CONDUCTIVE YARN-BASED NICKEL-ZINC TEXTILE BATTERIES

• US 20200136105A1
• Filed: 02/14/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Original Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Inventors: Zhi, Chunyi, Huang, Yan, Tang, Zijie
• Granted Patent: US 10,811,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/25 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/18 including electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/02 Details of electrodes H01M4/00; of non-active parts H01M50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/04 Construction or manufacture in general H01M10/058, H01M10/12, H01M10/28, H01M10/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/26 Selection of materials as electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/28 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/38 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/022 Electrodes made of one single microscopic fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0014 Alkaline electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0085 Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/244 Zinc electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/32 Nickel oxide or hydroxide electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 : of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/523 : for non-aqueous cells H01M4/525 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/662 : Alloys collectors of lead alloys H01M4/685
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/75 : Wires, rods or strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/122 : Composite material consisting of a mixture of organic and inorganic materials
• 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

Systems and methods which provide nickel-zinc textile batteries formed from highly conductive yarn-based components which are configured to facilitate textile material processing, such as weaving, knitting, etc., are described. Embodiments of a conductive yarn-based nickel-zinc textile battery may be constructed using scalably produced highly conductive yarns, such as stainless steel yarns, coated or covered with zinc (anodes) and nickel (cathode) materials, wherein the foregoing yarn anode and cathode components may be coated with an electrolyte to form yarn-based battery assemblies. A conductive yarn-based nickel-zinc textile battery may be constructed by weaving or knitting such yarn-based battery assemblies into a textile material, such as using industrial weaving or knitting machines, hand weaving or knitting processes, etc.

Claims

1. A yarn-based textile battery comprising:

a woven or knitted fabric piece in which media of fabric cloth of the fabric piece includes at least one yarn-based battery assembly woven or knitted therein, wherein each yarn-based battery assembly of the at least one yarn-based battery assembly includes an anode formed from a first stainless steel yarn electrode and a cathode formed from a second stainless steel yarn electrode disposed parellelly in an electrolyte to avoid mutual contact.

2. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises an active layer of a zinc material coated on a surface of the first stainless steel yarn, and wherein the cathode comprises an active layer of a nickel material coated on a surface of the second stainless steel yarn.

3. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 2, wherein the active layer of zinc comprises zinc nanoflakes, and wherein the active layer of nickel comprises nickel cobalt hydroxide nanosheets.

4. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises an alkali gel electrolyte in a solid-state.

5. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 4, wherein the alkali gel electrolyte comprises a polyvinyl alcohol-based electrolyte.

6. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the first stainless steel yarn and the second stainless steel yarn comprise stainless steel 316L conductive yarns.

7. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the first stainless steel yarn and the second stainless steel yarn each comprise a plurality bundles of stainless steel filaments twisted together to form a yarn structure.

8. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 7, wherein the stainless steel filaments each have a diameter in the range of 10-50 nm, wherein each bundle of the plurality of bundles of stainless steel filaments have a diameter in the range of 30-50 μ

m, and the first and second stainless steel yarns have a diameter in the range of 180-250 μ

m.

9. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the at least one yarn-based battery assembly comprises:

a plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies operatively connected in a parallel battery configuration.

10. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the at least one yarn-based battery assembly comprises:

a plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies operatively connected in series battery configuration.

11. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the fabric piece including the at least one yarn-based battery assembly is woven by an industrial weaving machine.

12. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 1, wherein the fabric piece including the at least one yarn-based battery assembly is knitted by an industrial knitting machine.

13. A method for forming a yarn-based textile battery, the method comprising:

providing at least one yarn-based battery assembly configured for use as media for a woven or knitted fabric, wherein each yarn-based battery assembly of the at least one yarn-based battery assembly includes an anode formed from a first stainless steel yarn electrode and a cathode formed from a second stainless steel yarn electrode disposed in an electrolyte; and

weaving or knitting a fabric piece from yarn media including the at least one yarn-based battery assembly, wherein woven or knitted fabric cloth of the fabric piece includes the at least one yarn-based battery assembly woven or knitted therein.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the at least one yarn-based battery assembly comprises:

coating the first stainless steel yarn electrode with an active layer of a zinc material to form the anode; and

coating the second stainless steel yarn electrode with an active layer of a nickel material to form the cathode.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein coating the first stainless steel yarn electrode with the zinc material comprises:

electrodepositing the zinc material to provide an active layer of zinc nanoflakes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electrodepositing the zinc material comprises:

immersing the first stainless steel yarn electrode into zinc salt solution; and

using a zinc plate as a counter electrode to electrodeposit the zinc onto the first stainless steel yarn electrode, wherein the zinc salt solution has a concentration of 0.2-3 M and electrodeposition time is 10-600 s.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein coating the second stainless steel yarn electrode with the nickel material comprises:

electrodepositing the nickel material to provide an active layer of nickel cobalt hydroxide nanosheets.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the electrodepositing the nickel material comprises:

immersing the second stainless steel yarn electrode into nickel salt and cobalt salt solution; and

using a platinum plate as a counter electrode to electrodeposit the nickel cobalt hydroxide on the second stainless steel yarn electrode, wherein the nickel salt has a concentration of 1-100 mM, the cobalt salt solution has a concentration of 1-100 mM, and electrodeposition time is 1-600 min.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the at least one yarn-based battery assembly further comprises:

cleaning yarns of the first stainless steel yarn electrode and the second stainless steel yarn electrode using acetone, ethanol, and deionized water;

hydro-thermally treating the yarns of the first stainless steel yarn electrode and the second stainless steel yarn electrode as cleaned in a non-stick material lined stainless steel autoclave containing alkaline solution, wherein a concentration of the alkaline solution is 0.5-3 M; and

cleaning and drying the yarns of the first stainless steel yarn electrode and the second stainless steel yarn electrode as hydro-thermally treated.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the at least one yarn-based battery assembly comprises:

disposing the anode and the cathode parellelly in the electrolyte to avoid mutual contact.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the electrolyte comprises an alkali gel electrolyte.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the alkali gel electrolyte comprises a polyvinyl alcohol-based electrolyte.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the at least one yarn-based battery assembly further comprises:

mixing gel monomer, crosslinking agent, and initiator with alkaline electrolyte solution to provide a liquid-state gel electrolyte; and

curing the liquid-state gel electrolyte to provide a solid-state gel electrolyte.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the alkaline electrolyte solution compromises a solution of sodium hydrate or potassium hydrate, and at least one divalent zinc salt.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein weaving or knitting the fabric piece from yarn media including the at least one yarn-based battery assembly comprises:

weaving the fabric piece using an industrial weaving machine, wherein the at least one yarn-based battery assembly is woven into the woven fabric cloth of the fabric piece by the industrial weaving machine.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein weaving or knitting the fabric piece from yarn media including the at least one yarn-based battery assembly comprises:

knitting the fabric piece using an industrial knitting machine, wherein the at least one yarn-based battery assembly is knitted into the knitted fabric cloth of the fabric piece by the industrial knitting machine.

27. A yarn-based textile battery comprising:

a plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies woven or knitted into a fabric cloth of a woven or knitted fabric piece, wherein each yarn-based battery assembly of the plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies includes an anode formed from a first stainless steel yarn electrode and a cathode formed from a second stainless steel yarn electrode disposed in alkali gel electrolyte to avoid mutual contact, wherein the anode of each yarn-based battery assembly comprises an active layer of a zinc material coated on a surface of the first stainless steel yarn, and wherein the cathode of each yarn-based battery assembly comprises an active layer of a nickel material coated on a surface of the second stainless steel yarn.

28. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 27, wherein the active layer of zinc comprises zinc nanoflakes formed from electrodeposition of the zinc material on the surface of the first stainless steel yarn, and wherein the active layer of nickel comprises nickel cobalt hydroxide nanosheets formed from electrodepostion of the nickel material on the surface of the second stainless steel yarn.

29. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 27, wherein the alkali gel electrolyte comprises a polyvinyl alcohol-based electrolyte.

30. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 27, wherein the first stainless steel yarn and the second stainless steel yarn comprise stainless steel 316L conductive yarns.

31. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 27, wherein the first stainless steel yarn and the second stainless steel yarn of each yarn-based battery assembly of the plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies comprise stainless steel filaments each having a diameter in the range of 1-10 μ

m bundled in a plurality of bundles of 1,000 to 20,000 filaments, wherein the plurality of bundles of the first stainless steel yarn are twisted to form the first stainless steel yarn, and wherein the plurality of bundles of the second stainless steel yarn are twisted to form the second stainless steel yarn.

32. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 27, wherein the plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies are woven into the fabric cloth of the woven fabric piece using an industrial weaving machine.

33. The yarn-based textile battery of claim 27, wherein the plurality of yarn-based battery assemblies are knitted into the fabric cloth of the knitted fabric piece using an industrial knitting machine.