Fabrication Methods for Batteries

• US 20150188197A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Zenghe, Otis, Brian, Biederman, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,761,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• 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 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0085 Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/46 Alloys based on magnesium or aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A method may involve forming a first electrode on a structure, where the first electrode defines an anode of a battery, and where the battery is configured to provide electrical power to a circuit located on the structure. The method may further involve forming a second electrode on the structure, where the second electrode defines a cathode of the battery, and where the second electrode is configured to reduce oxygen. And the method may involve embedding the structure in a polymer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a first electrode on a structure, wherein the first electrode defines an anode of a battery, and wherein the battery is configured to provide electrical power to a circuit located on the structure;

forming a second electrode on the structure, wherein the second electrode defines a cathode of the battery, and wherein the second electrode is configured to reduce oxygen; and

embedding the structure in a polymer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are each configured to use as an electrolyte fluid that has diffused into the polymer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the polymer comprises a silicone hydrogel or polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is configured to use as an electrolyte fluid that contacts the first electrode via a first channel, wherein the second electrode is configured to use as an electrolyte fluid that contacts the second electrode via a second channel, and wherein the method further comprises:

forming the first channel to the first electrode through the polymer; and

forming the second channel to the second electrode through the polymer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the polymer comprises a silicone elastomer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, iron, aluminum, an alloy that includes zinc and magnesium, an alloy that includes iron and magnesium, and an alloy that includes aluminum and magnesium.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises platinum.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first electrode comprises:

forming a mixture that comprises a metal powder, a photopolymerizable monomer, a crosslinker, and a photoinitiator;

forming a metal layer on the structure;

dispensing the mixture onto the metal layer; and

curing the mixture on the metal layer to form a crosslinked polymer layer in which at least a portion of the metal powder is entrapped.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mixture comprises an ink.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein dispensing the mixture onto the metal layer comprises printing the mixture onto the metal layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the second electrode comprises forming the second electrode by sputtering or evaporation.

12. A device comprising:

a first polymer layer defining a first side of the device;

a second polymer layer defining a second side of the device; and

a structure between the first and second polymer layers, wherein the structure comprises;

a first electrode, wherein the first electrode defines an anode of a battery, wherein the battery is configured to provide electrical power to a circuit located on the structure, and

a second electrode, wherein the second electrode defines a cathode of the battery, and wherein the second electrode is configured to reduce oxygen.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first and second electrodes are each configured to use as an electrolyte fluid that has diffused into the first or second polymer layers.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer comprises a silicone hydrogel or polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate.

15. The device of claim 12 further comprising:

a first channel to the first electrode through the first or second polymer layer; and

a second channel to the second electrode through the first or second polymer layer, wherein the first electrode is configured to use as an electrolyte fluid that contacts the first electrode via the first channel, and wherein the second electrode is configured to use an electrolyte fluid that contracts the second electrode via the second channel.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer comprises a silicone elastomer.

17. The device of claim 12 further comprising an antenna, and wherein the battery is configured to be recharged by the radio frequency radiation harvested by the antenna.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the circuit comprises an electrochemical sensor and a potentiostat, and wherein the battery is configured to bias the electrochemical sensor via the potentiostat.

19. The device of claim 12 further comprising a pixel array, and wherein the battery is configured to power the pixel array.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the circuit comprises at least one circuit selected from the group consisting of a computation circuit, a communication circuit, and a display circuit, and wherein the battery is configured to power the circuit.