Aqueous rechargeable battery

• US 6,403,253 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1995
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moli Energy Limited
• Original Assignee: Moli Energy Limited
• Inventors: Dahn, Jeffrey R., Li, Wu, Wainwright, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANEY, CAROL DIANE
• Application Number:
  US08/408,315
• Time in Patent Office: 2,638 Days
• Field of Search: 429/101, 429/206, 429/209, 429/218
• US Class Current: 429/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/24 Alkaline accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/36 Accumulators not provided for in groups H01M10/05-H01M10/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/48 of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/50 of manganese

Abstract

Rechargeable batteries based on the ‘rocking chair’ principle and alkali or alkaline earth insertion compounds are disclosed that employ aqueous electrolytes. Batteries of the invention can have energy densities comparable to conventional aqueous batteries. Embodiments of the invention include aqueous lithium ion batteries.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery comprising:

(a) a cathode comprising a first insertion compound with inserted species A, the amount of inserted A increasing on discharge and decreasing on recharge of the battery, wherein A is a member of the group consisting of the alkali metals and alkaline earth metals;

(b) an anode comprising a second insertion compound with inserted species A, the amount of inserted A decreasing on discharge and increasing on recharge of the battery; and

(c) an electrolyte comprising a salt of species A dissolved in an aqueous solvent mixture, in a concentration such that both first and second insertion compounds are kinetically stable therein over respctive ranges of inserted A.

2. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pH of the electrolyte is greater than 7.

3. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein A is lithium.

4. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first insertion compound is a lithium transition metal oxide.

5. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first insertion compound is a lithium manganese oxide.

6. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 5 wherein the lithium manganese oxide is spinel Li_xMn₂O₄, wherein x is a number in the range from 0 to about 2.

7. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second insertion compound is a lithium transition metal oxide.

8. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second insertion compound is a lithium manganese oxide.

9. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 8 wherein the lithium manganese oxide is spinel Li_xMn₂O₄, wherein x is a number in the range from 0 to about 2.

10. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 8 wherein the lithium manganese oxide is Li_γ

MnO₂ with a γ

-MnO₂ structure, wherein y is a number in the range from 0 to about 1.

11. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second insertion compound is a lithium vanadium oxide.

12. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 11 wherein the lithium vanadium oxide is Li_zVO₂(B)₁ wherein z is a number in the range from 0 to about 0.5.

13. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein A is lithium and the salt of A is LiOH, LiCl, LiNO₃, Li₂SO₄, or Li(acetate).

14. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 2 wherein the electrolyte further comprises an additional hydroxide salt, the concentration of said additional hydroxide salt being less than the concentration of the salt of A.

15. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 14 wherein A is lithium, the salt of A is LiCl, LiNO₃, Li₂SO₄, or Li(acetate) and the additional hydroxide salt is LiOH.

16. A rechargeable aqueous electrolyte lithium ion battery comprising:

(a) a battery case;

(b) at least one set of electrochemical cell electrodes placed in said case, said set of electrodes including;

(i) an LiMn₂O₄ cathode, wherein the Li is inserted in the Mn₂O₄, the amount of inserted Li increasing on discharge and decreasing on recharge of the battery; and

(ii) an anode selected from the group consisting of Li_0.36Mn₂O₄ with γ

Mn₂O₄ structure, LiMn₂O₄ and Li_zVO₂(B), wherein z is a number in the range from 0 to about 0.5, the amount of inserted Li decreasing on discharge and increasing on recharge of the battery;

(c) a wettable microporous polypropylene film separator material disposed between said cathode and said anode; and

(d) an aqueous electrolyte disposed within said case and surrounding and wetting said cathode, said anode and said separator, said aqueous electrolyte comprising a lithium salt selected from the group consisting of LiOH, LiCl, LiNO₃, Li₂SO₄ and Li(acetate).