TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Synthesis of Li-Sn-Zn ternary alloy Nanoparticles by Mechanical Alloying

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a licensing agreement to further develop and commercialize its method of synthesizing Li-Sn-Zn ternary alloy nanoparticles by mechanical alloying for use in Li ion batteries.

Background:

Inherent properties of anode materials are important factors that affect battery performance. Currently, the emphasis of Li battery anode production is on silicon-based compositions, which suffer from swelling and contraction during charging and discharging.  Meanwhile, phosphorous-based anode materials have high theoretical capacity but are still in the research phase, struggling to reach their next stage of development due to their own challenges. 

A ternary alloy of Li-Sn- Zn also hold promise as an anode with high volumetric capacity for Li-batteries, but several attempts to synthesize the proposed ternary alloy by conventional melt mixing technique were unsuccessful. The phases tend to separate upon cooling to form binary alloys which are more energetically favorable but does not have the desired properties of the ternary alloy.

Description:

LLNL researchers have developed a Li-Sn-Zn ternary alloy and its method of production.  Instead of traditional alloying techniques, the alloy was synthesized using mechanical alloying (high energy ball milling).  With high purity elemental powders of lithium, tin and zinc, LLNL researchers were able to prepare Li60Sn20Zn20 as well as Li70Sn20Zn10 nanopowders.  Each sample shows only a single cubic phase of the desired alloy powder is present; unlike conventional melt processing, no phase separation was observed in these samples, thus mechanical alloying was successfully use do to make the ternary alloys.

Advantages/Benefits: 

• The elemental composition of the ternary alloy can be tuned within a limited range without changing the crystalline phase to optimize for current capacity.
• The small nano-particle size aids the addition of other precursors (for example, processing aids) or elements to further tune material properties and increase processability.
• The melting point for the nanoparticles produced by this method is sufficiently high for additional post-processing (e.g., annealing and sintering).

Potential Applications: 

Li-ion battery anode materials

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development:  TRL 3

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

U.S. Patent Application No. 2022/0049328 Mechanically alloyed Li-Sn-Zn published 2/17/2022

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's method of synthesizing Li-Sn-Zn ternary alloy nanoparticles by mechanical alloying should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's method of synthesizing Li-Sn-Zn ternary alloy nanoparticles by mechanical alloying.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA  94551-0808

Attention:   IL-13453