Battery with acidified cathode and lithium anode
A battery comprising an acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH<7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H 0 >−12, at least on its surface.
1. A battery cell comprising an anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode, wherein one of the anode or cathode comprises at least one solid metal oxide nanomaterial including a surface that is acidic but not superacidic, the surface having a pH<5 when re-suspended, after drying, in water at 5 wt % and a Hammet function H 0 >−12, and wherein at least part of the anode consists of metallic lithium.
2. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid metal oxide nanomaterial has at least one particle dimension <100 nm in size.
3. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid metal oxide nanomaterial has at least one particle dimension <20 nm in size.
4. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid metal oxide nanomaterial has at least one particle dimension <10 nm in size.
5. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid metal oxide nanomaterial includes a substantially monodispersed nanoparticulate form.
6. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the surface has a pH<4 when re-suspended, after drying, in water at 5 wt % and a Hammet function H 0 >−12.
7. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the surface has a pH<3 when re-suspended, after drying, in water at 5 wt % and a Hammet function H 0 >−12.