Rechargeable alkaline manganese dioxide-zinc bipolar batteries
A bipolar battery having at least two electrochemical cells electrically arranged in series includes a housing, an electrolyte, a bipolar electrode, an anode, a cathode, and first and second microporous separators. The bipolar electrode comprises a first anode material and a first cathode material. The first cathode and anode materials are disposed on opposite faces of a current collector. The anode comprises a second anode material comprising: a zinc compound, a zinc oxide compound, and a binder, and the cathode comprises a second cathode material comprising: a manganese oxide, a conductive carbon, and a copper compound. The first cathode material faces the second anode material, and the first anode material faces the second cathode material. The first microporous separator is disposed between the first cathode material and the second anode material, and the second microporous separator is disposed between the first anode material and the second cathode material.
1 . A bipolar battery having at least two electrochemical cells electrically arranged in series, the bipolar battery comprising:
a housing;
an electrolyte disposed in the housing;
a bipolar electrode disposed in the housing, wherein the bipolar electrode comprises:
a first anode material; and
a first cathode material, wherein the first cathode material and the first anode material are disposed on opposite faces of a current collector;
an anode disposed in the housing, wherein the anode comprises a second anode material comprising: zinc and a binder;
a cathode disposed in the housing, wherein the cathode comprises a second cathode material comprising: an active material comprising a manganese oxide, and additives comprising a conductive carbon and a copper compound, wherein the first cathode material of the bipolar electrode faces the second anode material, and wherein the first anode material of the bipolar electrode faces the second cathode material;
a first microporous separator disposed between the first cathode material and the second anode material; and
a second microporous separator disposed between the first anode material and the second cathode material, where the at least two electrochemical cells are formed from cathode-anode pairs, and wherein a first electrochemical cell of the at least two electrochemical cells is fluidly sealed from a second electrochemical cell of the at least two electrochemical cells.
2 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the second anode material further comprises bismuth and indium.
3 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material comprises a manganese oxide compound selected from the group consisting of birnessite-phase manganese dioxide (δ—MnO 2 ) and electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD).
4 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material further comprises a bismuth compound selected from the group consisting of elemental bismuth and a bismuth salt.
5 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the copper compound in the second cathode material comprises: a copper compound selected from the group consisting of elemental copper and a copper salt.
6 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein a first cell is formed by the first cathode material and the second anode material, wherein a second cell is formed by the first anode material and the second cathode material.
7 . The bipolar battery of claim 6 , wherein the first cell is electrically coupled in series with the second cell.
8 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material further comprises a conductive metal additive electroplated on the manganese oxide, wherein the conductive metal additive is selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, silver, aluminum, gold, tin, cobalt, nickel-cobalt, brass, bronze, and combinations thereof.
9 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 8 , wherein the electroplated conductive metal additive is present in the second cathode material at a concentration that is greater than 0 wt. % and less than or equal to 20 wt %.
10 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conductive carbon is selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbon black, acetylene black, single walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphyne, graphene oxide, and combinations thereof.
11 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material consists essentially of greater than 0 wt. % and less than or equal to 50 wt. % of the conductive carbon; between 1-20 wt. % of a bismuth compound; between 1-70 wt. % of the copper compound; greater than or equal to 0 wt. % and less than or equal to 10 wt. % of a binder; and the balance being the manganese oxide compound.
12 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second anode material consists essentially of greater than 0 and less than or equal to 30% zinc oxide, greater than 0 and less than or equal to 10% binder and the balance being the zinc compound with trace amounts of bismuth and indium.
13 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the copper compound is a copper support.
14 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first microporous separator or the second microporous separator comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of a cellulose film, a sintered polymer film, a hydrophilically modified polyolefin, or combinations thereof.
15 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material and the second anode material further comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene binder.
16 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material and the second anode material further comprises a cellulose-based hydrogel binder.
17 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second cathode material and the second anode material further comprises a binder, and wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose (HEMC), carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC).
18 . The bipolar battery as recited in claim 17 ,
wherein the binder is crosslinked with a copolymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylacetate, polyaniline, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and polypyrrole.
19 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the bipolar battery is in a prismatic form, a cylindrical form, or a compressed zigzag form within the housing.
20 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the current collector is at least one of copper, a copper alloy, or a copper plated metal.
21 . The bipolar battery of claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a cathode conductive mesh, an anode conductive mesh, and a current collector foil, wherein the first anode material is pressed into the anode conductive mesh, wherein the first cathode material is pressed into the cathode conductive mesh, and wherein the cathode conductive mesh and the anode conductive mesh are in electrical contact with the current collector foil.
22 . The bipolar battery of claim 21 , wherein the cathode conductive mesh comprises a current collector tab, and wherein the current collector tab is coupled to the current collector foil to electrically couple the cathode conductive mesh to the current collector foil.