Electrochemical energy storage devices
Provided herein are energy storage devices. In some cases, the energy storage devices are capable of being transported on a vehicle and storing a large amount of energy. An energy storage device is provided comprising at least one liquid metal electrode, an energy storage capacity of at least about 1 MWh and a response time less than or equal to about 100 milliseconds (ms).
1. A high-temperature device, comprising:
a container comprising an internal cavity, wherein the internal cavity comprises a reactive material and a gaseous headspace, and wherein the reactive material is maintained at a temperature of at least 200° C.;
a seal that seals the internal cavity of the container from an environment external to the container, wherein the seal comprises a ceramic component, and wherein the seal is exposed to both the reactive material and the environment external to the container;
a conductor that extends from the environment external to the container through the seal to the internal cavity of the container;
a shield coupled to the conductor or to a wall of the internal cavity and positioned within the gaseous headspace between the reactive material and the seal; and
a metal sleeve coupled to the conductor and to the ceramic component, wherein the metal sleeve is coupled to the ceramic component by a braze joint comprising a braze, and wherein the braze is formed of a material that is substantially unreactive to air and prevents diffusion of air into the container when the reactive material is maintained at the temperature of at least about 200° C. for a time period of at least about 1 day.
2. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the braze is ductile.
3. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , further comprising an internal braze and wherein the internal braze is in contact with and protects the braze from the reactive material.
4. The high-temperature device of claim 3 , wherein the internal braze is an active metal braze.
5. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the diffusion of air into the container is of at most about 1×10 −8 atmosphere-cubic centimeters per second.
6. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the braze is an alloy of at least two different metals.
7. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the high-temperature device is a battery, and wherein the battery comprises a negative electrode, a positive electrode, and a liquid electrolyte.
8. The high-temperature device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the negative electrode and the positive electrode is a liquid metal electrode.
9. The high-temperature device of claim 7 , wherein the liquid electrolyte is a molten halide electrolyte.
10. The high-temperature device of claim 7 , wherein the positive electrode comprises a solid metal or metalloid.
11. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the shield is coupled to the conductor, wherein the shield at least partially blocks the seal and a liquid portion from each other, and wherein the shield is configured to (i) reduce a flow of vapor from the reactive material to the seal or (ii) reduce a flow of ions along a surface of the conductor to the seal.
12. The high-temperature device of claim 11 , wherein the shield extends a distance from the conductor that is greater than or equal to about a width of the conductor.
13. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic component comprises aluminum and nitrogen.
14. The high-temperature device of claim 13 , wherein the ceramic component further comprises greater than or equal to about 3 weight percent of a material comprising yttrium and oxygen.
15. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the braze comprises silver, titanium, or nickel.
16. The high-temperature device of claim 15 , wherein the braze comprises titanium and one or more members selected from the group consisting of zirconium, copper, and nickel.
17. The high-temperature device of claim 15 , wherein the braze comprises nickel and one or more members selected from the group consisting of chromium, silicon, boron, and iron.
18. The high-temperature device of claim 15 , wherein the braze comprises silver, and wherein the ceramic component comprises a physical ion blocker on a surface of the ceramic component.
19. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , further comprising an additional metal sleeve coupled to the ceramic component and (i) the container or (ii) a collar joined to the container.
20. The high-temperature device of claim 1 , wherein the vapor is a reactive metal vapor.