ELECTRODE FOLDS FOR ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES

• US 20100203384A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: G4 Synergetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: G4 Synergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: Patterson, Barbara, George, Anthony, Higgins, Martin Patrick, West, Jon Kenneth, Michael, Allen, Cherisol, Kenneth, Citta, Myles, Higgins, Eileen, Citta, Nelson, Zhou, Xin, Regalado, Julius, West, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US12/694,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20100203384A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/209
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0418 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/044 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/045 Cells or batteries with folded plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0477 with circular plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/28 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/282 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/286 Cells or batteries with wound or folded electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4214 Arrangements for moving electrodes or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/029 Bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/70 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/184 characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/186 characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/198 characterised by physical properties, e.g. adhesiveness or hardness
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/463 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/474 characterised by their position inside the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/477 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/48 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/02 : Details electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04 : Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A stacked energy storage device (ESD) has at least two conductive substrates arranged in a stack. Each cell segment may have a first electrode unit having a first active material electrode, a second electrode unit having a second active material electrode, and an electrolyte layer between the active material electrodes. Each active material electrode may have a plurality of folded sections and planar sections to increase the ESD capacity, for example, by increasing number of interfaces within each cell segment.

Claims

1. An energy storage device (ESD) comprising:

a first conductive substrate;

a second conductive substrate provided in a stacking direction;

a first active material provided between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate; and

a second active material provided between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, wherein each of the first and second active materials is folded and comprises;

a plurality of planar sections orthogonal to the stacking direction, wherein each planar section is coupled to an adjoining planar section by a folded section, and wherein each respective planar section of the first active material interfaces with a respective planar section of the second active material.

2. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the first active material is positively charged and the second active material is negatively charged.

3. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the first active material is coupled to the first conductive substrate and the second active material is coupled to the second conductive substrate.

4. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the first active material and the second active material comprise a flexible conductive matrix as the support structure for the respective first and second active materials.

5. The ESD of claim 4 wherein the flexible conductive matrix is nickel-metal foam.

6. The ESD of claim 1 further comprising a first pressure contact to connect the first active material to the first conductive substrate and a second pressure contact to connect the second active material to the second conductive substrate.

7. The ESD of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first active material and the second active material is sleeved within a respective separator prior to being folded.

8. The ESD of claim 1 further comprising:

an electrolyte layer at each interface of the first active material and the second active material, wherein the electrolyte layer comprises a separator and an electrolyte.

9. The ESD of claim 1 further comprising an electrode segment provided at each of the plurality of planar sections for the first and second active materials.

10. The ESD of claim 9 wherein the electrode segment has circular cross-sectional area.

11. The ESD of claim 9 wherein the electrode segment has a rectangular cross-sectional area.

12. The ESD of claim 1 wherein the plurality of planar sections and folded portions for the respective first and second active materials combine to form a respective electronic raceway that serves as an electron transfer path.

13. A method for powder packing electrodes for an energy storage device, the method comprising:

dry packing active powders into a substrate;

wetting the active powders with a wetting agent to ensure an even distribution and surface gradient of the substrate; and

over-coating the active powders with a binder layer on the surface of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the chemical resistance of the binder layer holds the active powders in place while allowing the transportation of electrolyte ions to and from the substrate.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein wetting the dry packed powders allows transport of active materials from the surface of the substrate into the bulk of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

dissolving the wetting agent off of the active powders wherein the wetting agent leaves no residuals in the active powders.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

dissolving the wetting agent off of the active powders; and

leaving a residual element in the active powders, wherein the residual element contributes to the electrical properties of the electrode.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the residual elements increase the capacity of the ESD.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a common collector and coupling the substrate to the common collector.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the common collector is folded to form a folded electrode.