Charge storage devices containing carbon nanotube films as electrodes and charge collectors
An energy storage device includes a nanostructured network and an electrolyte in contact with the nanostructured network. The nanostructured network is an electrically conducting nanostructured network that provides combined functions of an electrode and a charge collector of the energy storage device. An electrical device includes an energy storage device that includes a nanostructured network and an electrolyte in contact with the nanostructured network, and a load-bearing electrical circuit electrically connected to the electrical energy storage device. The energy storage device is suitable to power the electrical device while in operation.
1. A device for use as an electrode or charge collector in an energy storage device, the device, comprising:
(a) an electrical contact;
(b) a first nanostructured network of a nanoscale electrically conducting material connected to the electrical contact; and
(c) a second nanostructured network of an electrochemically active material in contact with the first nanostructured network;
(d) wherein said first nanostructured network comprises:
a layer of a first electrically conducting material; and
a layer of a second electrically conducting material in contact the layer of a first electrically conducting material;
wherein said first and second electrically conducting materials have different densities.
2. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said nanoscale electrically conducting material is selected from the group of conductors consisting of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, graphene flakes, metal nanowires, Ag nanowires, a mixture of two carbonaceous materials having different electrical conducting properties, a mixture of a carbonaceous material and a metal material, and conductive polymer nanowires.
3. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of polyaniline, polythiophene, polypyrrol, PEDOT and carbon black.
4. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of Zn, Co, Ni, Li, Ru, TiO 2 , PbO 2 , RuO 2 , IrO 2 , MnO 2 , Fe 3 O 4 , In 2 O 3 , WO 3 , SnO 2 , V 2 O 5 , Ni(OH) 2 , Ni(OOH), LiCoO 2 , Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , and Ir 0.3 Mn 0.7 O 2 .
5. A device as recited in claim 1 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes; and
wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon black.
6. A device as recited in claim 1 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a first density; and
wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a second density.
7. A device as recited in claim 1 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises metal nanowires; and
wherein said second layer of electrical conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes.
8. A device as recited in claim 1 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a first electrical conducting property; and
wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a second electrical conducting property different than said first electrical conducting property.
9. A device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a conductive polymer protective layer disposed between the first nanostructured network and the second nanostructured network.
10. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first nanostructured network has a thickness that is greater or less than the second nanostructured network.
11. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first nanostructured network interpenetrates the second nanostructured network to form a composite structure.
12. An energy storage device, comprising:
(a) a first electrode;
(b) a second electrode; and
(c) an electrolyte between the first and second electrodes;
(d) wherein at least one said electrode comprises:
an electrical contact;
a first nanostructured network of a nanoscale electrically conducting material connected to the electrical contact; and
a second nanostructured network of an electrochemically active material in contact with the first nanostructured network;
(e) wherein said first nanostructured network comprises:
a layer of a first electrically conducting material; and
a layer of a second electrically conducting material in contact the layer of a first electrically conducting material;
wherein said first and second electrically conducting materials have different densities.
13. The energy storage device of claim 12 , wherein said nanoscale electrically conducting material is selected from the group of conductors consisting of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, graphene flakes, metal nanowires, Ag nanowires, a mixture of two carbonaceous materials having different electrical conducting properties, a mixture of a carbonaceous material and a metal material, and conductive polymer nanowires.
14. The energy storage device of claim 12 , wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of polyaniline, polythiophene, polypyrrol, PEDOT and carbon black.
15. The energy storage device of claim 12 , wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of Zn, Co, Ni, Li, Ru, TiO 2 , PbO 2 , RuO 2 , IrO 2 , MnO 2 , Fe 3 O 4 , In 2 O 3 , WO 3 , SnO 2 , V 2 O 5 , Ni(OH) 2 , Ni(OOH), LiCoO 2 , Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , and Ir 0.3 Mn 0.7 O 2 .
16. The energy storage device of claim 12 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes; and
wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon black.
17. The energy storage device of claim 12 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a first density; and
wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a second density.
18. The energy storage device of claim 12 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises metal nanowires; and
wherein said second layer of electrical conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes.
19. The energy storage device of claim 12 :
wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a first electrical conducting property; and
wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a second electrical conducting property different than said first electrical conducting property.
20. The energy storage device of claim 12 , further comprising a conductive polymer protective layer disposed between the first nanostructured network and the second nanostructured network.
21. The energy storage device of claim 12 , wherein the first nanostructured network has a thickness that is greater or less than the second nanostructured network.
22. The energy storage device of claim 12 , wherein the first nanostructured network interpenetrates the second nanostructured network to form a composite structure.