Bipolar electrochemical battery of stacked wafer cells
First Claim
1. A bipolar electrochemical battery comprising:
- a stack of at least two electrochemical cells electrically arranged in series wherein the adjacent cells have a positive face of one cell contacting a negative face of the adjacent cell and wherein each of said cells contains(a) a negative electrode;
(b) a positive electrode;
(c) a porous separator between said electrodes, wherein said separator contains an electrolyte;
(d) a first electrically conductive polymeric outer layer in electrical contact with the outer face of said negative electrode; and
(e) a second electrically conductive polymeric outer layer in electrical contact with the outer face of said positive electrode;
wherein said outer layers are sealed peripherally to an electrically non-conductive polymeric material such as to form a sealed enclosure containing said electrodes, said separator and said electrolyte.
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Abstract
The subject invention relates to electrode structures that are adaptable for primary and electrically rechargeable electrochemical wafer cells. A flat wafer cell is disclosed that includes conductive, carbon-filled polymeric outer layers that serve as electrode contacts and as a means of containment of the cell. Multi-cell, higher voltage batteries may be constructed by stacking individual cells. Specially formulated electrodes and processing techniques that are compatible with the wafer cell construction are disclosed for a nickel-metal hydride battery system. The cell design and electrode formulations provide for individual operation of a vented or low pressure sealed cell and/or for operation of these cells in a stacked array in an outer battery housing.
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31 Claims
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1. A bipolar electrochemical battery comprising:
a stack of at least two electrochemical cells electrically arranged in series wherein the adjacent cells have a positive face of one cell contacting a negative face of the adjacent cell and wherein each of said cells contains (a) a negative electrode; (b) a positive electrode; (c) a porous separator between said electrodes, wherein said separator contains an electrolyte; (d) a first electrically conductive polymeric outer layer in electrical contact with the outer face of said negative electrode; and (e) a second electrically conductive polymeric outer layer in electrical contact with the outer face of said positive electrode;
wherein said outer layers are sealed peripherally to an electrically non-conductive polymeric material such as to form a sealed enclosure containing said electrodes, said separator and said electrolyte.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
Specification