Capacitor electrodes

• US 6,885,545 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Scholz, Thomas, Weber, Christoph J., Michel, Hartmut
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, ERIC W
• Application Number:
  US10/502,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 361502-503, 361508-511, 361/516, 361528-530, 361/532, 29/250.3
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/28 arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/70 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

An electrode includes a current collector that is two-dimensional in shape and that contains perforations, and an intermediate layer that is electrically conductive and substantially corrosion-resistant. The intermediate layer is on at least part of a first surface of the current collector, and includes at least one of precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride, and a metal carbide. A first electrode layer is on the intermediate layer. At least part of the first electrode layer is in at least some perforations of the current collector. The first electrode layer, the intermediate layer, and the current collector are bonded together.

Claims

1. An electrode comprising:

a current collector that is two-dimensional in shape and that contains perforations;

an intermediate layer that is electrically conductive and substantially corrosion-resistant, the intermediate layer being on at least part of a first surface of the current collector, the intermediate layer comprising at least one of a precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride and a metal carbide; and

a first electrode layer that is on the intermediate layer, at least part of the first electrode layer being in at least some perforations of the current collector;

the first electrode layer, the intermediate layer and the current collector being bonded together.

2. The electrode of claim 1, further comprising:

a second electrode layer adjacent to a second surface of the current collector.

3. The electrode of claim 2, wherein the first and second electrode layers comprise a same material.

4. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is substantially continuous on the current collector.

5. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the current collector comprises an elongated aluminum foil.

6. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the current collector comprises a net of metal wires.

7. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the current collector comprises an etched foam metal.

8. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer comprises a conductive polymer.

9. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer, comprises activated carbon.

10. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer comprises a metal oxide.

11. A method for producing an electrode, comprising:

producing an intermediate layer on a first surface of a current collector, the intermediate layer being electrically conductive and corrosion resistant, the current collector being two-dimensional in shape and having perforations, the intermediate layer comprising at least one of a precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride, and a metal carbide; and

producing an electrode layer on the intermediate layer;

the electrode layer, the intermediate layer, and the current collector being bonded together.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising producing a second electrode layer adjacent to a second surface of the current collector.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming the perforations by punching perforations in a metal foil; and

stretching the metal foil to produce the current collector.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal foil comprises aluminum;

and

wherein the method further comprises removing surface layers of the metal foil prior to producing the intermediate layer in order to improve a conductivity of the metal foil.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

producing the current collector by weaving metal wires into a metal net.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a metal layer that is produced by a galvanic process, a CVD process, or a PVD process.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a carbon layer that is produced by dip coating the current collector in a carbon bath.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrode layer is produced by blade coating a liquid phase containing an electrode material or a viscous phase containing the electrode material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein blade coating comprises:

applying the liquid phase or the viscous phase to a carrier foil;

drying the liquid phase or the viscous phase leaving the electrode material; and

transferring the electrode material from the carrier foil to the current collector containing the intermediate layer.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising mixing the electrode material with a binder prior to applying the liquid phase or the viscous phase to the carrier foil

wherein the electrode material is transferred from the carrier foil to the current collector by melting the binder.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrode material comprises at least one of activated carbon, a metal oxide, or a conductive polymer.

22. An electrochemical double-layer capacitor, comprising:

plural electrodes, at least one of the plural electrodes comprising;

a current collector that is two-dimensional in shape and that contains perforations;

an intermediate layer that is electrically conductive and substantially corrosion-resistant, the intermediate layer being on at least part of a first surface of the current collector, the intermediate layer comprising at least one of precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride, and a metal carbide; and

a first electrode layer that is on the intermediate layer, at least part of the first electrode layer being in at least some perforations of the current collector;

the first electrode layer, the intermediate layer and the current collector being bonded together, the first electrode layer comprising at least one of activated carbon and graphitic carbon; and

a porous separator between at least two of the plural electrodes;

wherein at least one of the plural electrodes and the porous separator contain an electrolyte.

23. A hybrid capacitor, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

porous separator between the first electrode and the second electrode;

wherein the first and second electrodes and the porous separator contain an electrolyte;

wherein the first electrode comprises;

a first current collector that is two-dimensional in shape and that contains perforations;

a first intermediate layer that is electrically conductive and substantially corrosion-resistant, the first intermediate layer being on at least part of a first surface of the first current collector, the first intermediate layer comprising at least one of precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride and a metal carbide; and

a first electrode layer that is on the first intermediate layer, at least part of the first electrode layer being in at least some perforations of the first current collector;

the first electrode layer, the first intermediate layer and the first current collector being bonded together, the first electrode layer comprising at least one of active carbon and graphitic carbon; and

wherein the second electrode comprises;

a second current collector that is two-dimensional in shape and that contains perforations;

a second intermediate layer that is electrically conductive and substantially corrosion-resistant, the second intermediate layer being on at least part of a second surface of the second current collector, the second intermediate layer comprising at least one of precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride, and a metal carbide; and

a second electrode layer that is on the second intermediate layer, at least part of the second electrode layer being in at least some perforations of the second current collector;

the second electrode layer, the second intermediate layer and the second current collector being bonded together, the second electrode layer comprising at least one of an electrically conductive polymer and a metal oxide.

24. A pseudo-capacitor, comprising:

plural electrodes, at least one of the plural electrodes comprising;

a current collector that is two-dimensional in shape and that contains perforations;

an intermediate layer that is electrically conductive and substantially corrosion-resistant, the intermediate layer being on at least part of a first surface of the current collector, the intermediate layer comprising at least one of precious metal, graphitic carbon, a metal nitride, and a metal carbide; and

a first electrode layer that is on the intermediate layer, at least part of the first electrode layer being in at least some perforations of the current collector;

the first electrode layer, the intermediate layer and the current collector being bonded together, the first electrode layer comprising either a metal oxide or a conductive polymer; and

a porous separator between at least two of the plural electrodes;

wherein at least one of the plural electrodes and the separator contain an electrolyte.