Electrolyte materials, thermal battery components, and thermal batteries for intermediate temperature applications
A eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is used as an electrolyte or an electrolyte-separator. An anode, and/or a cathode can contain the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH. A battery can contain an electrolyte-separator, an anode, and/or a cathode with the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH. The electrolyte in the electrolyte-separator can have a melting point from about 170° C. to about 300° C. making it suitable for use in a thermal battery that does not require a pyrotechnic device for certain high-temperature applications.
1. An electrolyte-separator comprising:
an electrolyte material comprising a eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH; and
a binder;
wherein the electrolyte material is in a solid state at ambient temperatures; the electrolyte material has a melting point of about 180° C. to about 290° C.; and a ratio of KOH to NaOH in the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is from about 40:60 wt % to about 65:35 wt %.
2. The electrolyte-separator according to claim 1 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of MgO, Y 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , BN, AIN, fumed silica, and kaolin.
3. The electrolyte-separator according to claim 1 , wherein the binder is MgO.
4. The electrolyte-separator according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte-separator comprises at least about 20 wt % binder relative to the total weight of the electrolyte-separator.
5. The electrolyte-separator according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte-separator is a homogenous mixture of the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH and binder.
6. A composite electrode-electrolyte comprising:
a cathode material or an anode material;
an electrolyte material comprising a eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH; and
a binder,
wherein:
the electrolyte material is in a solid state at ambient temperatures; the electrolyte material has a melting point of about 180° C. to about 290° C.; and
a ratio of KOH to NaOH in the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is from about 40:60 wt % to about 65:35 wt %.
7. The composite electrolyte-electrolyte according to claim 6 , wherein the ratio of KOH to NaOH in the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is about 57:43 wt %.
8. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 7 , comprising the cathode material, the cathode material being silver oxide.
9. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 7 , comprising the anode material, the anode material being zinc or zinc oxide.
10. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 6 , comprising the cathode material, the cathode material being a metal oxide.
11. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 10 , wherein the cathode material is selected from the group consisting of silver oxide, lead dioxide, and manganese dioxide.
12. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 11 , wherein the cathode material is silver oxide.
13. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 11 , wherein the composite electrode-electrolyte comprises at least about 15 wt % of the eutectic formulation relative to the total weight of the electrode-electrolyte.
14. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 6 , comprising the anode material, the anode material being zinc or zinc alloy.
15. The composite electrode-electrolyte according to claim 14 , wherein the composite electrode-electrolyte comprises about 10 wt % of the eutectic formulation relative to the total weight of the electrode-electrolyte.
16. A battery comprising:
an anode material;
a cathode material; and
an electrolyte-separator comprising:
an electrolyte material comprising a eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH; and
a binder,
wherein:
the electrolyte material is in a solid state at ambient temperatures;
the electrolyte material has a melting point of about 180° C. to about 290° C.;
and
a ratio of KOH to NaOH in the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is from about 40:60 wt % to about 65:35 wt %.
17. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein a ratio of KOH to NaOH in the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is about 57:43 wt %.
18. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of MgO, Y 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , BN, AIN, fumed silica, and kaolin.
19. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the binder is MgO.
20. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte-separator comprises about 20 to about 35 wt % binder relative to the total weight of the electrolyte-separator.
21. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the cathode material comprises:
a eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH;
at least one compound selected from the group consisting of silver oxide, lead dioxide, and manganese dioxide; and an optional binder.
22. The battery according to claim 21 , wherein the at least one compound is silver oxide.
23. The battery according to claim 21 , wherein the cathode comprises about 15 wt % of the eutectic formulation relative to the total weight of the cathode.
24. The battery according to claim 21 , wherein the anode material comprises:
a eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH;
zinc or zinc alloy; and
an optional binder.
25. The battery according to claim 24 , wherein
a ratio of KOH to NaOH in the eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH is about 57:43 wt %,
the cathode comprises about 15 wt % of the eutectic formulation to the total weight of the cathode,
the anode comprises about 10 wt % of the eutectic formulation relative to the total weight of the anode.
26. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the anode material comprises:
a eutectic formulation of KOH and NaOH;
zinc or zinc alloy; and
an optional binder.
27. The battery according to claim 26 , wherein the anode comprises about 10 wt % of the eutectic formulation relative to the total weight of the anode.