Reticulated and controlled porosity battery structures
The effective ionic conductivity in a composite structure is believed to decrease rapidly with volume fraction. A system, such as a bipolar device or energy storage device, has structures or components in which the diffusion length or path that electrodes or ions must traverse is minimized and the interfacial area exposed to the ions or electrons is maximized. In some embodiments, electrodes comprising a plurality of channels are provided, wherein the electrodes are constructed and arranged to allow diffusion of an ionic species from an electrolyte to a surface thereof. The device includes components that can be reticulated or has a reticulated interface so that an interface area can be increased. The increased interfacial perimeter increases the available sites for reaction of ionic species. The aspect ratio of the reticulated features can be varied. Such bipolar devices can be fabricated by a variety of methods or procedures.
1. An electrode comprising a plurality of channels extending substantially across the electrode, at least some of the plurality of channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional shape along essentially the entire length of the channel wherein the electrode is constructed and arranged to allow diffusion of an ionic species from an electrolyte to a surface of the electrode.
2. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein an end of at least some of the channels is in ionic communication with the electrolyte.
3. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the channels are substantially parallel.
4. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the channels are disposed from each other at a distance that is less than a smallest dimension of the electrode.
5. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the pores have a circular cross-sectional shape.
6. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the pores have a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
7. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the pores have a polygonal cross-sectional shape.
8. A battery comprising an electrode in contact with an electrolyte, the electrode having a plurality of channels extending substantially across the electrode, at least some of the plurality of channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional shape along essentially the entire length of the channel, wherein the electrode is constructed and arranged to allow diffusion of an ionic species from the electrolyte to a surface of the electrode.
9. The battery of claim 8 , wherein an end of at least some of the channels is in ionic communication with the electrolyte.
10. The battery of claim 8 , wherein at least some of the channels are substantially parallel.
11. The battery of claim 8 , wherein at least some of the channels are disposed from each other at a distance that is less than a smallest dimension of the electrode.
12. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the electrolyte is solid.
13. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the ionic species is Li + .
14. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the channels have a circular cross-sectional shape.
15. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the channels have a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
16. The battery of claim 8 , wherein the channels have a polygonal cross-sectional shape.
17. A battery comprising at least one electrode in ionic communication with an electrolyte, wherein the electrode comprises a plurality of channels extending across the electrode, at least some of the plurality of channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional dimension along essentially the entire length of the channel.
18. The battery of claim 17 , wherein the electrode is constructed and arranged to allow diffusion of an ionic species from an electrolyte to a surface of the electrode.
19. The battery of claim 18 , wherein an end of at least some of the channels is in ionic communication with the electrolyte.
20. The battery of claim 18 , wherein at least some of the channels are substantially parallel.
21. The battery of claim 18 , wherein at least some of the channels are disposed from each other at a distance that is less than a smallest dimension of the electrode.
22. The battery of claim 18 , wherein the electrolyte is solid.
23. The battery of claim 18 , wherein the ionic species is Li + .
24. The battery of claim 17 , wherein the channels have a circular cross-sectional shape.
25. The battery of claim 17 , wherein the channels have a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
26. The battery of claim 17 , wherein the channels have a polygonal cross-sectional shape.