CYLINDRICAL NICKEL-ZINC CELL WITH NEGATIVE CAN

• US 20090233159A1
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZincFive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PowerGenix Systems Inc (EnSite Power, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mohanta, Samaresh, Maske, Cecilia, Zhao, Jason, Phillips, Jeffrey, Rimanosky, Ernest M., Clinton, Sean, Kruger, Franz Josef, Fan, Zheng Gang
• Granted Patent: US 8,048,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/82
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/063 Underpressure, vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/286 Cells or batteries with wound or folded electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/808 Foamed, spongy materials
• 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 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/1243 characterised by the internal coating on the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/1245 characterised by the external coating on the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/145 for protecting against corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A nickel-zinc battery cell is formed with a negative can, a positive cap, and a jelly roll of electrochemically active positive and negative materials within. The inner surface of the can is protected with an anticorrosive material that may be coated or plated onto the can. Good electrical contact between the jelly roll and the cap is achieved through folding the nickel substrate over to contact a positive current collection disk.

Claims

1. A nickel-zinc battery cell, the battery comprising:

(a) a can having a bottom and a cylindrical side, said can comprising a first anticorrosive material;

(b) a negative current collector disk disposed at the bottom of the can and in electrical contact with the can;

(c) a jelly roll comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more separators in between, said jelly roll is disposed above the negative current collector disk and said negative electrode is in electrical contact with the negative current collector disk;

(d) a positive current collector disk disposed above of the jelly roll and in electrical contact with the positive electrode;

(e) a vent assembly disposed on top of the positive current collector disk, said vent assembly is electrically connected with the positive current collector disk and electrically insulated from the can.

2. The cell of claim 1, wherein the first anticorrosive material is selected from a group consisting of copper, tin, copper/tin alloy, zinc, silver, conductive carbon, brass, and combinations thereof.

3. The cell of claims 1, wherein the first anticorrosive material is coated onto a base metal.

4. The cell of claims 1, wherein the first anticorrosive material is plated onto a base metal.

5. The cell of claim 4, wherein the first anticorrosive material is electroplated or electroless plated.

6. The cell of claim 1, wherein the first anticorrosive material is clad onto the surface of the can metal prior to the fabrication of the can.

7. The cell of claim 2, wherein the first anticorrosive material is more than 50% of the can composition.

8. The cell of claim 7, wherein the first anticorrosive material is zinc.

9. The cell of claim 1, wherein the negative current collector disk comprises copper.

10. The cell of claim 1, wherein the negative current collector disk is coated with a second anticorrosive material.

11. The cell of claim 10, wherein the second anticorrosive material is selected from a group consisting of tin, copper/tin alloy, zinc, silver, conductive carbon, brass, and combinations thereof.

12. The cell of claim 10, wherein the selected second anticorrosive material is a same material is the first anticorrosive material of the can.

13. The cell of claim 1, wherein the negative current collector disk is a foam.

14. The cell of claim 1, further comprising a spring mechanism disposed in between the negative current collector disk and the bottom of the can, said spring mechanism is configured to absorb shock and vibration of the can.

15. The cell of claim 1, wherein an outer layer of the jelly roll is the negative electrode.

16. The cell of claim 15, wherein the outer layer electrically contacts the can.

17. The cell of claim 1, wherein the can includes a beaded area above the jelly roll.

18. The cell of claim 17, further comprising an insulator disposed above the jelly roll against the can below the beaded area.

19. The cell of claim 1, wherein the positive electrode of the jelly roll comprise a nickel foam and a positive active material, said nickel foam is folded over above the jelly roll below the positive current collector disk, wherein said a fold of each wind of nickel foam overlaps another and the separator, such that the nickel foam forms a plate and does not electrically contact with the negative electrode.

20. The cell of claim 18, wherein the nickel foam is notched.

21. The cell of claim 1, further comprising a seal o-ring disposed in between a bottom of the positive current collector disk and the vent assembly.

22. The cell of claim 1, wherein one or more tabs of the positive current collector disk is welded to the vent assembly.

23. The cell of claim 1, wherein the vent assembly comprises a vent cap and a seal gasket, said seal gasket is not conductive and attached to the can.

24. A nickel-zinc battery cell, the battery comprising:

(a) a can having a bottom and a circumferential sidewall;

(b) a negative current collector disk disposed at the bottom of the can and in electrical contact with the can;

(c) a jelly roll comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more separators in between, said jelly roll is disposed on top of the negative current collector disk and said negative electrode is in electrical contact with the negative current collector disk;

(d) a layer of a first anticorrosive material disposed between the jelly roll and the can; and

,

(e) a positive cap in electrical communication with the positive electrode.

25. The cell of claim 24, further comprising:

(a) current collector disk disposed on top of the jelly roll and in electrical contact with the positive electrode; and

,

(b) a vent assembly disposed above the positive current collector disk, said vent assembly is electrically connected with the positive current collector disk and electrically insulated from the can.

26. The cell of claim 24, wherein the first anticorrosive material is selected from a group consisting of copper, tin, copper/tin alloy, zinc, silver, conductive carbon, brass, a non-wettable polymer layer, and combinations thereof.

27. The cell of claims 24, wherein the first anticorrosive material is coated onto an inner surface of the can.

28. The cell of claims 24, wherein the first anticorrosive material is attached to the negative electrode.

29. The cell of claim 24, wherein the first anticorrosive material is attached to the separator extending beyond the last winding of the negative electrode.

30. The cell of claim 24, wherein the negative current collector disk is coated with a second anticorrosive material.

31. The cell of claim 30, wherein the second anticorrosive material is selected from a group consisting of tin, copper/tin alloy, zinc, silver, conductive carbon, brass, and combinations thereof.

32. The cell of claim 31, wherein the selected second anticorrosive material is a same material as the first anticorrosive material.

33. The cell of claim 24, wherein the positive electrode of the jelly roll comprise a nickel foam and a positive active material, said nickel foam is folded over above the jelly roll below the positive current collector disk, wherein said a fold of each wind of nickel foam overlaps another and the separator, such that the nickel foam forms a plate and does not electrically contact with the negative electrode.