Brazed ceramic seal for batteries with titanium-titanium-6A1-4V cases

• US 20010046625A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Original Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Inventors: Pisarnwongs, Roger, Ruth, Douglas Alan II, Tsukamoto, Hisashi, Kishiyama, Clay, Szyszkowski, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 6,607,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/176
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/107 having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/184 characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/191 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/545 formed by the casing of the cells cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 including adhesively bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12535 with additional, spatially distinct nonmetal component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12611 Oxide-containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12618 Plural oxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12812 Diverse refractory group metal-base components: alternative to or next to each other

Abstract

The invention includes a brazed ceramic ring that separates the positive and negative ends of the battery while still providing a leak-tight seal. The ceramic is aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide or zirconium oxide with 3% yttrium. The invention includes a brazing material that is greater than 50% gold. The invention includes a titanium alloy case (Ti-6Al-4V) which is titanium with 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium as its major alloying elements. The case has the desirable properties of titanium such as high strength for a relatively low weight; and the case has the requisite ability and electro-activity to be used a positive current carrying element where the battery'"'"'s positive electrode exhibits more than 3.5 V vs. Li/Li⁺.

Claims

1. A brazed ceramic ring sandwich for a lithium ion battery comprising a first ring of ceramic material;

a second ring of titanium;

a third ring of a titanium alloy of aluminum and vanadium, Ti-6Al-4V;

a gold alloy braze with a gold content by weight of more than 50%;

wherein said gold alloy braze attaches said second ring of titanium to said first ceramic material;

wherein said gold alloy attaches said third ring of titanium alloy to the other edge of the ceramic ring.

2. The brazed ceramic ring sandwich of

claim 1

wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide and zirconium oxide with 3% yttrium.

3. The brazed ceramic ring sandwich of

claim 1

wherein the gold alloy braze is 96.4% gold, 3.0% nickel and 0.6% titanium.

4. The brazed ceramic ring sandwich of

claim 1

wherein the ceramic ring is least 10 μ

m in height.

5. The brazed ceramic ring sandwich of

claim 1

wherein the height of the titanium ring must be at least 30 μ

m; and

wherein the height of the titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V, ring must be at least 30 μ

m.

6. A method for constructing the ceramic ring sandwich comprising the steps of brazing together a sheet of a ceramic material with a titanium sheet, on one side, and a titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V, sheet on the side;

cutting the sandwich to a desired shape with a laser.

7. The method of

claim 6

comprising the step of selecting ceramic material from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide and zirconium oxide with 3% yttrium.

8. The method of

claim 6

comprising the step of utilizing a gold alloy braze consisting mainly of 96.4% gold, 3.0% nickel and 0.6% titanium.

9. The method of

claim 6

comprising the step of selecting the height of the ceramic ring to be at least 10 μ

m.

10. The method of

claim 6

comprising the steps of selecting the height of the titanium ring to be at least 30 μ

m; and

selecting the height of the titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V, ring to be at least 30 μ

m.

11. A method for constructing a battery case comprising the steps of forming a cylinder of titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V;

forming an end-cap of titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V, forming a ceramic ring sandwich of a ring of ceramic, a ring of titanium and a ring of a titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V, brazing said ceramic ring together with said titanium and titanium alloy rings wherein the ceramic ring is in the middle;

forming a titanium end-cap with a feedthrough hole;

welding the titanium alloy ring of the ceramic ring sandwich to the titanium alloy cylinder by laser welding;

welding the titanium end-cap to the titanium ring of the ceramic ring sandwich by laser welding; and

welding the titanium alloy end-cap to the titanium alloy cylinder.

12. The method of

claim 11

comprising the step of selecting ceramic material from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide and zirconium oxide with 3% yttrium.

13. The method of

claim 11

comprising the step of utilizing a gold alloy braze consisting mainly of 96.4% gold, 3.0% nickel and 0.6% titanium.

14. The method of

claim 11

comprising the step of selecting the height of the ceramic ring to be at least 10 μ

m.

15. The method of

claim 11

comprising the steps of selecting the height of the titanium ring to be at least 30 μ

m; and

selecting the height of the titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V, ring to be at least 30 μ

m.