Hydrogels for aqueous lithium/air battery cells

• US 8,389,147 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PolyPlus Battery Company
• Original Assignee: PolyPlus Battery Company
• Inventors: Visco, Steven J., De Jonghe, Lutgard C., Nimon, Yevgeniy S., Petrov, Alexei, Pridatko, Kirill
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anthony, Julian
• Application Number:
  US12/484,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20090311567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 429/126, 429/231.95, 429/101, 296/231
• US Class Current: 429/126
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/02 Details of electrodes H01M4/00; of non-active parts H01M50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/04 composed of a half-cell of the fuel-cell type and of a half-cell of the primary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/04 Cells with aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/045 characterised by aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/08 Fuel cells with aqueous electrolytes
• 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

Abstract

Li/air battery cells are configurable to achieve very high energy density. The cells include a protected a lithium metal or alloy anode and an aqueous catholyte in a cathode compartment. In addition to the aqueous catholyte, components of the cathode compartment include an air cathode (e.g., oxygen electrode) and a variety of other possible elements.

Claims

1. A battery cell, comprising:

a protected anode, comprising,

a lithium metal anode having a first surface and a second surface,

a protective membrane architecture on at least the first surface of the anode,

a cathode compartment comprising a cathode for reducing molecular oxygen, an aqueous catholyte, and a hydrogel reservoir structure; and

,

wherein the protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the alkali metal anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with the components of the cathode compartment.

2. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure comprises a hydrophilic polymer.

3. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure absorbs moisture from the ambient air during device operation.

4. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure comprises solid phase active salts.

5. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure comprises aqueous catholyte.

6. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure accommodates solid products of discharge.

7. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure retains catholyte and swells via absorption of moisture from the ambient air.

8. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure is or comprises a natural polymer.

9. The cell of claim 1 wherein a solid phase component of the hydrogel structure is a synthetic polymer.

10. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure is a physical or a chemical gel.

11. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure is a multicomponent hydrogel structure of two or more hydrogel compositions.

12. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure further comprises hydrogel contact layers having a composition different than that of the bulk hydrogel.

13. The cell of claim 1 wherein the reservoir is a hydrogel.

14. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure forms in-situ as water from the ambient air is absorbed into the cathode compartment.

15. The cell of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel structure retains catholyte and swells upon discharge with water molecules generated via the cell reaction.

16. The cell of claim 1, wherein the hydrogel structure is a multi-layer, comprising a first hydrogel layer adjacent the anode and a different second hydrogel layer adjacent the cathode.

17. A method of making a battery cell comprising:

assembling the cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode is fabricated outside of the cell prior to cell assembly.