Method of making a flat battery

• US 4,118,860 A
• Filed: 01/27/1977
• Issued: 10/10/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Buckler, Sheldon A., Kennedy, David P., Cohen, Fredric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Carl E.
• Application Number:
  US05/763,058
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 29/623.5, 29/623.1, 429/162, 429/152, 429/153, 429/154
• US Class Current: 29/623.5
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/48 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

The method of making a thin flat laminar battery comprising the steps of coating a substrate with a dispersion of zinc powder and water to produce an anode slurry, and thereafter diffusing electrolytes into said anode slurry; and electrical cells and batteries made by this process.

Claims

1. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing from 80 to 90 parts of zinc powder in from 10 to 20 parts of water to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a thermoplastic substrate filled with carbon, and contacting said coated zinc dispersion with an aqueous solution of electrolyte to permeate said zinc dispersion with electrolyte by diffusion.

2. The method of making a cell, comprising the steps of coating a patch of metal powder dispersed in water on a first conductive plastic current collector to form an anode slurry patch, soaking a separator in an electrolyte solution, placing a layer of cathode material over and in contact with said soaked separator, placing said soaked separator over and in contact with said anode slurry patch so that said separator is between said anode slurry patch and said layer of cathode material, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode material, whereby a potential is developed between said current collectors.

3. In a method of making a Leclanche cell, the steps of laminating a first metal sheet to a first conductive plastic current collector, coating a patch of a dispersion of zinc powder in water on a region of said first conductive plastic current collector within its perimeter, and placing a sheet of separator material soaked in a solution of electrolyte containing a mercury compound over and in contact with said dispersion of zinc powder in water and said current collector.

4. In the process of making a Leclanche cell, the steps of coating a dispersion of zinc in water on a substrate to form an aqueous anode slurry patch without electrolytes, and covering said anode slurry patch with a separator soaked in a solution of electrolytes.

5. The method of making a zinc half cell, comprising the steps of dispersing from 80 to 90 parts by weight of zinc powder in from 10 to 20 parts by weight of water to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a predetermined region of the surface of an electronically conducting, liquid impervious substrate, soaking a sheet of separator material in an aqueous solution of electrolytes comprising a major proportion of ammonium chloride and a minor proportion of zinc chloride, and placing said soaked separator over said coated zinc dispersion, whereupon a portion of said electrolyte permeates said coated zinc dispersion by diffusion.

6. The method of claim 5, in which said aqueous solution contains mercuric chloride.

7. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing zinc powder in water to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a substrate, and contacting said zinc dispersion coating with an aqueous solution of electrolytes to permeate said zinc dispersion with electrolytes by diffusion.

30. The method of claim 7, in which said zinc dispersion coating is contacted with an aqueous solution of electrolyte by placing said zinc dispersion coating over a separator which has been soaked in an aqueous solution of electrolytes.

31. The method of claim 7, in which said zinc dispersion coating is contacted with an aqueous solution of electrolytes by coating a patch of cathode material containing a solution of electrolytes on a sheet of separator material, and placing said separator and said coated cathode material over said zinc dispersion coating with said separator in contact with said zinc dispersion coating.

8. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing zinc powder in water containing a minor amount of a water soluble polymeric suspending agent to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a conductive thermoplastic substrate, and contacting said coating with an aqueous solution of electrolytes comprising ammonium chloride, zinc chloride and mercuric chloride to permeate said dispersion with electrolytes by diffusion and amalgamate said zinc.

9. The method of making a cell, comprising the steps of coating a patch of zinc powder dispersed in water on a first conductive plastic current collector to form an anode slurry, soaking a separator in an electrolyte solution containing ammonium chloride, zinc chloride and mercuric chloride, extruding a layer of a cathode slurry dispersion of manganese dioxide and carbon in an electrolyte solution over and in contact with said soaked separator, placing said soaked separator over and in contact with said anode slurry so that said separator is between said cathode slurry layer and said anode slurry, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode material, whereby a potential is developed between said current collectors.

10. The method of making a Leclanche cell, comprising the steps of laminating a first metal sheet to a first conductive plastic current collector, coating a patch of a dispersion of zinc powder in water on a region of said first conductive plastic current collector within its perimeter, coating a patch of slurry cathode material on a sheet of separator material soaked in a solution of electrolytes containing a mercuric salt, placing said separator and said cathode slurry over said dispersion with said separator in contact with said dispersion and adjacent regions of said current collector, placing a frame over said separator and said current collector and surrounding said cathode slurry, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode slurry and said frame.

11. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing from 80 to 90 parts of zinc powder in from 10 to 20 parts of water, coating said dispersion on a thermoplastic substrate filled with carbon, and contacting said coating with a cellophane separator soaked in an aqueous solution of zinc chloride, ammonium chloride and mercuric chloride to permeate said dispersion with electrolyte by diffusion and amalgamate active surface portions of said zinc powder.

12. The method of making a cell, comprising the steps of coating a patch of zinc powder dispersed in water containing a minor amount of a suspending agent on a first conductive plastic current collector, soaking a separator in an electrolyte solution, placing a layer of cathode material over and in contact with said soaked separator, placing said soaked separator over and in contact with said patch of zinc powder dispersed in water on the side opposite said cathode material, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode material, whereby a potential is developed between said current collectors.

13. The method of making a Leclanche cell, comprising the steps of laminating a first metal sheet to a first conductive plastic current collector, coating a patch of a dispersion of zinc powder in water on a region of said first conductive plastic current collector within its perimeter, soaking a sheet of separator material in a solution of electrolyte, coating a patch of cathode material on said soaked separator, placing said separator and cathode material over said dispersion of zinc powder in water with the side of said separator opposite said cathode material in contact with said dispersion of zinc powder in water and adjacent regions of said first current collector, placing a frame over and in contact with said first current collector and separator and surrounding said patch of cathode material, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode material and said frame.

14. In the process of making a Leclanche cell, the steps of coating a dispersion of zinc in water on a substrate, and covering said dispersion of zinc in water with a separator soaked in a solution of electrolytes comprising zinc chloride, ammonium chloride and mercuric chloride.

15. The method of making a zinc half cell, comprising the steps of dispersing zinc powder in just enough water containing a minor amount of a suspending agent to make a smooth coatable dispersion, coating said dispersion on a predetermined region of the surface of an electronically conducting, liquid impervious substrate, soaking a sheet of separator material in an aqueous solution of electrolytes comprising a major proportion of ammonium chloride, a minor proportion of zinc chloride, and just enough mercuric chloride to amalgamate said zinc, and placing said soaked separator over said coated dispersion, whereupon a portion of said electrolyte permeates said coated dispersion by diffusion and active surface portions of said zinc powder are amalgamated.

16. The method of making a cell, comprising the steps of coating a patch of metal powder dispersed in water on a first conductive plastic current collector to form an aqueous anode slurry without electrolytes, placing a layer of cathode slurry containing an aqueous electrolyte solution over and in contact with a separator, placing said separator over and in contact with said aqueous anode slurry so that said separator is between said anode slurry and said layer of cathode slurry, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode slurry, whereby a potential is developed between said current collectors.

17. In a method of making a Leclanche cell, the steps of laminating a first metal sheet to a first conductive plastic current collector, coating a patch of a dispersion of zinc powder in water on a region of said first conductive plastic current collector within its perimeter, placing a sheet of separator material over and in contact with said dispersion and said current collector, and diffusing electrolytes into said dispersion through said separator.

18. The method of making a Leclanche cell, comprising the steps of laminating a first metal sheet to a first conductive plastic current collector, coating a patch of a dispersion of zinc powder in water on a region of said first conductive plastic current collector within its perimeter, coating a patch of slurry cathode material on a sheet of separator material, said cathode material containing a solution of electrolytes containing a mercuric salt, placing said separator and said cathode slurry over said dispersion of zinc powder in water with said separator in contact with said dispersion and adjacent regions of said current collector, placing a frame over said separator and said current collector and surrounding said cathode slurry, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode slurry and said frame.

19. The method of making a zinc half cell, comprising the steps of dispersing zinc powder in just enough water containing a minor amount of suspending agent to make a smooth coatable dispersion, coating said dispersion on a predetermined region of the surface of an electronically conducting, liquid impervious substrate, placing a sheet of separator material over said dispersion, and contacting said separator with a slurry of manganese dioxide and carbon black in an aqueous solution of electrolytes comprising a major proportion of ammonium chloride, a minor proportion of zinc chloride, and sufficient mercuric chloride to amalgamate said zinc, whereupon a portion of said electrolyte permeates said dispersion by diffusion and active surface portions of said zinc powder are amalgamated.

20. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing from 80 to 90 parts of zinc powder in from 10 to 20 parts of water to make a dispersion of zinc powder in water, coating said dispersion on a thermoplastic substrate filled with carbon to a weight of from 0.01 to 0.05 gm/cm² of zinc, and contacting said coated dispersion of zinc powder in water with an aqueous solution of electrolyte to permeate said dispersion with electrolyte by diffusion.

21. In a method of making a Leclanche cell, the steps of laminating a first metal sheet to a first conductive plastic current collector, coating a patch of a dispersion of zinc powder in water on a region of said first conductive plastic current collector within its perimeter to a weight between 0.009 and 0.024 grams of zinc per square centimeter, and placing a sheet of separator material in contact with a solution of electrolyte containing a mercury compound over and in contact with said dispersion of zinc powder in water and said current collector.

22. In the process of making a Leclanche cell, the steps of coating a dispersion of zinc in water on a substrate to a weight of 0.010 to 0.015 gm/cm² of zinc, and covering said coated dispersion of zinc in water with a cellophane separator in contact with a solution of electrolytes.

23. The method of making a zinc half cell, comprising the steps of dispersing from 80 to 90 parts by weight of zinc powder in from 10 to 20 parts by weight of water to form an aqueous zinc dispersion, coating said dispersion on a predetermined region of the surface of an electronically conducting, liquid impervious substrate, to a weight of between 0.009 and 0.024 grams of zinc per square centimeter, contacting a sheet of separator material with a cathode slurry containing an aqueous solution of electrolytes comprising a major proportion of ammonium chloride and a minor proportion of zinc chloride, and placing said separator over said coated dispersion, whereupon a portion of said electrolyte permeates said coated dispersion by diffusion.

24. The method of claim 23 in which said aqueous solution contains mercuric chloride.

25. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing zinc powder in water to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a substrate to a weight of between 0.010 to 0.015 grams of zinc per square centimeter, and contacting said zinc dispersion coating with an aqueous solution of electrolytes to permeate said zinc dispersion coating with electrolytes by diffusion.

26. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing zinc powder in water containing a minor amount of a water soluble polymeric suspending agent to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a conductive thermoplastic substrate to a weight of between 0.009 and 0.024 grams of zinc per square centimeter, and contacting said coating with an aqueous solution of electrolytes comprising ammonium chloride, zinc chloride and mercuric chloride to permeate said zinc dispersion with electrolytes by diffusion and amalgamate said zinc.

27. The method of making a cell, comprising the steps of coating a patch of zinc powder dispersed in water on a first conductive plastic current collector, soaking a separator in an electrolyte solution containing ammonium chloride, zinc chloride and mercuric chloride, extruding a layer of a cathode slurry dispersion of manganese dioxide and carbon in an electrolyte solution over and in contact with said soaked separator, placing said soaked separator over and in contact with said coated patch of zinc powder dispersed in water so that said separator is between said cathode slurry layer and said patch of zinc powder dispersed in water, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode material, whereby a potential is developed between said current collectors.

28. The method of making a cell, comprising the steps of coating a patch of zinc powder dispersed in water containing a minor amount of a suspending agent on a first conductive plastic current collector to a weight of between 0.010 and 0.015 grams of zinc per square centimeter, placing a layer of slurry cathode material comprising a dispersion of manganese dioxide and carbon in an aqueous solution of electrolytes over and in contact with said patch of zinc powder dispersed in water on the side opposite said cathode material, and placing a second conductive plastic current collector over and in contact with said cathode material, whereby a potential is developed between said current collectors.

29. The method of making a zinc slurry anode, comprising the steps of dispersing from 80 to 90 parts of a mixture of zinc powder and conductive carbon particles in from 10 to 20 parts of water containing a polymeric dispersant but free of salts to form a zinc dispersion, coating said zinc dispersion on a thermoplastic substrate filled with carbon, and contacting said coating with an aqueous solution of electrolyte to permeate said coated zinc dispersion with electrolyte by diffusion.