Electrode assemblies incorporating ion exchange materials
A rechargeable battery cell includes an electrode and an ion exchange material arranged to define an interpenetrating interface with at least a portion of the electrode. Providing an interpenetration interface in intimate contact can include completely or partially embedding the electrode in the ion exchange material, or alternatively, surrounding the electrode or discrete portions of the electrode with a thin film of ion exchange material. In one embodiment, electrodes can be particles fully or partially embedded, coated with, or partially contacting ion exchange material.
1 . A rechargeable battery cell comprising:
an anode comprising a plurality of particles comprising zinc (Zn);
an ion exchange material in a form of a layer arranged to define an interpenetrating interface with at least a portion of the anode, thereby at least partially embedding the anode in the ion exchange material, wherein:
the interpenetrating interface is formed by one or more of melting, fusing, laminating, or pressure attachment of the ion exchange material, in the form of the layer, with the anode,
the ion exchange material comprises a polymeric material and one or more groups, attached to the polymeric material, and selected from the group consisting of a sulfonic acid, a quaternary amino group, a carboxylic acid group, a primary amino group, a secondary amino group, and a tertiary amino group, and
the ion exchange material, in the form of the layer, contacts at least a portion of the plurality of particles of the anode;
a cathode, wherein the ion exchange material is positioned and provides ionic conductivity between the anode and the cathode; and
a liquid alkaline electrolyte contacting the anode and the cathode and providing ionic conductivity between the anode and the cathode.
2 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of nickel hydroxide (Ni (OH) 2 ), nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ), a ferrate salt (Fe(VI)), a manganate salt (Mn (VI)), and a permanganate salt (Mn (VII)).
3 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein:
the cathode comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of Bi, Cu, Sn, Pb, Ag, Co, Ni, Mg, K, Li, Al, Ca, Fe, Zn, V, Ba, Y, Ti, and Sr, and
the one or more additives are in an oxide form or a hydroxide form.
4 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles has a particle size of than 300 microns and is packed to have a pore volume less than 50% of a total volume of the anode.
5 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange material is an anion-selective exchange material.
6 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the liquid alkaline electrolyte comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH, and LiOH.
7 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange material completely surrounds a surface of each of the plurality of particles.
8 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles of the anode are intermixed with the ion exchange material.
9 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises metal zinc prior to initial cycling.
10 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises metal zinc oxide prior to initial cycling.
11 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises nickel hydroxide (Ni (OH) 2 ).
12 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH).
13 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ).
14 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a ferrate salt (Fe(VI)).
15 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a manganate salt.
16 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a permanganate salt (Mn (VII)).
17 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the liquid alkaline electrolyte further comprises a gelatinizing agent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyacrylamide.
18 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of bismuth oxide, indium oxide, and aluminum oxide.
19 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 18 , wherein the one or more additives comprise indium oxide with a concentration of 0.05-1% weight in the anode.
20 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 18 , wherein the one or more additives comprise aluminum oxide with a concentration of 1-5% weight in the anode.
21 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises one or more corrosion-resistance additives selected from the group consisting of phosphate anions, fluoride anions, borate anions, zincate anions, silicate anions, oxalate anions, and stearate anions.
22 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 21 , wherein the one or more corrosion-resistance additives have a concentration of up to 10% weight in the anode.
23 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises one or more conductive additives selected from the group consisting of graphite, coke, ketjen black, acetylene black, single carbon nanotubes, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, multi-layered carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanowhiskers, and carbon nanorods.
24 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises one or more binding agents selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyisobutylene (PIB), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl acetate, carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polyamides, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS), natural rubber (NR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPM), and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM).
25 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange material comprises the sulfonic acid selected from the group consisting of sodium polystyrene sulfonate and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (polyAMPS).
26 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange material comprises a trimethylammonium group.
27 . The rechargeable battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange material comprises polyethylene amine.