Reversibly-activated nanostructured battery
View Patent ↗A battery having a nanostructured battery electrode is disclosed wherein it is possible to reverse the contact of the electrolyte with the battery electrode and, thus, to return a battery to a reserve state after it has been used to generate current. In order to achieve this reversibility, the nanostructures on the battery electrode comprise a plurality of closed cells and the pressure within the enclosed cells is varied. In a first embodiment, the pressure is varied by varying the temperature of a fluid within the cells by, for example, applying a voltage to electrodes disposed within said cells. In a second illustrative embodiment, once the battery has been fully discharged, the battery is recharged and then the electrolyte fluid is expelled from the cells in a way such that it is no longer in contact with the battery electrode.
1. A battery comprising:
an electrode having at least one surface;
a plurality of nanostructures, disposed on said surface to form a feature pattern on said surface;
an electrolyte liquid in contact with said nanostructures, and
a fluid disposed within said feature pattern,
wherein said fluid is controllable to reversibly change a degree of penetration of said feature pattern by said electrolyte liquid.
2. The battery of claim 1 wherein said nano structures are closed cells.
3. The battery of claim 1 wherein a temperature of said fluid is increased or decreased to cause said change.
4. The battery of claim 1 wherein said feature pattern comprises a plurality of posts.
5. The battery of claim 1 wherein said feature pattern comprises a plurality of closed cells.
6. The battery of claim 2 or 5 further comprising one or more cell electrodes disposed within at least a portion of said closed cells,
wherein, upon causing electrical current to flow through said cell electrodes, a temperature of said fluid increases to reduce said degree of penetration.
7. The battery of claim 2 or 5 wherein said closed cells have a hexagonal cross section.
8. The battery of claim 1 wherein said degree of penetration is controlled by changing a pressure of said fluid disposed within a closed cell of said feature pattern.
9. The battery of claim 1 wherein said fluid is a gas.
10. The battery of claim 1 wherein said degree of penetration is controlled by changing a contact angle formed between said electrolyte liquid and said nano structures.
11. The battery of claim 1 , wherein said fluid is said electrolyte liquid.
12. The battery of claim 1 , wherein said fluid is a gas.
13. The battery of claim 1 , wherein reducing a temperature of said electrode causes said degree of penetration to increase.