Metal-air cells with minimal air access
The present technology provides a battery that includes an air cathode, an anode, an aqueous electrolyte that includes an amphoteric surfactant, and a housing that includes one or more air access ports defining a total area of void space (“vent area”), where (1) the battery is a size 13 metal-air battery and the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.050 mm 2 to about 0.115 mm 2 ; or (2) the battery is a size 312 metal-air battery and the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.03 mm 2 to about 0.08 mm 2 .
1. A battery comprising an air cathode, an anode, an aqueous electrolyte, and a housing, wherein:
the housing comprises one or more air access ports defining a total vent area;
the battery having a nominal electrode interfacial area;
a ratio of total vent area to nominal electrode interfacial area is from about 0.0014 to about 0.0024; and
the aqueous electrolyte comprises an amphoteric fluorosurfactant.
2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a size 13 metal-air battery having a nominal diameter of about 8 mm and a nominal height of about 5.4 mm.
3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a size 312 metal-air battery having a nominal diameter of about 8 mm and a nominal height of about 3.6 mm.
4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery has a nominal external volume from about 180 mm 3 to about 270 mm 3 .
5. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the nominal electrode interfacial area is about 35 mm 2 .
6. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the total vent area is from about 0.030 mm 2 to about 0.115 mm 2 .
7. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the total vent area is about 0.0498 mm 2 to about 0.0845 mm 2 .
8. The battery of claim 1 , wherein ratio of total vent area to nominal electrode interfacial area is about 0.0014.
9. The battery of claim 1 , wherein ratio of total vent area to nominal electrode interfacial area is about 0.0024.
10. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises zinc.
11. The battery of claim 1 further comprising a carbon dioxide scrubbing agent.
12. The battery of claim 10 , further comprising an air diffusion pad and the air diffusion pad comprises the carbon dioxide scrubbing agent.
13. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the amphoteric fluorosurfactant comprises betaine functionality.
14. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte comprises about 500 ppm to about 20,000 ppm lithium hydroxide.
15. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.03 mm 2 to about 0.08 mm 2 .
16. A battery comprising an air cathode, an anode, an aqueous electrolyte, and a housing, wherein:
the housing comprises one or more air access ports defining a vent area;
the aqueous electrolyte comprises an amphoteric fluorosurfactant; and
the total vent area is from 45% to 63% less than a comparable battery without the amphoteric fluorosurfactant while providing the same or greater current draw.