Cerium batteries
First Claim
1. A battery comprising a cathode and an anode, wherein both the cathode and the anode are in contact with a catholyte and an anolyte, respectively, wherein the catholyte and the anolyte include first and second elements, respectively, wherein the first element is a lanthanide, wherein the second element is selected from the group consisting of zinc, titanium, lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, and tin, and wherein reduction of the first element at the cathode and oxidation of the second element at the anode provides current produced by the battery.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power cell (100A) has an electrolyte that includes a reodox pair comprising cerium. The electrolyte in preferred cells is an acid electrolyte that comprises a element ion complexed by an organic acid or a chelating agent, and contemplated electrolytes may further include a compound that reduces the hydrogen overpotential. Where the power cell comprises a plurality of cells (100B), preferred configurations may include glassy carbon as bipolar electrolytes.
71 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A battery comprising a cathode and an anode, wherein both the cathode and the anode are in contact with a catholyte and an anolyte, respectively, wherein the catholyte and the anolyte include first and second elements, respectively, wherein the first element is a lanthanide, wherein the second element is selected from the group consisting of zinc, titanium, lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, and tin, and wherein reduction of the first element at the cathode and oxidation of the second element at the anode provides current produced by the battery.
- 11. A battery comprising a cell with a separator that separates the cell into a cathode compartment and an anode compartment, wherein the cathode compartment includes a catholyte that includes cerium, wherein the anode compartment comprises an anolyte that includes a second element, and wherein the cerium and the second element allow normal operation of the battery when the anode compartment comprises at least 5 vol % catholyte, and wherein the second element is chemically distinct from the cerium, and wherein reduction of the cerium at the cathode and oxidation of the second element at the anode provides current produced by the battery.
Specification