LITHIUM-AIR BATTERY

• US 20080176124A1
• Filed: 01/02/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Hideyuki, Azuma, Hirozumi, IMAGAWA, Haruo
• Granted Patent: US 7,767,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/27
• 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 2300/0025 Organic electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9075 Catalytic material supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers H01M4/8807, H01M4/881, H01M4/8814, H01M4/925 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9083 on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A lithium-air battery includes a lithium negative electrode, a positive electrode including a catalyst containing gold, and a non-aqueous electrolyte interposed between the positive electrode and the lithium negative electrode. The catalyst includes gold supported on a cerium-containing oxide, such as a cerium-zirconium compound oxide or a cerium-aluminum compound oxide. The amount of catalyst of the positive electrode is in the range of 0.01 to 50 weight percent relative to the total weight of the positive electrode.

Claims

1. A lithium-air battery comprising:

a lithium negative electrode;

a positive electrode including a catalyst containing gold; and

a non-aqueous electrolyte interposed between the positive electrode and the lithium negative electrode.

2. The lithium-air battery according to claim 1, wherein the positive electrode comprises a catalyst in which gold is supported on an oxide or carbon.

3. The lithium-air battery according to claim 2, wherein the oxide is a compound oxide comprising cerium.

4. The lithium-air battery according to claim 3, wherein the oxide is a cerium-zirconium compound oxide.

5. The lithium-air battery according to claim 3, wherein the oxide is a cerium-aluminum compound oxide.

6. The lithium-air battery according to claim 1, wherein the amount of catalyst of the positive electrode is in the range of 0.01 to 50 weight percent relative to the total weight of the positive electrode.

7. The lithium-air battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode comprises metallic lithium.