Composite material and current collector for battery

• US 7,033,703 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Firefly International Energy Co.
• Original Assignee: Firefly Energy, Inc. (Firefly International Energy Co.)
• Inventors: Maroon, Matthew J., Kelley, Kurtis C., Ostermeier, Charles F.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEINER, LAURA S
• Application Number:
  US10/324,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 429/245, 429/232, 429/233, 429/236, 429/241, 252/502, 29/2
• US Class Current: 429/245
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/663 containing carbon or carbonaceous materials as conductive part, e.g. graphite, carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/667 in the form of layers, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/10 Battery-grid making

Abstract

A composite material including a first carbon foam structure including a network of pores and a second carbon foam structure including a network of pores. An intermediate bonding structure is disposed at least in part between the first and second carbon foam structures.

Claims

1. A current collector for a battery, comprising:

a first carbon foam structure including a network of pores;

a first electrical connection element coupled with the first carbon foam structure;

an intermediate bonding structure coupled with the first electrical connection element and the first carbon foam structure; and

a second carbon foam structure, including a network of pores, coupled with the intermediate bonding structure.

2. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure comprises an electrically conductive material.

3. The current collector of claim 2, wherein the first electrical connection element comprises a tab that extends beyond an edge of at least one of the first carbon foam structure and the second carbon foam structure, the tab being electrically coupled with both the first and second carbon foam structures.

4. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure comprises an insulating material.

5. The current collector of claim 4, further comprising a second electrical connection element disposed between the intermediate bonding structure and the second carbon foam structure.

6. The current collector of claim 5, wherein the first and second electrical connection elements each comprise an electrically conductive tab and at least one electrically conductive portion extending from the tab.

7. The current collector of claim 6, wherein the tab of the first electrical connection element is electrically coupled with the first carbon foam structure, and the tab of the second electrical connection element is electrically coupled with the second carbon foam structure.

8. The current collector of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrically conductive portion comprises a metal.

9. The current collector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second carbon foam structures comprises graphite foam.

10. The current collector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second carbon foam structures has a total porosity value of at least about 60%.

11. The current collector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second carbon foam structures has an open porosity value of at least about 90%.

12. The current collector of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second carbon foam structures has an average pore size of between about 0.25 mm and about 2.0 mm.

13. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure permeates at least some of the pores of the first carbon foam structure and at least some of the pores of the second carbon foam structure.

14. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure permeates the pores of the first carbon foam structure by a depth equal to or greater than an average pore size of the first carbon foam structure.

15. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure permeates the pores of the second carbon foam structure by a depth equal to or greater than an average pore size of the second carbon foam structure.

16. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure comprises a polymer.

17. The current collector of claim 16, wherein the intermediate bonding structure comprises polypropylene.

18. The current collector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate bonding structure comprises a metal.

19. A battery comprising:

a housing;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

at least one cell disposed within the housing and including at least one positive plate and at least one negative plate connected to the positive terminal and negative terminal, respectively; and

an electrolytic solution filling a volume between the positive and negative plates;

wherein the at least one positive plate further includes

a first carbon foam structure including a network of pores;

a first electrical connection element coupled with the first carbon foam element;

an intermediate bonding structure coupled with the first electrical connection element and the first carbon foam structure;

a second carbon foam structure, including a network of pores, coupled with the intermediate bonding structure; and

a chemically active paste disposed on the first and second carbon foam structures such that the chemically active paste penetrates at least some of the pores of both the first and second carbon foam structures.

20. The battery of claim 19, wherein the intermediate bonding structure permeates at least some of the pores of the first carbon foam structure and at least some of the pores of the second carbon foam structure.

21. The battery of claim 20, wherein the intermediate bonding structure permeates the pores of the first carbon foam structure by a depth equal to or greater than an average pore size of the first carbon foam structure.

22. The battery of claim 20, wherein the intermediate bonding structure permeates the pores of the second carbon foam structure by a depth equal to or greater than an average pore size of the second carbon foam structure.

23. The battery claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second carbon foam structures comprises graphite foam.

24. The battery of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second carbon foam structures has a total porosity value of at least about 60%.

25. The battery of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second carbon foam structures has an open porosity value of at least about 90%.

26. The battery of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second carbon foam structures has an average pore size of between about 0.25 mm and about 2.0 mm.

27. A lead acid battery comprising:

a housing;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal external to the housing;

a plurality of cells connected in series between the positive terminal and the negative terminal;

a plurality of positive plates and a plurality of negative plates disposed in alternating series within each of the plurality of cells; and

an electrolytic solution disposed within the housing and filling a volume between adjacent pairs of positive and negative plates;

wherein both the plurality of positive plates and the plurality of negative plates further include a multi-layered structure comprising

a first carbon foam structure including a network of pores;

a first electrical connection element coupled with the first carbon foam structure;

an intermediate bonding structure coupled with the first electrical connection element and the first carbon foam structure;

a second carbon foam structure, including a network of pores, coupled with the intermediate bonding structure; and

a chemically active paste disposed on the first and second carbon foam structures such that the chemically active paste penetrates at least some of the pores of both the first and second carbon foam structures.