Active metal/aqueous electrochemical cells and systems

• US 8,202,649 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PolyPlus Battery Company
• Original Assignee: PolyPlus Battery Company
• Inventors: Visco, Steven J., Nimon, Yevgeniy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS, MONIQUE M
• Application Number:
  US13/236,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20120009469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 429/231.95, 429/209, 429/105, 429/218.1, 429/246, 296/235
• US Class Current: 429/209
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/24 Alkaline accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/36 Accumulators not provided for in groups H01M10/05-H01M10/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/38 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0071 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0094 in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/405 Alloys based on lithium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/628 Inhibitors, e.g. gassing inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/431 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/04 Cells with aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/34 Immersion cells, e.g. sea-water cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1016 characterised by the electrolyte material H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• 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 29/4911 : including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 : including coating or impregnating

Abstract

Alkali (or other active) metal battery and other electrochemical cells incorporating active metal anodes together with aqueous cathode/electrolyte systems. The battery cells have a highly ionically conductive protective membrane adjacent to the alkali metal anode that effectively isolates (de-couples) the alkali metal electrode from solvent, electrolyte processing and/or cathode environments, and at the same time allows ion transport in and out of these environments. Isolation of the anode from other components of a battery cell or other electrochemical cell in this way allows the use of virtually any solvent, electrolyte and/or cathode material in conjunction with the anode. Also, optimization of electrolytes or cathode-side solvent systems may be done without impacting anode stability or performance. In particular, Li/water, Li/air and Li/metal hydride cells, components, configurations and fabrication techniques are provided.

Claims

1. A battery cell, comprising:

an active metal anode comprising an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy selected from the group consisting of binary and ternary alkali metal alloys with Ca, Mg, Sn, Ag, Zn, Bi, Al, Cd, Ga, and In, the anode having a first surface and a second surface;

a cathode structure comprising a porous electronically conductive support component, an ionically conductive component, and an electrochemically active component, wherein at least one cathode structure component comprises an aqueous constituent;

an ionically conductive protective membrane on the first surface of the anode, the membrane comprising,

a first component in contact with the anode that is ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the active metal of the anode, the first component comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal nitride, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal halide, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal phosphide, a reaction product of the active metal with red phosphorus, and a reaction product of the active metal with LiPON coated with a wetting layer, and

a second component in contact with the first component, the second component being substantially impervious, ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the first component and the cathode structure;

wherein the first component is an in situ reaction product of active metal of the active metal anode with a first component precursor formed by application of the active metal anode to the precursor disposed on the second component.

4. The cell of claim 1, wherein the porous electronically conductive support component of the cathode structure is catalytic for the reduction of the cathode structure electrochemically active component.

5. The cell of claim 1, wherein the porous electronically conductive support component of the cathode structure is catalytic for the reduction of air or water.

6. The cell of claim 5, wherein the porous electronically conductive support component of the cathode structure comprises a porous catalytic metal.

7. The cell of claim 6, wherein the porous electronically conductive support component of the cathode structure is a porous nickel sheet.

8. The cell of claim 4, wherein the porous electronically conductive support component of the cathode structure comprises a non-electronically conductive porous material metalized with a catalytic metal.

9. The cell of claim 8, wherein the non-electronically conductive porous material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica glass, ceramics, glass-ceramics and water-stable polymers.

10. The cell of claim 9, wherein the non-electronically conductive porous material porous metalized with nickel.

11. The cell of claim 4, wherein the porous catalytic electronically conductive support component of the cathode structure further comprises a structurally-reinforcing metal frame.

12. The cell of claim 1, wherein the active metal anode is lithium metal or a lithium metal alloy.

13. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure comprises an aqueous electrochemically active component.

14. The cell of claim 13, wherein the aqueous electrochemically active component is water.

15. The cell of claim 13, wherein the aqueous electrochemically active component comprises a water soluble oxidant selected from the group consisting of gaseous, liquid and solid oxidants and combinations thereof.

16. The cell of claim 1, wherein the ionically conductive component and the electrochemically active component are comprised of an aqueous electrolyte.

17. The cell of claim 16, wherein the aqueous electrolyte is sea water.

18. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure electrochemically active material comprises air.

19. The cell of claim 18, wherein the air comprises moisture.

20. The cell of claim 19, wherein the ionically conductive material comprises an aqueous constituent.

21. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode structure electrochemically active component comprises a metal hydride alloy.

22. The cell of claim 21, wherein the cathode structure ionically conductive component comprises an aqueous electrolyte.

23. The cell of claim 1, wherein the second component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glassy or amorphous metal ion conductors, ceramic active metal ion conductors, and glass-ceramic active metal ion conductors.

24. The cell of claim 1, wherein the second component is an ion conductive glass-ceramic having the following composition:

2. An electrochemical cell structure, comprising:

an active metal anode comprising an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy selected from the group consisting of binary and ternary alkali metal alloys with Ca, Mg, Sn, Ag, Zn, Bi, Al, Cd, Ga, and In, the anode having a first surface and a second surface;

a porous electronically conductive support catalytic for the reduction of air or water;

an ionically conductive protective membrane on the first surface of the anode, the membrane comprising,

a first component in contact with the anode that is ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the active metal of the anode, the first component comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal nitride, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal halide, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal phosphide, a reaction product of the active metal with red phosphorus, and a reaction product of the active metal with LiPON coated with a wetting layer, and

a second component in contact with the first component, the second component being substantially impervious, ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the first component, the catalytic electronically conductive support, and aqueous environments;

wherein the first component is an in situ reaction product of active metal of the active metal anode with a first component precursor formed by application of the active metal anode to the precursor disposed on the second component.

25. The cell of claim 2, wherein the porous electronically conductive support comprises a porous catalytic metal.

26. The cell of claim 2, wherein the porous electronically conductive support comprises a non-electronically conductive porous material metalized with a catalytic metal.

27. The cell of claim 2, wherein the active metal anode is lithium metal or a lithium metal alloy.

3. A method of making a battery cell, comprising:

assembling an active metal anode comprising an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy selected from the group consisting of binary and ternary alkali metal alloys with Ca, Mg, Sn, Ag, Zn, Bi, Al, Cd, Ga, and In, the anode, and a cathode structure comprising an electronically conductive component and an aqueous constituent;

wherein a protective membrane is disposed between the active metal anode and the cathode structure, the membrane being ionically conductive and chemically compatible with an active metal on a first side, and substantially impervious, ionically conductive and chemically compatible the cathode structure on the other side;

and wherein an active metal material is applied to the first side of the protective membrane to form the active metal anode.

28. The method of claim 3, wherein the cathode structure further comprises an ionically conductive component, and an electrochemically active component, wherein at least one cathode structure component comprises the aqueous constituent.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronically conductive component of the cathode structure is porous.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the porous electronically conductive component of the cathode structure is catalytic for the reduction of air or water.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the porous electronically conductive component of the cathode structure comprises a porous catalytic metal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the porous electronically conductive component of the cathode structure is a non-electronically conductive porous material metalized with a catalytic metal.

33. The method of claim 3, wherein the ionic conductivity of the protective membrane is at least 10⁻

5 S/cm.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the ionically conductive protective membrane comprises a composite, the composite comprising,

a first component in contact with the anode that is ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the active metal of the anode, and

a second component in contact with the first component, the second component being substantially impervious, ionically conductive and chemically compatible with the first component and the cathode structure.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the protective composite is a laminate.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the protective composite is graded.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the active metal anode is lithium or a lithium alloy.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the first component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal nitride, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal halide, a composite reaction product of the active metal with a metal phosphide, a reaction product of the active metal with red phosphorus, and a reaction product of the active metal with LiPON coated with a wetting layer.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the composite reaction product of the first layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Li₃N, Li₃P and LiI, LiBr, LiCl, LiF, and LiPON.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the second component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glassy or amorphous metal ion conductors, ceramic active metal ion conductors, and glass-ceramic active metal ion conductors.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the second component is an ion conductive glass-ceramic having the following composition:

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the assembling comprises:

coating the porous electronically conductive component with a membrane of a second component material selected from the group consisting of glassy or amorphous metal ion conductors, ceramic active metal ion conductors, and glass-ceramic active metal ion conductors;

depositing a first component precursor selected from the group consisting of a metal nitride, a metal halide, a metal phosphide, red phosphorus, and LiPON coated with a wetting layer on the second component material membrane; and

applying the lithium metal or lithium metal alloy onto the first component precursor.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the porous electronically conductive component is a porous nickel sheet coated with the membrane of the second component material by plasma spraying, the first component precursor is deposited by a technique selected from the group consisting of evaporation, RF sputtering, CVD and plasma-spray, and the lithium metal or lithium metal alloy is applied by a technique selected from the group consisting of evaporation and cold lamination.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the first component precursor is Cu₃N and the second component is an ion conductive glass-ceramic having the following composition:

45. The method of claim 42, further comprising reinforcing the porous electronically conductive component with a metal frame.