Battery cathode
View Patent ↗Batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a battery has a cathode that includes Cu x M y O z X t , where M is a metal, X includes one or more halides and/or nitrate, x+y is from about 6.8 to about 7.2, and z and t are selected so that the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2 or greater.
1. A battery, comprising:
a housing;
an anode within the housing;
an electrolyte within the housing; and
a cathode within the housing, the cathode including a cathode active material comprising less than about 40 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t , wherein M is a metal, X includes one or more halides and/or nitrate, x+y is from about 6.8 to about 7.2, and z and t are selected so that the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2 or greater.
2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein M is indium, gallium, arsenic, scandium, yttrium, bismuth, niobium, calcium, or a lanthanide.
3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein M is indium.
4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein X is chlorine.
5. The battery of claim 1 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu x In y O z Cl t .
6. The battery of claim 1 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu 6 InO 8 Cl.
7. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 35 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
8. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 30 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
9. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 25 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
10. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 20 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
11. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 15 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
12. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about ten percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
13. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about five percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
14. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about two percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
15. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about one percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
16. The battery of claim 1 , wherein x+y is about 6.8.
17. The battery of claim 1 , wherein x+y is about 7.2.
18. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2.w and +2.w is from +2.0 to +2.4.
19. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2.w and +2.w is from +2.2 to +2.4.
20. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises less than about ten percent by weight graphite.
21. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises less than about five percent by weight graphite.
22. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises less than about two percent by weight carbon fibers.
23. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises less than about 0.5 percent by weight carbon fibers.
24. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material further comprises a copper oxide, manganese dioxide, or nickel oxyhydroxide.
25. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material further comprises a copper oxide.
26. The battery of claim 25 , wherein the copper oxide comprises CuO or Cu 2 O.
27. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 20 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t and more than about 80 percent by weight of a copper oxide, manganese dioxide, or nickel oxyhydroxide.
28. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 20 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t and more than about 80 percent by weight of a copper oxide.
29. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode has a Coulombic capacity of more than about 260 mAh/gram.
30. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode has a Coulombic capacity of more than about 450 mAh/gram.
31. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material has a resistivity of less than about one Ohm-cm.
32. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the cathode active material has a resistivity of less than about 10 −2 Ohm-cm.
33. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery has an open circuit voltage of more than about 1.2 Volts.
34. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery has a open circuit voltage of more than about 1.5 Volts.
35. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery has a closed circuit voltage of more than about 1.4 Volts on a load of one mA/gram of cathode active material.
36. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery has a closed circuit voltage of more than about one Volt on a load of ten mA/gram of cathode active material.
37. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises zinc.
38. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is an alkaline electrolyte.
39. A battery, comprising:
a housing;
an anode within the housing;
a cathode within the housing, the cathode including a first cathode active material and a second cathode active material comprising Cu x M y O z X t , wherein M is a metal, X includes one or more halides and/or nitrate, x+y is from about 6.8 to about 7.2, and z and t are selected so that the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2 or greater;
and an alkaline electrolyte,
wherein the battery is a primary battery.
40. The battery of claim 39 , wherein the first cathode active material is CuO, MnO 2 , or NiOOH.
41. The battery of claim 39 , wherein the anode comprises zinc.
42. The battery of claim 39 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu x M y O z Cl t .
43. The battery of claim 39 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu 6 InO 8 Cl.
44. A battery, comprising:
a housing;
an anode within the housing;
an alkaline electrolyte within the housing; and
a cathode within the housing, the cathode including a cathode active material comprising Cu x M y O z X t , wherein M is a metal, X includes one or more halides and/or nitrate, x+y is from about 6.8 to about 7.2, and z and t are selected so that the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2 or greater,
wherein the battery is a closed system.
45. The battery of claim 44 , wherein M is indium, gallium, arsenic, scandium, yttrium, bismuth, niobium, calcium, or a lanthanide.
46. The battery of claim 44 , wherein M is indium.
47. The battery of claim 44 , wherein X is chlorine.
48. The battery of claim 44 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu x In y O z Cl t .
49. The battery of claim 44 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu 6 InO 8 Cl.
50. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the cathode active material comprises more than about 70 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
51. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the cathode active material comprises more than about 80 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
52. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the cathode active material comprises more than about 90 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
53. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the cathode active material comprises more than about 95 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
54. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the cathode active material comprises more than about 99 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
55. The battery of claim 44 , wherein x+y is about 6.8.
56. The battery of claim 44 , wherein x+y is about 7.2.
57. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2.w and +2.w is from +2.0 to +2.4.
58. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2.w and +2.w is from +2.2 to +2.4.
59. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the battery has an open circuit voltage of more than about 1.2 Volts.
60. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the battery has an open circuit voltage of more than about 1.5 Volts.
61. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the battery has a closed circuit voltage of more than about 1.4 Volts on a load of one mA/gram of cathode active material.
62. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the battery has a closed circuit voltage of more than about one Volt on a load of ten mA/gram of cathode active material.
63. The battery of claim 44 , wherein the anode comprises zinc.
64. A cathode including a cathode active material comprising less than about 40 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t , wherein M is a metal, X includes one or more halides and/or nitrate, x+y is from about 6.8 to about 7.2, and z and t are selected so that the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2 or greater.
65. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein M is indium, gallium, arsenic, scandium, yttrium, bismuth, niobium, calcium, or a lanthanide.
66. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein M is indium.
67. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein X is chlorine.
68. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu x In y O z Cl t .
69. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein Cu x M y O z X t is Cu 6 InO 8 Cl.
70. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 35 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
71. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 30 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
72. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 25 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
73. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 20 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
74. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about 15 percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
75. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about ten percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
76. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about five percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
77. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the cathode active material comprises less than about two percent by weight Cu x M y O z X t .
78. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein x+y is about 6.8.
79. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein x+y is about 7.2.
80. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2.w and +2.w is from +2.0 to +2.4.
81. The cathode of claim 64 , wherein the copper in Cu x M y O z X t has a formal oxidation state of +2.w and +2.w is from +2.2 to +2.4.