THF, GBL, FEC, FMEC, F-EMC, F-EPE, F-AEC, and others. The patent claims also mention specific solvents such as SCN, GLN, sulfolane, EC, and EMC. The solvent is required to have a water content of less than certain specified levels, ranging from less than 200 ppm to less than 10 ppm.
The patent claims also describe the characteristics of the lithium-stuffed garnet thin film or pellet before and after the process. The film or pellet is characterized by a specific chemical formula before the immersion step. After the immersion and removal steps, the surface of the film or pellet is said to have a fluorinated surface, with fluorine or fluoride present at a depth of penetration ranging from 0.5 µm to 1.5 µm. The surface may also have fluorine bonded to elements in the lithium-stuffed garnet.
The process aims to ensure that the surface of the film or pellet is free or substantially free of contaminants, with Li2CO3 being specifically mentioned as a contaminant to be avoided.
Overall, the patent describes a detailed process for making a sintered lithium-stuffed garnet thin film or pellet, providing specific instructions regarding the salt, solvent, temperature, and other parameters involved. The process aims to achieve a fluorinated surface and eliminate contaminants, potentially enhancing the performance and stability of the lithium-stuffed garnet material.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies
