Electrolyte with indicator

• US 20050069761A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Fooken, Michael, Potrawa, Thomas, Palanisamy, Thirumalai G., Geenen, Jacques, Siggel, Alfred S., LaCroix, Stephen E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,585,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/022 Electrolytes; Absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0567 characterised by the additives
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4228 Leak testing of cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0017 Non-aqueous electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/168 by additives
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An electrolyte with an indicator, such as a dye, for detecting leakage from an electrochemical energy storage device is provided. Also provided is a method of making such an electrolyte with indicator; a device that incorporates such an electrolyte with indicator; a method of manufacturing an electronic or electrical system that incorporates such a device; and a method of detecting the leakage of electrolyte from a battery or capacitor.

Claims

1. An electrolyte comprising a salt, a solvent, and an indicator, wherein said indicator is present in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually, olfactorally, or radiatively detectable.

2. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said indicator is present in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually detectable when said electrolyte is exposed to electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum.

3. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said indicator is present in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually detectable when said electrolyte is exposed to electromagnetic radiation at a frequency below the frequencies occurring in the visible light spectrum.

4. The electrolyte of claim 3, wherein said electromagnetic radiation frequency is in the infrared range.

5. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said indicator is present in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually detectable when said electrolyte is exposed to electromagnetic radiation at a frequency above the visible light spectrum.

6. The electrolyte of claim 5, wherein said electromagnetic radiation frequency is in the ultraviolet range.

7. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said indicator is substance that reflects electromagnetic radiation, emits electromagnetic radiation, or is odiferous.

8. The electrolyte of claim 7, wherein said indicator is a dye.

9. The electrolyte of claim 8, wherein said dye is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of naphthalimide, perylene, coumarin, anthraquinone, and thioxanthene.

10. The electrolyte of claim 9, wherein said dye is 1,8-Naphthalimide.

11. The electrolyte of claim 10, wherein the concentration of the dye in the electrolyte is about 5 parts per million (ppm) to about 300 ppm by weight of the electrolyte.

12. The electrolyte of claim 8 wherein said dye is an organic metal chelate.

13. The electrolyte of claim 12 wherein said dye is organic europium chelate.

14. The electrolyte of claim 8 wherein said dye is aniline based heterocyclic organic acid.

15. The electrolyte of claim 8 wherein the concentration of the dye is about 10 to about 50 ppm by weight of the electrolyte.

16. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said salt comprises one or more anions selected from the group consisting of perfluoro borates, perfluoro phosphates, perfluoro sulfonates, or organic sulfonates.

17. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said salt comprises one or more cations selected from the group consisting of tetraalkyl ammonium or pyridinium.

18. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said salt is one or more selected from the group consisting of tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate, methyltriethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethyl ammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethyl ammonium hexafluoroarsenate, or imidazolium salts.

19. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said solvent is one or more selected from the group consisting of linear ether, cyclic ether, ester, carbonate, formate, lactone, nitrile, amide, sulfone, or sulfolane.

20. The electrolyte of claim 19, wherein said solvent is one or more selected from the group consisting of alkyl carbonate, alkyl nitrile, or alkyl lactone.

21. The electrolyte of claim 19, wherein said solvent is one or more selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, glutaronitrile, sulfolane, gammabutyrolactone, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, or dimethyl carbonate.

22. The electrolyte of claim 1, wherein said salt is tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate and said solvent is either propylene carbonate or acetonitrile.

23. The electrolyte of claim 1 having a voltage window that is at least about 80% of the voltage window of a reference electrolyte, wherein said reference electrolyte consists of the same salt and solvent in the same molar ratio as the electrolyte of claim 1.

24. The electrolyte of claim 23 having a voltage window that is at least about 90% of the voltage window of said reference electrolyte.

25. The electrolyte of claim 24 having a voltage window that is at least about 95% of the voltage window of said reference electrolyte.

26. The electrolyte of claim 1 having a conductivity that is at least about 80% of the conductivity of a reference electrolyte, wherein said reference electrolyte consists of the same salt and solvent in the same molar ratio as the electrolyte of claim 1.

27. The electrolyte of claim 26 having a conductivity that is at least about 90% of the conductivity of said reference electrolyte.

28. The electrolyte of claim 27 having a conductivity that is at least about 95% of the conductivity of said reference electrolyte.

29. An electrochemical energy storage device comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a plurality of electrodes in said housing;

c. an electrolyte contained in said housing wherein said electrolyte comprises a salt, a solvent, and an indicator, wherein said indicator is present in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually, olfactorally, or radiatively detectable.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein said electrochemical energy storage device is a capacitor.

31. The device of claim 29 wherein said electrochemical energy storage device is a battery.

35. A method of detecting the leakage of electrolyte from a battery or capacitor comprising the steps of:

a. providing the device of claims 30 or 31;

b. exposing the device of part (a) to electromagnetic radiation having a frequency in the ultraviolet or infrared ranges; and

c. inspecting the device of part (b) for luminescence.

32. A method of preparing an electrolyte comprising the steps of:

a. providing an electrolyte comprising a salt and a solvent;

b. adding to said electrolyte an indicator in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually, olfactorally, or radiatively detectable.

33. A method of manufacturing a system having an electrochemical energy storage device, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing an electrochemical storage device having an electrolyte comprising a salt, a solvent, and an indicator, wherein said indicator is present in an amount effective to render the electrolyte visually, olfactorally, or radiatively detectable;

b. providing a electronic or electrical system into which the storage device in incorporated;

c. prior to installing the device into the system, inspecting the storage device under the conditions wherein leakage of the electrolyte from the storage device would be detectable via the indicator; and

d. installing a non-leaking storage device into the system.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of inspecting said system under said conditions periodically after said device is installed to determine whether electrolyte is leaking.