Multi-cell ultracapacitor

• US 10,446,328 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera AVX Components Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AVX Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Knopsnyder, Jonathan Robert, Hansen, Shawn, Ritter, Andrew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha, Nguyen T
• Application Number:
  US15/598,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/12 Stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/18 against thermal overloads, e.g. heating, cooling or ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/24 characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/32 Carbon-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/52 Separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/60 characterised by the solvent
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/62 characterised by the solute, e.g. salts, anions or cations therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/68 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/70 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/74 Terminals, e.g. extensions of current collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/76 specially adapted for integration in multiple or stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/78 Cases; Housings; Encapsulations; Mountings
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/0003 Protection against electric or thermal overload; cooling arrangements; means for avoiding the formation of cathode films H01G9/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/08 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/26 Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices with each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

An ultracapacitor that comprises a first and second electrochemical cell that are connected in parallel is provided. The cells are define by a first electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, a second electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, and a separator positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second cell is by the second electrode, a third electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, and a separator positioned between the second electrode and the third electrode. The ultracapacitor also contains a nonaqueous electrolyte that is in ionic contact with the electrodes and contains a nonaqueous solvent and an ionic liquid. A package encloses the first cell, the second cell, and the nonaqueous electrolyte.

Claims

1. An ultracapacitor comprising:

a first electrochemical cell that is defined by a first electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, a second electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, and a separator positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a second electrochemical cell that is connected in parallel with the first cell, wherein the second cell is defined by the second electrode, a third electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, and a separator positioned between the second electrode and the third electrode;

a nonaqueous electrolyte that is in ionic contact with the first electrode, second electrode, and third electrodes, wherein the nonaqueous electrolyte contains nonaqueous solvent and an ionic liquid; and

a package that encloses the first electrochemical cell, the second electrochemical cell, and the nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein the package contains a substrate having a thickness of from about 20 micrometers to about 1,000 micrometers.

2. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the capacitor exhibits a capacitance of about 6 Farads per cubic centimeter or more as determined at a temperature of 23°

C., frequency of 120 Hz, and without an applied voltage.

3. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the ultracapacitor exhibits an ESR of about 150 mohms or less as determined at a temperature of 23°

C., frequency of 1 kHz, and without an applied voltage.

4. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the current collector of the first electrode, second electrode, third electrode, or a combination thereof, includes a conductive metal.

5. The ultracapacitor of claim 4, wherein the conductive metal is aluminum or an alloy thereof.

6. The ultracapacitor of claim 4, wherein a plurality of fiber-like whiskers project outwardly from the conductive metal.

7. The ultracapacitor of claim 6, wherein the whiskers contain a carbide of the conductive metal.

8. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous material of the first electrode, second electrode, third electrode, or a combination thereof, contains activated carbon particles.

9. The ultracapacitor of claim 8, wherein at least 50% by volume of the activated carbon particles have a size of from about 0.01 to about 30 micrometers.

10. The ultracapacitor of claim 8, wherein the activated carbon particles contain a plurality of pores, wherein the amount of pores having a size of about 2 nanometers or less is about 50 vol. % or less of the total pore volume, the amount of pores having a size of from about 2 nanometers to about 50 nanometers is about 20 vol. % to about 80 vol. % of the total pore volume, and the amount of pores having a size of about 50 nanometers or more is from about 1 vol. % to about 50 vol. % of the total pore volume.

11. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the nonaqueous solvent includes propylene carbonate.

12. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid contains a cationic species and a counterion.

13. The ultracapacitor of claim 12, wherein the cationic species includes an organoquaternary ammonium compound.

14. The ultracapacitor of claim 13, wherein the organoquaternary ammonium compound has the following structure:

15. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is present at a concentration of about 1.0 M or more.

16. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the separator of the first electrochemical cell, the second electrochemical cell, or both includes a cellulosic fibrous material.

17. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the package contains a barrier layer.

18. The ultracapacitor of claim 17, wherein the barrier layer includes a metal.

19. The ultracapacitor of claim 17, wherein the substrate further contains an outer layer.

20. The ultracapacitor of claim 19 wherein the outer layer contains a film that includes a polyolefin, polyester, or a combination thereof.

21. The ultracapacitor of claim 17, wherein the substrate further comprises a sealing layer.

22. The ultracapacitor of claim 21, wherein the sealing layer contains an ionomer.

23. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrochemical cells are stacked together.

24. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, further comprising a first termination that is electrically connected to the first electrode and the third electrode, and a second termination that is electrically connected to the second electrode.

25. The ultracapacitor of claim 1, further comprising a third electrochemical cell that is defined by the third electrode, a fourth electrode that contains a current collector having opposing sides coated with a carbonaceous material, and a separator positioned between the third electrode and the fourth electrode.

26. The ultracapacitor of claim 25, further comprising a first termination that is electrically connected to the first electrode and the third electrode, and a second termination that is electrically connected to the second electrode and the fourth electrode.