Energy storage and conversion devices using thermal sprayed electrodes

• US 20050048370A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel H. Doughty, David E. Reisner, Hui Ye, Ronald A. Guidotti, Tongsan D. Xiao
• Original Assignee: Daniel H. Doughty, David E. Reisner, Hui Ye, Ronald A. Guidotti, Tongsan D. Xiao
• Inventors: Ye, Hui, Doughty, Daniel H., Xiao, Tongsan D., Guidotti, Ronald A., Reisner, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,491,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/221
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/04 characterised by the coating material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/399 Cells with molten salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0419 involving spraying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/581 Chalcogenides or intercalation compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5815 Sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/36 containing electrolyte and made operational by physical means, e.g. thermal cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Thin electrodes produced by thermal spray techniques are presented, wherein the thermal spray feedstock comprises an active material and a protective barrier coating. In a particularly advantageous feature, the active material feedstock is a metal sulfide, metal selenide, or metal telluride which ordinarily decomposes at thermal spray temperatures or which transforms to a material unsuitable for use as an electrode at thermal spray temperatures. The electrodes find particular utility in thermal batteries.

Claims

1. A method for the manufacture of an electrode for an energy storage and conversion device, comprising:

providing a feedstock mixture comprising an effective quantity of a source of elemental sulfur and a metal disulfide, an effective quantity of a source of elemental selenium and a metal selenide, or an effective quantity of a source of elemental tellurium and a metal telluride; and

thermally spraying the feedstock mixture onto a substrate, to produce a film of an active material having a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 1000 microns.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedstock mixture further comprises an inert, thermally protective barrier coating.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein thermal spraying is by dc-arc plasma spray.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the films have a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 200 microns.

6. The method of claims 1, wherein the feedstock active material is micro structured.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedstock active material is nanostructured.

2. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal disulfide is FeS₂, CoS₂, WS₂, NiS₂, or MoS₂.

8. A method for the manufacture of an electrode for an energy storage and conversion device, comprising:

ball-milling an active material feedstock comprising a metal disulfide with from about 1 to about 30% by weight of a source of elemental sulfur, a metal selenide with from about 1 to about 30% by weight of a source of elemental selenium, or a metal telluride with from about 1 to about 30% by weight of a source of elemental tellurium to provide a feedstock for thermal spray; and

thermally spraying the feedstock for thermal spray onto a substrate, to produce a film of active material having a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 1000 microns.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the feedstock mixture comprises a source of elemental sulfur and metal disulfide.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the metal disulfide is FeS₂, CoS₂, WS₂, NiS₂, or MoS₂.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the feedstock mixture further comprises an inert, thermally protective barrier coating.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein thermal spraying is by dc-arc plasma spray.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the film has a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 200 microns.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the feedstock active material is mcirostructured.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the feedstock active material is nanostructured.

16. A method for the manufacture of an electrode, comprising:

providing a feedstock mixture comprising an effective quantity of a protective barrier coating comprising a source of elemental sulfur and pyrite; and

thermally spraying the feedstock mixture onto a substrate, to produce a film of pyrite active material having a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 1000 microns.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the feedstock mixture comprises from about 1 to about 30% by weight of elemental sulfur.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein thermal spraying is by dc-arc plasma spray.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the film has a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 200 microns.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the film has a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 114 microns.

21. A method for the manufacture of a cathode, comprising

ball-milling pyrite with from about 1 to about 30% by weight of elemental sulfur, to provide a feedstock comprising sulfur and pyrite;

and

thermally spraying the feedstock solution onto a substrate, to produce a film of pyrite active material having a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 200 microns.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein thermal spraying is by dc-arc plasma spray.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the film has a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 114 microns.

24. A cathode comprising

a substrate;

and

a layer of pyrite active material deposited on the substrate, wherein the layer of pyrite has a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 1000 microns.

25. The cathode of claim 24 wherein the layer of pyrite active material comprises greater than 95% pyrite.

26. The cathode of claim 24 wherein the layer of pyrite active material is deposited by dc-arc plasma spray.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the layer has a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 200 microns.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the layer has a thickness in the range from about 5 to about 114 microns.