Method of making an ultracapacitor electrode

• US 6,304,426 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wei, Chang, DeJager, Katherine Dana, Jerabek, Elihu Calvin, LeBlanc, Oliver Harris Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US09/162,528
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 361/512, 361/500, 361/502-505, 361/522, 427/79
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/12 Stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/32 Carbon-based
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/86 specially adapted for electrodes carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A paste of organic solvent with dissolved organic salt and active carbon is formed and a uniform film of the paste is applied onto a substrate by casting the paste into a clearance between a knife blade and the substrate. The paste is evaporated to form a paste electrode for an ultracapacitor.

Claims

1. A paste electrode of an ultracapacitor, comprising a uniform carbon paste coating on a substrate, said uniform coating varying less than about 1 mil in thickness on said substrate produced by a method comprising:

(i) forming a paste of organic solvent with dissolved organic salt and active carbon, (ii) applying a uniform film of said paste onto a substrate by casting said paste into a clearance between a knife blade and said substrate and (iii) evaporating solvent from said paste to form said paste electrode.

2. The paste electrode of claim 1, said uniform coating varying less than about ½

mil in thickness on said substrate.

3. An ultracapacitor comprising at least one cell, said cell comprising;

two solid, nonporous current collectors, two porous electrodes separating said current collectors, a porous separator between said electrodes and an electrolyte occupying pores in said electrodes and separator, wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a paste electrode according to claim 1.

4. The ultracapacitor of claim 3, wherein said current collectors comprise aluminum.

5. A stack of ultracapacitor cells, comprising at least one of the cells of claim 4.

6. The ultracapacitor of claim 3, wherein said separator is polypropylene or cellulosic tissue material.

7. A stack of ultracapacitor cells, comprising at least one of the cells of claim 6.

8. The ultracapacitor of claim 3, wherein said electrolyte comprises a polar aprotic organic solvent and a quaternary ammonium salt, a hexasubstituted quanidium salt or a lithium salt.

9. A stack of ultracapacitor cells, comprising at least one of the cells of claim 8.

10. The ultracapacitor of claim 3, wherein said electrolyte comprises butyrolactone and tetraethylammonium tetraflouroborate.

11. A stack of ultracapacitor cells, comprising at least one of the cells of claim 10.

12. The ultracapacitor of claim 3, comprising a plurality of electrodes separating said current collectors.

13. A stack of ultracapacitor cells, comprising at least one of the cells of claim 12.

14. A stack of ultracapacitor cells, comprising at least one of the cells of claim 3.