Heat energy-powered electrochemical cells

• US 10,490,360 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Quebec (Province of Québec)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Goodenough, John B., De Oliveira Braga, Maria Helena Sousa Soares, Murchison, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Leong, Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US15/782,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20190115162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 429 11
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/56 Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/21 Temperature-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/056 characterised by the materials used as electrolytes, e.g. mixed inorganic/organic electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 14/00 Electrochemical current or voltage generators not provided for in groups H01M6/00 - H01M12/00; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0068 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0091 in the form of mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/18 with solid electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a heat energy-powered electrochemical cell including an anode, a cathode, and a solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte. The solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte includes between 1% and 50% metal polymer by weight as compared to total solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte weight and between 50% and 90% solid glass electrolyte by weight as compared to the total solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte weight. The solid glass electrolyte includes a working cation and an electric dipole. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cells may be used to capture heat from a variety of sources, including solar hear, waste heat, and body heat. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cells may be fabricated at large-area, thin cells.

Claims

1. A heat energy-powered electrochemical cell comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

a solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte, wherein the metal polymer and the glass electrolyte are intermixed with each other”

comprising;

between 1% and 50% metal polymer by weight as compared to total solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte weight; and

between 50% and 90% solid glass electrolyte by weight as compared to the total solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte weight,

wherein the solid glass electrolyte comprises;

a working cation; and

an electric dipole.

2. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell delivers, at a given temperature or within a given temperature range, at least 85% as much electric power (P_dis) as an electrochemical cell having the same anode, the same cathode, and the solid glass electrolyte but lacking the metal polymer.

3. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell delivers, at a given temperature or within a given temperature range, at least 125% as much electric power (P_dis) as an electrochemical cell having the same anode, the same cathode, and the solid glass electrolyte but lacking the metal polymer.

4. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell has a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than 120 GPa/mm².

5. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte has a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than 120 GPa/mm².

6. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell has a surface area of a largest external surface of at least 1 m².

7. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte has an ionic conductivity that is at least 25% of the ionic conductivity of the solid glass electrolyte at 25 °

C.

8. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises a metal foil.

9. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises carbon.

10. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the metal polymer comprises a metal polyacrylate.

11. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 10, wherein the metal polyacrylate comprises sodium polyacrylate.

12. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the metal polymer comprises a metal polyethylene glycol.

13. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the metal in the metal polymer comprises sodium (Na), lithium (Li), or aluminum (Al).

14. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the solid metal polymer/glass electrolyte adheres to the cathode, the anode, or both.

15. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the working cation comprises lithium ion (Li⁺), sodium ion (Na⁺), potassium ion (K⁺) magnesium ion (Mg²⁺), copper ion (Cu⁺), or aluminum ion (Al³⁺).

16. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the dipole has the general formula A_yX_z or the general formula A_y−

1X_z<sup>−

q</sup>, wherein A is Li, Na, K, Mg, and/or Al, X is S and/or O , 0<

z≤

3, y is sufficient to ensure charge neutrality of dipoles of the general formula A_yX_z, or a charge of −

q of dipoles of the general formula A<sub>y−

1</sub>X_z<sup>−

q</sup>, and 1≤

q≤

3.

17. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 16, wherein the dipole comprises up to 50 wt % of the solid glass electrolyte weight of a dipole additive.

18. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 17, wherein the dipole additive comprises one or a combination of compounds having the general formula A_yX_z or the general formula A_y−

1X_z<sup>−

q</sup>, wherein A is Li, Na, K, Mg, and/or Al, X is S, O, Si, and/or OH, 0<

z≤

3, y is sufficient to ensure charge neutrality of dipole additives of the general formula A_yX_z, or a charge of −

q of dipole additives of the general formula A<sub>y−

1</sub>X_z<sup>−

q</sup>, and 1≤

q≤

3.

19. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a metal foil.

20. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises carbon.

21. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a metal foam.

22. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a metal oxide.

23. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell is powered by solar heat.

24. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell is powered by body heat.

25. The heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell is powered by waste heat.

26. A heat energy-powered battery system comprising a heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1.

27. A heat energy-powered battery system comprising:

a heat energy-powered electrochemical cell of claim 1; and

a rechargeable battery or fuel cell electrically connected to the heat energy-powered electrochemical cell.