Energy storage device and methods of manufacture
First Claim
1. An improved method to produce a sealable and electrically insulating band of organic polymer on the perimeter edges of an individual electrode for use in an energy storage device, which method comprises:
- A. obtaining a thin flat electrode comprising a thin porous metal oxide, nitride or carbide coated on a thin electrode substrate with or without insulating separators applied to one or both of the flat porous metal oxide, nitride or carbide surfaces;
B. dissolving at least one organic polymer in at least one organic solvent to obtain a solution having a viscosity sufficiently low to permit the solution to penetrate the porous metal oxide, metal nitride, or metal carbide;
C. coating the edge perimeter of each of the flat electrode with the polymer solvent solution of step B wherein the total surface area of organic polymer on one side covers between about 5 and 25% of the total area of the flat surface of one side of the electrode from each perimeter edge to create a continuous substantially uniform edge coating of organic polymer and having a thickness effective to stop shunt or leakage current; and
D. removing the at least one organic solvent from the organic polymer edge coating by maintaining the coated electrode at ambient temperature and pressure for between about 0.1 and 1000 min followed by heating at between about 20° and
150°
C. for between about 0.1 and 10 hr, optionally under vacuum conditions, producing an edge seal effective to stop or to reduce up to about 99% of any leakage current, wherein the thin flat electrode is not a component of a nickel metal hydride electrochemical cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dry preunit (10), includes a plurality of cells (110, 112, 114) in a true bipolar configuration, which are stacked and bonded together, to impart to the device an integral and unitary construction. Each cell (114) includes two electrically conductive electrodes (111A, 111B) that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The cell (114) also includes two identical dielectric gaskets (121, 123) that are interposed, in registration with each other, between the electrodes (111A, 111B), for separating and electrically insulating these electrodes. When the electrodes (111A, 111B), and the gaskets (121, 123) are bonded together, at least one fill gap (130) is formed for each cell. Each cell (114) also includes a porous and conductive coating layer (119, 120) that is formed on one surface of each electrode. The coating layer (119) includes a set of closely spaced-apart peripheral microprotrusions (125), and a set of distally spaced-apart central microprotrusions (127). These microprotrusions (125, 127) impart structural support to the cells, and provide additional insulation between the electrodes. An energy storage device (10A) such as a capacitor, is created with the addition of an electrolyte to the gap (130) of the dry preunit (10) and subsequent sealing of the fill ports. Organic polymers in organic solvents are used to seal the edges of electrodes of porous metal oxides, metal nitrides, or metal carbides to reduce or eliminate leakage current. The preparation of metal nitrides and metal carbides are claimed for electrode use.
119 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An improved method to produce a sealable and electrically insulating band of organic polymer on the perimeter edges of an individual electrode for use in an energy storage device, which method comprises:
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A. obtaining a thin flat electrode comprising a thin porous metal oxide, nitride or carbide coated on a thin electrode substrate with or without insulating separators applied to one or both of the flat porous metal oxide, nitride or carbide surfaces; B. dissolving at least one organic polymer in at least one organic solvent to obtain a solution having a viscosity sufficiently low to permit the solution to penetrate the porous metal oxide, metal nitride, or metal carbide; C. coating the edge perimeter of each of the flat electrode with the polymer solvent solution of step B wherein the total surface area of organic polymer on one side covers between about 5 and 25% of the total area of the flat surface of one side of the electrode from each perimeter edge to create a continuous substantially uniform edge coating of organic polymer and having a thickness effective to stop shunt or leakage current; and D. removing the at least one organic solvent from the organic polymer edge coating by maintaining the coated electrode at ambient temperature and pressure for between about 0.1 and 1000 min followed by heating at between about 20° and
150°
C. for between about 0.1 and 10 hr, optionally under vacuum conditions, producing an edge seal effective to stop or to reduce up to about 99% of any leakage current, wherein the thin flat electrode is not a component of a nickel metal hydride electrochemical cell. - 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)
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- 24. An improved method to produce an electrode for an energy storage device, which method comprises coating a thin metal electrically conducting substrate with a porous high surface area metal nitride or metal carbide.
Specification