Nickel-iron battery with a chemically pre-formed (CPF) iron negative electrode

• US 10,637,041 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Encell Technology, Inc
• Original Assignee: Encell Technology, Inc
• Inventors: Ogg, Randy Gene, Roders, Michael, Meese, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Oyer, Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US16/117,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20180375090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/049 Manufacturing of an active layer by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/248 Iron electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/26 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5815 Sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/62 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/624 Electric conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Provided is a Ni—Fe battery comprising an iron electrode which is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle. The preconditioned iron electrode used in the Ni—Fe battery is prepared by first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized surface.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a Ni—

Fe battery, comprising;

i) fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, polyvinyl alcohol binder and sulfur,

ii) treating the electrode surface with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized iron surface prior to the battery being subjected to a charge-discharge cycle; and

iii) combining the electrode with the oxidized surface with a nickel electrode, an alkaline electrolyte and a separator to construct a Ni—

Fe battery.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxidant state of the oxidized iron surface is +2, +2/+3, +3 or +4.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the electrode further comprises a conductive additive.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the conductive additive comprises nickel, or copper or carbon black.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises about:

50-90 wt % powder

5-30 wt % nickel powder

0.5-5.0 wt % binder, and

0.25-20 wt % sulfur.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the electrode is comprised of nickel plated steel.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the porosity of the electrode is in the range of about 15-50%.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxidant comprises water, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, chlorine, nitric acid, hypochlorite, nitrous oxide, bromine, iodine, permanganate compounds, or sodium perborate.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxidant comprises water or hydrogen peroxide.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the oxidant comprises a gaseous oxidant.