Energy devices and methods for the fabrication of energy devices

• US 6,753,108 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cabot Corporation
• Original Assignee: Superior Micropowders LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Rimple, Kunze, Klaus, Atanassova, Paolina, Dericotte, David, Napolitano, Paul, Hampden-Smith, Mark J., Kodas, Toivo T., Atanassov, Plamen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mercado, Julian
• Application Number:
  US09/589,710
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 429/27, 429/40, 429/42, 429/44
• US Class Current: 429/406
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/02 Making microcapsules or microballoons for medical preparations A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/10 employing sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/2405 provoking a turbulent flow of the reactants, such as in cyclones, or having a high Reynolds-number
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2/02 by dividing the liquid material into drops, e.g. by spraying, and solidifying the drops
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/18 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00112 involving reactant solids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00155 using insulating materials or refractories
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00159 controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00162 controlling the pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00166 controlling the residence time inside the reactor vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00171 controlling the density
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00186 controlling the composition of the reactive mixture
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/00 Catalysts comprising metals or metal oxides or hydroxides, not provided for in group B01J21/00 B01J21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/34 Manganese
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/40 of the platinum group metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 31/06 containing polymers organometallic polymers B01J31/123; polymer-bound organometallic complexes B01J31/165; coordination polymers B01J31/1691
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/33 Electric or magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/393 Metal or metal oxide crystallite size
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/40 characterised by dimensions, e.g. grain size in a colloidal state B01J35/23; crystallite size B01J35/77
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/51 Spheres
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/613 : 10-100 m2/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0054 : Drying of aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/343 : of ultrasonic wave energy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/052 : characterised by a mixture of particles of different sizes or by the particle size distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/054 : Nanosized particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/065 : Spherical particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/18 : Non-metallic particles coated with metal
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 : Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/026 : Spray drying of solutions or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/24 : starting from liquid metal compounds, e.g. solutions
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/18 : by thermal decomposition of compounds, e.g. of salts or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 17/20 : Methods for preparing sulfides or polysulfides, in general ammonium sulfides or polysulfides C01C; sulfides or polysulfides of metals, other than alkali metals, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium, see the relevant groups of subclasses C01F or C01G, according to the metal
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 23/003 : Titanates C01G23/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/32 : Spheres
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/61 : Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/22 : Rheological behaviour as dispersion, e.g. viscosity, sedimentation stability
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 29/00 : Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides C22C26/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 32/0084 : carbon or graphite as the main non-metallic constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49883 : the conductive materials containing organic materials or pastes, e.g. for thick films for printed circuits H05K1/092
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 : with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 : composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 : Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/383 : Hydrogen absorbing alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 : Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8642 : Gradient in composition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8803 : Supports for the deposition of the catalytic active composition H01M4/90 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8828 : Coating with slurry or ink
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/885 : followed by reduction of the catalyst salt precursor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/886 : Powder spraying, e.g. wet or dry powder spraying, plasma spraying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/90 : Selection of catalytic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9016 : Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9083 : on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/926 : on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 : Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 : characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 : for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 : including coating or impregnating

Abstract

Energy devices such as batteries and methods for fabricating the energy devices. The devices are small, thin and lightweight, yet provide sufficient power for many handheld electronics.

Claims

1. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:

a) a gas diffusion layer;

b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;

c) a carbon conductor layer disposed on said current collector wherein said carbon conductor layer comprises carbon particles dispersed in hydrophobic matrix; and

d) an electrocatalyst layer comprising electrocatalyst particles dispersed throughout a matrix having a lower hydrophobicity than said hydrophobic matrix,

wherein said current collector, said carbon conductor layer and said electrocatalyst layer have a total average thickness of not greater than about 100 μ

m.

2. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery is a metal-air battery.

3. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery.

4. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises a porous tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer.

5. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal.

6. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal having an average width of not greater than about 100 μ

m.

7. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said carbon particles have an average size of not greater than about 10 μ

m and a substantially spherical morphology.

8. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said hydrophobic matrix comprises a tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer.

9. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise Ni—

Co—

O particles.

10. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise carbon composite particles.

11. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average particle size of not greater than about 10 μ

m and a substantially spherical morphology.

12. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average size of not greater than about 5 μ

m.

13. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:

a) a gas diffusion layer;

b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;

c) a gradient functional layer disposed over said current collector; and

d) a separator;

wherein said gradient functional layer comprises carbon particles and electrocatalyst particles, wherein the concentration of carbon particles relative to electrocatalyst particles through said gradient functional layer decreases from said current collector to said separator.

14. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said battery is a metal-air battery.

15. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery.

17. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal.

18. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal having an average width of not greater than about 100 μ

m.

19. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said carbon particles have an average size of not greater than about 10 μ

m and a substantially spherical morphology.

20. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said gradient layer comprises a tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer.

21. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise Ni—

Co—

O particles.

22. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise carbon composite particles.

23. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average particle size of not greater than about 10 μ

m and a substantially spherical morphology.

24. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said current collector and said gradient layer have a total average thickness of not greater than about 50 μ

m.

16. A battery as recited in clai 13, wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises a porous tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer.

25. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:

a) a gas diffusion layer;

b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;

c) an electrocatalyst layer disposed over said current collector; and

d) a separator;

wherein said electrocatalyst layer comprises electrocatalyst particles in intimate electrical contact with said current collector and wherein said current collector and said electrocatalyst layer have a total average thickness of not greater than about 30 μ

m.

26. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said battery is a metal-air battery.

27. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery.

28. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises a porous tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer.

29. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal.

30. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal wherein said elongated strips have an average width of not greater than about 100 μ

m.

31. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrocatalyst layer comprise a tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer matrix.

32. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise Ni—

Co—

O particles.

33. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average particle size of not greater than about 10 μ

m and a substantially spherical morphology.