Electrochemical energy storage means

• US 7,670,720 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1998
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W L GORE & Associates GmbH (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W L GORE & Associates GmbH (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Buerger, Wolfgang, Hertel, Peter, Wendl, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis; Ben
• Application Number:
  US09/509,232
• Time in Patent Office: 4,179 Days
• Field of Search: 429/30, 429/33, 429/41, 429/46, 429/40, 429/44, 429/188, 429/304
• US Class Current: 429/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/181 with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A solid polymer electrolyte composite for an electrochemical reaction apparatus that possesses satisfactory ion conduction properties and has excellent mechanical strength and heat resistance, is provided. The solid polymer electrolyte composite is characterized in that a solid polymer electrolyte is contained in the continuous pores of an expanded porous polytetrafluoroethylene sheet which has continuous pores and in which the inner surfaces defining the pores are covered with a functional material such as a metal oxide. An electrochemical reaction apparatus containing an electrolyte, wherein said electrochemical reaction apparatus is characterized in that the aforementioned solid polymer electrolyte composite is used as this electrolyte is also provided.

Claims

1. An electrochemical energy storage device comprising at least two electrodes, a first electrolyte, and a carrier material for said first electrolyte disposed between the electrodes, wherein said carrier material is a porous material having an inner pore structure defining pores with inner surfaces, wherein a second perfluorinated surface-active substance different from said first electrolyte “

is present on the inner surfaces of said pores solely in the form of a layer at least partially covering the inner surfaces of said pores, wherein said second substance does not fill said pores, wherein said first electrolyte is contained in said pores with the layer of the second substance being present on the inner surfaces”

, and wherein said inner pore structure consists essentially of a series of nodes interconnected by fibrils, said nodes generally aligned in parallel, being highly elongated and having an aspect ratio of 25;

1 or greater.