Ultracapacitor tolerating electric field of sufficient strength

• US 9,293,269 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dais Analytic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dais Analytic Corporation
• Inventors: Ehrenberg, Scott G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin, Naum B
• Application Number:
  US13/750,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20140035540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/04 Hybrid capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/32 Carbon-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/36 Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/56 Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/84 Processes for the manufacture of hybrid or EDL capacitors, or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

In one aspect, energy storage devices and methods are disclosed that include (preferably in order): a cationic electrode cover layer, a cationic electrode, a cationic exchange polymer electrolyte layer, a separation dielectric layer, an anionic exchange polymer electrolyte layer, an anionic electrode, and an anionic electrode cover layer. In certain embodiments, the device is configured to be initially placed in an ionized state, and optionally, can be configured to be further charged to store energy in an electrostatic mode. In another aspect, ionic solid dielectric materials, energy storage devices including ionic solid dielectric materials, and methods of making and using such materials and devices are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An ionic solid dielectric material comprising:

at least one polymer having a plurality of chemically bound positive ions; and

at least one polymer having a plurality of chemically bound negative ions,

wherein at least a portion of the plurality of chemically bound positive ions are ionically associated with at least a portion of the plurality of chemically bound negative ions.

2. An energy storage device comprising:

a first conductive plate;

a second conductive plate; and

at least one ionic solid dielectric layer comprising at least one ionic solid dielectric material according to claim 1 between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein at least one conductive plate is selected from the group consisting of a metal conductive plate, a carbon conductive plate, a porous metal conductive plate, a porous carbon conductive plate, and a carbon composite electrode.

4. The energy storage device of claim 2 wherein one or both of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate comprise graphite and/or graphene.

5. The device of claim 2 further comprising a non-electrically conductive dielectric oil within the at least one ionic solid dielectric layer.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the non-electrically conductive dielectric oil comprises polydimethylsiloxane.

7. A method of storing energy, the method comprising:

providing an energy storage device according to claim 2; and

applying a field negatively polarized with respect to the first conductive plate and positively polarized with respect to the second conductive plate under conditions effective to electrostatically store charge on the device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein conditions effective to store charge on the device comprise applying a field having a potential of at least 1 volt direct current, but no greater than the breakdown voltage of the ionic solid dielectric layer.

9. A system for storing and discharging energy, the system comprising:

one or more energy storage devices according to claim 2;

a means for applying a field negatively polarized with respect to the first conductive plate and positively polarized with respect to the second conductive plate under conditions effective to electrostatically store charge on the device; and

a means for discharging energy from electrostatically stored charge on the device.

10. A cell or cell pack comprising one or more energy storage devices according to claim 2.

11. A method of preparing an ionic solid dielectric material comprising:

providing an anionic exchange polymer electrolyte solution comprising at least one polymer having a plurality of chemically bound positive ions and a plurality of electrostatically bound negative ions;

providing a cationic exchange polymer electrolyte solution comprising at least one polymer having a plurality of chemically bound negative ions and a plurality of electrostatically bound positive ions;

combining the anionic exchange polymer electrolyte solution and the cationic exchange polymer electrolyte solution under conditions effective to allow at least a portion of the plurality of chemically bound positive ions of the anionic exchange polymer electrolyte to ionically associate with at least a portion of the plurality of chemically bound negative ions of the cationic exchange polymer electrolyte and form the ionic solid dielectric material.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising casting the formed ionic solid dielectric material as a film on a substrate.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the substrate is a release substrate or a conductive plate.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the film of the formed ionic solid dielectric material further comprises at least a portion of the negative ions that were electrostatically bound to the anionic exchange polymer electrolyte, and at least a portion of the positive ions that were electrostatically bound to the cationic exchange polymer electrolyte.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing at least a portion of the negative and/or positive ions from the ionic solid dielectric film by washing the film with deionized, distilled water.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the electrostatically bound negative ions of the anionic exchange polymer electrolyte comprise Cl⁻

ions; and

the electrostatically bound positive ions of the cationic exchange polymer electrolyte comprise H⁺ ions.