Integrated membrane electrode assembly and method related thereto

• US 20070141473A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wei, Chang, Yang, Hai, Wang, Tao
• Granted Patent: US 7,887,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/303
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/065 with plate-like electrodes or stacks of plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8657 layered
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0284 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

An electrode assembly for use in a galvanic cell is provided. The galvanic cell may include a first electrode, a gel polymer adhesive electrolyte in contact with the first electrode, a polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer, a separator coupled between the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte and the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer, and a second electrode in contact with the polymer tri-phase electrolyte. A method of making and using an electrode assembly for use in a galvanic cell is provided.

Claims

1. An electrode assembly, comprising:

a first electrode;

a gel polymer adhesive electrolyte layer, in contact with the first electrode;

a polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer;

a separator, coupled to the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte layer and to the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer; and

a second electrode, in contact with the polymer tri-phase electrolyte.

2. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises an anode.

3. The electrode assembly of claim 2, wherein the anode comprises an active material, a binder, and at least one conductive additive.

4. The electrode assembly of claim 3, wherein the active material is a metal hydride.

5. The electrode assembly of claim 4, wherein the metal hydride comprises one or more of a AlH₃, SiH₄, LiH, BeH₂, GaH₃, or SbH₃.

6. The electrode assembly of claim 4, wherein the metal hydride comprises LaNi₅.

7. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte comprises a polymer at least partially dissolvable in a base solution, and the polymer is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene oxide, sodium polyacrylate, poly(N,N-dimethyl-2-diallyl-ammonium hydroxide), glycerin, polyacrylic acid, triethanol amine, and combinations of two or more thereof.

8. The electrode assembly of claim 7, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, and combinations of two or more thereof.

9. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the separator is a non-woven membrane.

10. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the separator comprises one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, asbestos, or nylon.

11. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

12. The electrode assembly of claim 11, wherein the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer comprises less than 70 weight percent of polytetrafluoroethylene.

13. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

14. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer comprises a latex emulsion.

15. The electrode assembly of claim 11, wherein the polymer tri-phase electrolyte comprises a halogenated olefin latex.

16. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a cathode.

17. The electrode assembly of claim 16, wherein the cathode comprises an air/gas electrode with a catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer.

18. The electrode assembly of claim 17, wherein the catalyst layer comprises catalyst, active carbon and a halogenated olefin binder.

19. The electrode assembly of claim 18, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group comprising metal catalyst, metal oxide catalyst and a Perovskite catalyst.

20. The electrode assembly of claim 17, wherein the gas diffusion layer comprises active carbon and a halogenated olefin binder.

21. The electrode assembly of claim 20, wherein the binder comprises one or both of polytetrafluoroethylene or carboxymethylcellulose.

22. A fuel cell comprising the electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the galvanic cell is a fuel cell.

23. A metal/air battery comprising the electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the galvanic cell is a metal/air battery.

24. A galvanic cell comprising the electrode assembly of claim 1, and one or more current collectors that are in contact with at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode.

25. A method of making an electrode assembly for use in a galvanic cell, comprising:

coating a first electrode with a layer of polymer tri-phase electrolyte to provide a first coated electrode;

contacting the first coated electrode with a membrane to provide a coated electrode-membrane structure;

coating a second electrode with a layer of gel polymer adhesive electrolyte to provide a second coated electrode; and

assembling the coated electrode-membrane structure with the second coated electrode to provide an electrode assembly.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the membrane is operable to separate the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte from one or more polymer tri-phase electrolyte layers.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein assembling and contacting each comprises pressing.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein pressing comprises contacting materials under an elevated pressure.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein coating comprises chemically layering or mechanically layering a material onto another material.

30. An electrochemical system, comprising:

a plurality of electrode layers;

means for separating each of the electrode layers from the other;

means for forming a phase interface; and

means for absorb and retain water and electrolyte while allowing hydroxide ions to move therethrough from one of the plurality of electrode layers to another of the plurality of electrode layers.