Thin-film lithium battery and process
First Claim
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1. A thin film lithium battery comprising:
- a lithium anode assembly;
a cathode assembly;
a metal film supporting said cathode assembly;
said lithium anode and said metal film supporting said cathode assembly being disposed in alternate layers;
a composite electrolyte in gel form contacting the alternate layers of said lithium anode assembly and said metal film supporting said cathode assembly;
said electrolyte including a quantity of lithium and N-methyl-2-pyrrollidone contained within a polyimide matrix; and
a sealed polyimide casing containing the alternate layers of said lithium anode assembly and said metal film supporting said cathode assembly.
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Abstract
A lithium battery and process of making same involves employing alternate layers of a lithium anode and an aluminum foil or NiAl expanded metal supported cathode assembly with a gel electrolyte contacting the alternate layers. The electrolyte includes a quantity of N-methyl-2-pyrrollidone and lithium contained within a polyimide matrix and the entire assembly is contained within a sealed polyimide casing. Separate electrical contacts are provided for each of the lithium anode assembly and the aluminum foil or NiAl supported cathode assembly. An out-gassing vent tube extends from the sealed polyimide casing and is sealed a predetermined time after battery construction.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A thin film lithium battery comprising:
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a lithium anode assembly; a cathode assembly; a metal film supporting said cathode assembly; said lithium anode and said metal film supporting said cathode assembly being disposed in alternate layers; a composite electrolyte in gel form contacting the alternate layers of said lithium anode assembly and said metal film supporting said cathode assembly; said electrolyte including a quantity of lithium and N-methyl-2-pyrrollidone contained within a polyimide matrix; and a sealed polyimide casing containing the alternate layers of said lithium anode assembly and said metal film supporting said cathode assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of making a lithium battery comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a gel electrolyte by dissolution of lithium in an N-methyl-2-pyrrollidone/polyimide matrix; (b) providing a non-conductive matting including a first sheet of fiberglass material having a mixture consisting of fiberglass resin and resin hardener and a polyimide powder press dried thereon; (c) providing a lithium anode assembly including at least one layer of a lithium film and an anode conductor layer; (d) providing a second sheet of fiberglass material disposed on a metal film selected from the group of metal films consisting of (i) an aluminum foil sheet, (ii) a NiAl expanded metal foil, and (iii) a copper clad plastics film; (e) press drying a cathode material mixture onto the metal film from step (d) to form a cathode material matting; (f) cutting two identical strips from the cathode material matting obtained in step (e) and placing each strip between a pair of aluminum plates; (g) press bonding each of the strips of cathode material matting to the aluminum plates disposed thereon in a lab press at 16,000 PSI for twenty minutes; (h) spreading a lithium/NMP/polyimide gel onto the cathode material matting; (i) sandwiching and bonding the anode assembly obtained in step (c) between the aluminum plates containing the cathode material obtained in step (f); (j) covering the article obtained in step (i) with a layer of the non-conductive matting provided in step (b); (k) wrapping or spooling the non-conductive matting and bonded anode and cathode materials into a radial configuration; (l) inserting the radial configuration into an open casing formed of a fiberglass/hardener mixture; and (m) sealing the open fiberglass resin/hardener casing with an exterior coating of a polyimide to produce a finished lithium battery. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification