Energy storage and conversion devices using thermal sprayed electrodes

• US 6,926,997 B2
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation), US Nanocorp, Inc. (The Nano Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation), U.S. Nanocorp
• Inventors: Ye, Hui, Doughty, Daniel H., Xiao, Tongsan D., Guidotti, Ronald A., Reisner, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US09/432,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20030138695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 429/221, 429/218.1, 429/223
• US Class Current: 429/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/04 characterised by the coating material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/399 Cells with molten salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0419 involving spraying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/581 Chalcogenides or intercalation compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5815 Sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/36 containing electrolyte and made operational by physical means, e.g. thermal cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Thin electrodes produced by thermal spray techniques are presented, wherein the thermal spray feedstock comprises an active material and a protective barrier coating. In a particularly advantageous feature, the active material feedstock is a metal sulfide, metal selenide, or metal telluride which ordinarily decomposes at thermal spray temperatures or which transforms to a material unsuitable for use as an electrode at thermal spray temperatures. The electrodes find particular utility in thermal batteries.

Claims

1. An electrode for an energy storage and conversion device, comprising

a substrate;

and

a layer of an active material comprising a metal disulfide, metal selenide, or metal telluride, and having a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 114 microns deposited on the substrate, wherein the layer comprises greater than 95% of the active material.

2. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the active material is a metal disulfide.

3. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the active material is FeS₂, CoS₂, WS₂, NiS₂, or MoS₂.

4. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the active material is FeS₂.

5. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the active material is microstructured.

6. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the active material is nanostructured.

7. An electrode for an energy storage and conversion device, comprising

a substrate;

and

a layer of an active material comprising FeS₂, CoS₂, WS₂, NiS₂, MoS₂, metal selenide, or metal telluride, and having a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 114 microns deposited on the substrate, wherein the layer comprises greater than 95% of the active material.

8. The electrode of claim 7, wherein the active material is FeS₂.

9. The electrode of claim 7, wherein the active material is microstructured.

10. The electrode of claim 7, wherein the active material is nanostructured.

11. An electrode for an energy storage and conversion device, comprising

a substrate;

and

a layer of an active material having a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 114 microns comprising a metal disulfide, metal selenide, or metal telluride deposited on the substrate by a thermal spray method comprising providing a feedstock mixture comprising an effective quantity of a source of elemental sulfur and a metal disulfide, an effective quantity of a source of elemental selenium and a metal selenide, or an effective quantity of a source of elemental tellurium and a metal telluride and thermally spraying the feedstock mixture onto the substrate wherein the layer of active material comprises greater than 95% of the active material.

12. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the active material is a metal disulfide.

13. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the active material is FeS₂, CoS₂, WS₂, NiS₂, or MoS₂.

14. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the active material is microstructured.

15. The electrode of claim 11, wherein the active material is nanostructured.

16. An electrode produced by the process of:

thermally spraying a feedstock mixture onto a substrate to produce a film of an active material having a thickness of about 1 to about 1000 microns, wherein the feedstock material comprises an effective quantity of a source of elemental sulfur and a metal disulfide active material, an effective quantity of a source of elemental selenium and a metal selenide active material, or an effective quantity of a source of a elemental tellurium and a metal telluride active material wherein the film of an active material comprises greater than 95% of the active material.

17. The electrode of claim 16, wherein the feedstock mixture comprises a source of elemental sulfur and metal disulfide.

18. The electrode of claim 17, wherein the metal disulfide is FeS₂, CoS₂, WS₂, NiS₂, or MoS₂.

19. The electrode of claim 16, wherein the active material is microstructured.

20. The electrode of claim 16, wherein the active material is nanostructured.