Dendrite-inhibiting electrolytic solution and rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell containing the solution

• US 4,074,028 A
• Filed: 05/09/1977
• Issued: 02/14/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Will, Fritz G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skapars, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US05/794,974
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 429/198, 429/199, 429/105, 429/207, 429/229, 429/250
• US Class Current: 429/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/365 Zinc-halogen accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A dendrite-inhibiting electrolytic solution and rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell containing the solution are described. The electrolytic solution contains a zinc compound, a non-ionic surfactant additive of oxaalkyl or polyoxaalkyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide in an amount of from 0.001 to 10 weight percent of the solution, and an organic solubilizer in an amount from 5 to 50 weight percent of the solution. The cell includes a casing, a pair of spaced apart porous electrode substrates in the casing, an ion exchange membrane separator between the electrode substrates defining a positive and a negative electrode compartment, an electrolytic solution containing a zinc compound in the positive compartment, and the above electrolytic solution containing the additive and the solubilizer in the negative zinc electrode compartment.

Claims

1. A dendrite-inhibiting elecrtrolytic solution comprising a solution containing a zinc compound, from 0.001 to 10 weight percent of a non-ionic surfactant additive having the formula:

##STR13## where m is a number from 3 to 15, R is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R¹ is a member of a group consisting of hydrogen and methyl radical, n is a number for the group from 0 to 30, and the surfactant additive has a molecular weight range of approximately 550 - 1500, and an organic solubilizer in an amount from 5 to 50 weight percent of the solution.

2. A dendrite-inhibiting electrolytic solution as in claim 1, in which there is present one percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive.

3. A dendrite-inhibiting electrolytic solution as in claim 1, in which there is present one-tenth percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive.

4. A dendrite-inhibiting electrolytic solution as in claim 1, in which there is present one percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive, and 25 percent by weight of an organic solvent complex solubilizer of butyrolactone.

5. A dendrite-inhibiting electrolytic solution as in claim 1, in which there is present 0.1 percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive, and 5 percent by weight of an organic solvent complex solubilizer of dimethylsulfonamide.

6. A rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell comprising a casing, a pair of spaced apart porous electrode substrates in the casing, an ion exchange membrane between the electrode substrates defining a positive and a negative electrode compartment, an electrolytic solution containing a zinc compound in both compartments, from 0.001 to 10 weight of the solution of a non-ionic surfactant additive in the negative compartment, the non-ionic surfactant additive having the formula:

##STR14## where m is a number from 3 to 15, R is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R¹ is a member of a group consisting of hydrogen and methyl radical, n is a number for the group from 0 to 30, and the surfactant additive has a molecular weight range of approximately 550 - 1500, and an organic solubilizer in an amount from 5 to 50 weight percent of the solution in the negative compartment.

7. A rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell as in claim 6, in which there is present 1 percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive.

8. A rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell as in claim 6, in which there is present one-tenth percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive.

9. A rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell as in claim 6, in which there is present 1 percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive, and 25 percent by weight of an organic solvent complex solubilizer of butyrolactone.

10. A rechargeable aqueous zinc-halogen cell as in claim 6, in which there is present 0.1 percent by weight of the non-ionic surfactant additive, and 5 percent by weight of an organic solvent complex solubilizer of dimethylsulfonamide.