Metallic alloys having amorphous, nano-crystalline, or microcrystalline structure

• US 9,595,360 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Energy Power Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Energy Power Systems LLC
• Inventors: Dhar, Subhash K., Albano, Fabio, Anderson, Erik W., Venkatesan, Srinivasan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jelsma, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, RASHID A
• Application Number:
  US13/843,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20130216857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 429/482, 429/483, 429122-255
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 23/22 Making metal-coated products; Making products from two or more metals
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/043 of metal B32B15/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/11 Making amorphous alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 11/00 Alloys based on lead
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 11/02 with an alkali or an alkaline earth metal as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 11/06 with tin as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 45/00 Amorphous alloys making amorphous non-ferrous alloys C22C1/11
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/04 only coatings of inorganic non-metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/042 including a refractory ceramic layer, e.g. refractory metal oxides, ZrO2, rare earth oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/322 only coatings of metal elements only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/34 including at least one inorganic non-metallic material layer, e.g. metal carbide, nitride, boride, silicide layer and their mixtures, enamels, phosphates and sulphates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/345 with at least one oxide layer
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/3455 with a refractory ceramic layer, e.g. refractory metal oxide, ZrO2, rare earth oxides or a thermal barrier system comprising at least one refractory oxide layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/02 mainly consisting of metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/685 Lead alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/73 for lead-acid accumulators, e.g. frame plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12493 Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]

Abstract

A metal alloy for use in a wire included in an electrochemical cell is disclosed having an amorphous structure, microcrystalline grains, or grains that are sized less than about one micron. In various embodiments, the microcrystalline grains are not generally longitudinally oriented, are variably oriented, or are randomly oriented. In some embodiments, the microcrystalline grains lack uniform grain size or are variably sized. In some embodiments, the microcrystalline grains have an average grain size of less than or equal to 5 microns. In some embodiments, the metal alloy lacks long-range crystalline order among the microcrystalline grains. In some embodiments, the wire is used in a substrate used in the electrochemical cell. In some embodiments, the metal alloy is formed using a co-extrusion process comprising warming up the metallic alloy and applying pressure and simultaneously passing a core material through a die to obtain a composite structure.

Claims

1. A composite wire for use in a current collector of an electrochemical cell, comprising:

a glass fiber core comprising at least one glass fiber; and

a lead alloy coating extruded onto the glass fiber core,

wherein the lead alloy coating comprises nanocrytalline grains having an average grain size of less than or equal to about 5 nanometers, and

wherein the nanocrystalline grains lack long-range crystalline order.

2. The composite wire of claim 1, wherein the composite wire forms a substrate of the current collector in the electrochemical cell.

3. The composite wire of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline grains are not generally longitudinally oriented, are variably oriented, or are randomly oriented.

4. The composite wire of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline grains lack uniform grain size.

5. The composite wire of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline grains are variably sized.

6. A conductive substrate used in an electrochemical cell, comprising:

a plurality of composite wires forming a structure for supporting active material, each composite wire comprising;

a glass fiber core comprising at least one glass fiber; and

a lead alloy coating extruded onto the glass fiber core,

wherein the lead alloy coating comprises nanocrytalline grains having an average grain size of less than or equal to about 5 nanometers, and

wherein the nanocrystalline grains lack long-range crystalline order.

7. The conductive substrate of claim 6, wherein the conductive substrate is embedded in one or more active materials.

8. The conductive substrate of claim 7, wherein the conductive substrate includes a first portion embedded in a first active material.

9. A method for forming an electrode for an electrochemical energy storage device, comprising:

forming a glass fiber core comprising at least one glass fiber;

heating a lead alloy to a point below its melting point, the heated lead alloy having a flowable form;

applying pressure to the heated lead alloy;

extruding the lead alloy onto the glass fiber core to form a composite wire by simultaneously passing the glass fiber core and the heated lead alloy through a die;

cooling the composite wire to form a lead alloy coating on the glass fiber core, the solid lead alloy coating comprising nanocrystalline grains having an average grain size of less than or equal to about 5 nanometers, the nanocrystalline grains lacking long-range crystalline order;

forming a current collector using the composite wire, the current collector forming a substrate for active material; and

disposing active material for the electrode on a portion of the grid structure of the current collector.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the lead alloy includes one or more glass-forming elements selected from groups I-VIII of the periodic table of elements.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein an amount of the glass-forming elements is equal to or less than 1% in weight of the lead alloy.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the cooling of the composite wire further comprising quenching the extruded lead alloy by supercooling.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a cooling rate of the quenching is at or above 1,000,000 K/s.