Integrated membrane electrode assembly and method related thereto

• US 7,887,944 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wang, Tao, Wei, Chang, Yang, Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo; Gregg
• Application Number:
  US11/314,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20070141473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 429/218.1, 429/218.2, 429/223, 429/144, 429/304, 296/231, 296/234, 296/235
• US Class Current: 429/144
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/065 with plate-like electrodes or stacks of plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8657 layered
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0284 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• 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 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

An electrode assembly for use in a galvanic cell is provided. The galvanic cell may include a first electrode, a gel polymer adhesive electrolyte in contact with the first electrode, a polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer, a separator coupled between the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte and the polymer tri-phase electrolyte layer, and a second electrode in contact with the polymer tri-phase electrolyte. A method of making and using an electrode assembly for use in a galvanic cell is provided.

Claims

1. An electrode assembly, comprising:

a first electrode, the first electrode comprising an anode, the anode comprising an active material, a binder, and at least one conductive additive, wherein the active material is a metal hydride;

a gel polymer adhesive electrolyte layer, in contact with the first electrode;

a polytetrafluoroethylene latex layer;

a separator, coupled to the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte layer and to the polytetrafluoroethylene latex layer; and

a second electrode, in contact with the polytetrafluoroethylene latex layer.

2. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal hydride comprises one or more of AlH₃, SiH₄, LiH, BeH₂, GaH₃, or SbH₃.

3. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal hydride comprises LaNi₅.

4. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the gel polymer adhesive electrolyte comprises a polymer at least partially dissolvable in a base solution, and the polymer is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene oxide, sodium polyacrylate, poly(N,N-dimethyl-2-diallyl-ammonium hydroxide), glycerin, polyacrylic acid, triethanol amine, and combinations of two or more thereof.

5. The electrode assembly of claim 4, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, and combinations of two or more thereof.

6. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the separator is a non-woven membrane.

7. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the separator comprises one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, asbestos, or nylon.

8. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a cathode.

9. The electrode assembly of claim 8, wherein the cathode comprises an air/gas electrode with a catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer.

10. The electrode assembly of claim 9, wherein the catalyst layer comprises catalyst, active carbon and a halogenated olefin binder.

11. The electrode assembly of claim 10, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group comprising metal catalyst, metal oxide catalyst and a Perovskite catalyst.

12. The electrode assembly of claim 9, wherein the gas diffusion layer comprises active carbon and a halogenated olefin binder.

13. The electrode assembly of claim 12, wherein the binder comprises one or both of polytetrafluoroethylene or carboxymethylcellulose.

14. A galvanic cell comprising the electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the galvanic cell is a metal/air battery.

15. A galvanic cell comprising the electrode assembly of claim 1, and one or more current collectors that are in contact with at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode.

16. A method of making an electrode assembly for use in a galvanic cell, comprising:

coating a first electrode with a layer of gel polymer adhesive electrolyte to provide a first coated electrode, the first electrode comprising an anode, the anode comprising an active material, a binder, and at least one conductive additive, wherein the active material is a metal hydride;

contacting the first coated electrode with a separator to provide a coated electrode-membrane structure;

coating a second electrode with a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene latex to provide a second coated electrode; and

assembling the coated electrode-membrane structure with the second coated electrode to provide an electrode assembly.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein assembling and contacting each comprises pressing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein pressing comprises contacting materials under an elevated pressure.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein coating comprises chemically layering or mechanically layering a material onto another material.