Method for manufacturing a biplate assembly, a biplate assembly and a bipolar battery

• US 20030013016A1
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nilar International AB
• Original Assignee: Nilar International AB
• Inventors: Puester, Neil, Fredriksson, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 8,053,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/210
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/282 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/02 Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/043 involving compressing or compaction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/64 Carriers or collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/668 Composites of electroconductive material and synthetic resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/72 Grids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a biplate assembly including a biplate, a negative electrode and a positive electrode. The method comprises the steps: selecting the size of the biplate, arranging the positive electrode, which is formed by a compressed first powder, to a first side of the biplate, the first powder containing positive active material, and arranging the negative electrode, which is formed by a compressed second powder, to a carrier arranged within the biplate assembly, the second powder containing negative active material. The carrier is preferably a side opposite to the first side of the biplate. The invention also relates to a biplate assembly and a bipolar battery including at least one biplate assembly.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a biplate assembly including a biplate, a first electrode, and a second electrode, said method comprises the steps:

selecting the size of the biplate,

arranging the first electrode, which is formed by a compressed first powder, to a first side of the biplate, said first powder containing a first type of active material, and

arranging the second electrode, which is formed by a compressed second powder, to a carrier arranged within said biplate assembly, said second powder containing a second type of active material, opposite to said first active material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode is arranged to said first side by pressing the first powder directly onto the first side of the biplate, and/or said second electrode is arranged to said carrier by pressing the second powder directly onto the carrier.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode and/or said second electrode is/are separately formed before being arranged to said biplate assembly, each electrode preferably including a mesh to serve as a support means.

4. The method according claim 3, wherein said mesh is selected to be a polymer mesh, preferably an extremely fine polymer mesh.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carrier is selected to be a second side of the biplate, being opposite to said first side, and where said first type of active material is a positive active material and said second type of material is a negative active material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biplate assembly further comprises a separator, said method further comprises the steps:

adding the separator on top of the first electrode so that a first side of the separator covers the whole area of the first electrode, and

the carrier is selected to be a second side of the separator, being opposite to the first side of the separator, and said first type of active material is a positive active material and said second type of material is a negative active material.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step:

selecting a limited area on each side of the biplate where said first and second electrodes are to be in physical contact.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method comprises the step:

treating the surface on each side of the biplate so as to obtain a three-dimensional roughness, thereby increasing the surface where each electrode is in physical contact.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said three-dimensional roughness is achieved by flame spraying at least the selected limited areas with a similar material making up the biplate.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the biplate is selected to be a Nickel plate and said flame spraying is performed by a Nickel material.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said three-dimensional roughness is achieved by etching away material from the biplate in at least the selected limited areas.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of treating the surface is restricted to the selected limited areas on each side of the biplate, where said first and second electrodes are to be in physical contact.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first powder is a nickel compound, including nickel fibres to establish better contact between the biplate and the first electrode.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second powder is a metal hydride compound, including fibres to establish better contact between the biplate and the second electrode.

16. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein said first electrode is arranged to said first side by pressing the first powder directly onto the first side of the biplate, and/or said second electrode is arranged to said second side by pressing the second powder directly onto the carrier.

17. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein said first electrode and/or said second electrode is/are separately formed before being arranged to said biplate assembly, each electrode preferably including a mesh to serve as a support means.

18. The biplate assembly according claim 17, wherein said mesh is a polymer mesh, preferably an extremely fine polymer mesh.

19. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein said carrier is a second side of the biplate, being opposite to said first side, and where said first type of active material is a positive active material and said second type of material is a negative active material.

20. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein said biplate assembly further comprises a separator arranged on top of the first electrode so that a first side of the separator covers the whole area of the first electrode, and the carrier is a second side of the separator, upon which the second electrode is arranged, said second side of the separator being opposite to the first side of the separator, and said first type of active material is a positive active material and said second type of material is a negative active material.

21. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein a limited area on each side of the biplate is in physical contact.

22. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein at least the surface of the biplate where the electrodes are to be in physical contact is treated to obtain a three-dimensional roughness.

23. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein the first powder is a nickel compound including nickel fibres to establish better contact between the biplate and the first electrode.

24. The biplate assembly according to claim 15, wherein said second powder is a metal hydride compound including metal fibres to establish better contact between the biplate and the second electrode.

26. The bipolar battery according to claim 25, wherein said positive and/or said negative electrode is/are arranged to the biplate by pressing the first and second powder, respectively, directly onto respective side of the biplate.

27. The battery according to claim 25, wherein said positive and/or said second negative electrode is/are separately formed before being arranged to said biplate assembly, each electrode preferably including a mesh to serve as a support means.

28. The battery according to claim 27, wherein said mesh is a polymer mesh, preferably an extremely fine polymer mesh.

30. The bipolar battery according to claim 29, wherein said first is arranged to the biplate by pressing the first powder directly onto a first side of the biplate and/or said second electrode is arranged to the separator by pressing the second powder directly onto the separator.

31. The battery according to claim 29, wherein said positive and/or said second negative electrode is/are separately formed before being arranged to said biplate assembly, each electrode preferably including a mesh to serve as a support means.

32. The battery according to claim 31, wherein said mesh is a polymer mesh, preferably an extremely fine polymer mesh.

15. A biplate assembly including a biplate, a first electrode and a second electrode, said first electrode, which is formed by a compressed first powder, is in direct physical contact with a first side of the biplate, and the second electrode, which is formed by a compressed second powder, is arranged to a carrier arranged within said biplate assembly.

25. A bipolar battery comprising a housing, a negative end terminal having a negative electrode, a positive end terminal having a positive electrode, at least one biplate assembly, each having both a negative and a positive electrode, which are formed by a compressed first and second powder, respectively, arranged to a biplate, arranged between said negative and positive end terminals in a sandwich structure and a separator is arranged between each adjacent positive and negative electrode.

29. A bipolar battery comprising a housing, a first end terminal, at least one biplate assembly, each having a first electrode, a separator and a second electrode mounted on a biplate in a sandwiched structure, each electrode are formed by a compressed first and second powder, respectively, said biplate operating as a second end terminal and said first electrode is arranged to be in physical contact with said first end terminal by pressing said first end terminal toward said biplate assembly.