IP Library Granted Patent US 11,848,441
Granted Patent B2
US 11,848,441 · App. 17/279,007 · Granted Dec 19, 2023

Zinc foil, primary battery negative electrode active material using same, and zinc foil production method

Inventors: Tsuneyoshi Kamada (Tokyo, JP); Naoki Kumada (Takehara, JP); Masashi Sakano (Takehara, JP); Hidetoshi Inoue (Takehara, JP); Hideyuki Nagaoka (Takehara, JP); Yasuhiro Ochi (Takehara, JP)
H01M4/42C22C18/00C25D3/565
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,848,441
App. No.
17/279,007
Granted
Dec 19, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zinc foil is provided that can be used as a negative electrode active material, and in a battery including the zinc foil as a negative electrode active material, the amount of gas generated during long term storage of the battery is reduced as compared with that in a battery including a conventional zinc foil. The zinc foil contains zinc as a main material and bismuth. The bismuth content is 100 ppm or more and 10000 ppm or less on a mass basis. The zinc crystal grain size is 0.2 μm or more and 8 μm or less. The bismuth crystal grain size is less than 1000 nm, as measured in a backscattered electron image obtained using a scanning electron microscope. The zinc foil is free of aluminum and/or lead, or even if the zinc foil contains aluminum and/or lead, the aluminum content is 1% or less on a mass basis and/or the lead content is 200 ppm or less on a mass basis.

Claims (28)

1. A zinc foil comprising zinc as a main material and bismuth,

the zinc foil having a bismuth content of 100 ppm or more and 10000 ppm or less on a mass basis, and a zinc crystal grain size of 0.2 μm or more and 8 μm or less,

wherein a bismuth crystal grain size is less than 1000 nm, as measured in a backscattered electron image obtained using a scanning electron microscope.

2. The zinc foil according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in a bismuth mapping image with a virtual grid of squares each having a side length of 300 nm, bismuth is observed in 2% N or more of the squares relative to a total number of the squares, the bismuth mapping image being obtained by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy using a scanning electron microscope.

3. The zinc foil according to claim 1 ,

wherein the zinc foil is free of aluminum and/or lead, or even if the zinc foil contains aluminum and/or lead, an aluminum content is 1% or less on a mass basis and/or a lead content is 200 ppm or less on a mass basis.

4. The zinc foil according to claim 1 ,

wherein the bismuth content is 150 ppm or more and 6000 ppm or less on a mass basis.

5. The zinc foil according to claim 1 ,

wherein the zinc foil further contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of indium, magnesium, calcium, gallium, tin, barium, and strontium, and

a total content of the at least one element is 10 ppm or more and 10000 ppm or less on a mass basis.

6. The negative electrode active material for a primary battery according to claim 1 ,

wherein the zinc foil is free of aluminum and/or lead, or even if the zinc foil contains aluminum and/or lead, an aluminum content is 1% or less on a mass basis and/or a lead content is 200 ppm or less.

7. The zinc foil according to claim 1 ,

wherein the zinc foil has a folding endurance of 10 or more, in terms of the number of double bending operation, as determined in accordance with JIS P8115.

8. A negative electrode active material for a primary battery, comprising a zinc foil,

the zinc foil comprising zinc as a main material and bismuth,

the zinc foil having a bismuth content of 100 ppm or more and 10000 ppm or less on a mass basis, and a zinc crystal grain size of 0.2 μm or more and 8 μm or less,

wherein a bismuth crystal grain size is less than 1000 nm, as measured in a backscattered electron image obtained using a scanning electron microscope.

9. The negative electrode active material for a primary battery according to claim 8 ,

wherein, in a bismuth mapping image with a virtual grid of squares each having a side length of 300 nm, bismuth is observed in 2% N or more of the squares relative to a total number of the squares, the bismuth mapping image being obtained by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy using a scanning electron microscope.

10. A method for producing a zinc foil, the method comprising:

precipitating a zinc foil containing zinc as a main material and bismuth through reduction on a cathode immersed in an electrolyte solution containing a zinc source and a bismuth source,

wherein a current density in the reduction is 1000 A/m 2 or more and 10000 A/m 2 or less;

a dimensionally stable electrode is used as an anode,

the electrolyte solution has a bismuth content of 200 ppm or more and 10000 ppm or less, on a mass basis, relative to a total mass of zinc and bismuth in the electrolyte solution,

a bismuth crystal grain size is less than 1000 nm, as measured in a backscattered electron image obtained using a scanning electron microscope.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 31, 2026
From: MITSUI MINING AND SMELTING COMPANY, LIMITED
To: MITSUI KINZOKU COMPANY, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 075357/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: KAMADA, TSUNEYOSHI; KUMADA, NAOKI; SAKANO, MASASHI; INOUE, HIDETOSHI; NAGAOKA, HIDEYUKI; OCHI, YASUHIRO
To: MITSUI MINING & SMELTING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055713/0303 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-187888 · Oct 3, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220037654A1 · Feb 3, 2022