Batteries Having Nanostructured Composite Cathode

1 . A battery comprising:

a negative electrode including an anode current collector having at least one sheet of carbon nanotubes and semiconductor material deposited on the sheet;

a positive electrode including a cathode current collector having at least one sheet of carbon nanotubes having a nickel sulfide or a tin sulfide deposited on the sheet; and

a separator, situated between the negative electrode and positive electrode.

2 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the sheets are made from single wall carbon nanotubes.

3 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the sheets are made from multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

4 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor material includes silicon or germanium.

5 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor material includes particles that are welded on the carbon nanotubes.

6 . A battery of claim 1 , further including a casing made from carbon nanotube composite material.

7 . A battery of claim 6 , wherein the composite material includes polyamide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether ether ketone, polypropylene, bispolyamide, bismaleimide, epoxies and combination thereof.

8 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the separator is a porous polyethylene membrane, or polyethylene membrane, or a combination thereof.

9 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the sheets of carbon nanotubes has density of about 80 g/m 2 .

10 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a prismatic battery.

11 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of carbon nanotubes comprises substantially aligned carbon nanotubes.

12 . A battery of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of carbon nanotubes further comprises lithium as an intercalation compound.

13 . A battery of claim 8 , wherein the separator is soaked in an electrolyte solution.

14 . A method for forming a cathode for use in a battery, the method comprising:

depositing nickel on a carbon nanotube sheet; and

converting the nickel to nickel sulfide.

15 . A method of claim 14 , wherein the step of depositing nickel on a carbon nanotube sheet includes electrodepositing nickel on the carbon nanotube sheet.

16 . A method of claim 14 , wherein converting the nickel to nickel sulfide includes a heating process.

17 . A method for forming a cathode for use in a battery, the method comprising:

depositing tin on a carbon nanotube sheet; and

converting the tin to tin sulfide.

18 . A method of claim 17 , wherein the step of depositing tin on the carbon nanotube sheet includes electrodepositing tin on the carbon nanotube sheet.

19 . A method of claim 17 , wherein converting tin to tin sulfide includes a heating process.

20 . A method for forming an anode for use in a battery, the method comprising:

providing a substantially planar body defined by a matrix of carbon nanotubes; and

spraying nickel sulfide or tin sulfide onto the matrix.

21 . A method of manufacturing a battery, the method comprising:

incorporating a plurality of semiconductor particles into a first a sheet of carbon nanotubes to form a negative electrode;

depositing nickel sulfide or tin sulfide on a second sheet of carbon nanotubes to from a positive electrode;

positioning between the positive and negative electrodes a separator; and

sealing the positive and negative electrodes and the separator with a casing of the carbon nanotube sheet.

22 . A method of claim 21 , wherein, in the step of incorporating, the semiconductor particles are welded onto the carbon nanotubes.

23 . A method of claim 21 , wherein, in the step of incorporating, the semiconductor particles are silicon or germanium particles.

24 . A method of claim 21 , wherein, in the step of sealing, the casing includes carbon nanotube composite material.

25 . A method of claim 24 , wherein in the step of sealing, the composite material comprises polyamide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether ether ketone, polypropylene, bispolyamide, bismaleimide, epoxies and combination thereof.

26 . A method of claim 21 , wherein in the step of positioning, the separator is a porous polyethylene membrane, or polyethylene membrane, or a combination thereof.

27 . A cathode for use in a battery, comprising:

at least one sheet of carbon nanotubes; and

nickel sulfide or tin sulfide deposited on the sheet.