IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,516,282
Granted Patent B2
US 10,516,282 · App. 15/324,302 · Granted Dec 24, 2019

Secondary electrochemical cell and charging method

Inventors: David Ensling (Ellwangen, DE); Edward Pytlik (Ellwangen, DE); Stefanie Scholz (Ellwangen, DE); Claudio Schula (Ellwangen, DE)
Assignee: VARTA Microbattery GmbH
H02J7/007H01G11/32H01G11/46H01G11/52H01G11/60H01G11/74H01G11/78H01G11/82H01M4/24H01M4/32H01M4/52H01M4/583H01M10/24H01M10/30H01M10/34H01M10/443H01M10/52H01M12/005H02J7/0091H01G11/30H01M4/242H01M4/248H01M4/364H01M4/38H01M4/383H01M4/48H01M10/26H01M2004/021H01M2010/4292H01M2300/0002H01M2300/0014H02J7/345
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,516,282
App. No.
15/324,302
Granted
Dec 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A secondary electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode including as an output conductor, a metallic or metal-coated open-pore form or a metallic or metal-coated nonwoven, as a carbon-based storage material that enables storage of electrical charge in the electrode through formation of an electrical double layer (Helmholtz double layer), activated carbon having a BET surface area of at least 800 m 2 /g, a non-carbon-based H2 storage material that can chemisorb hydrogen and/or store it as a metal hydride, a positive electrode including as an output conductor, a metallic or metal-coated open-pore form or a metallic or metal-coated nonwoven, and nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide, a porous separator that separates the negative electrode and the positive electrode from one another, an aqueous alkaline electrolyte with which the electrodes and the separator are soaked, and a housing that encases the electrodes, the separator and the electrolyte.

Claims (48)

1. A secondary electrochemical cell comprising:

a negative electrode comprising

an output conductor,

at least 5% by weight of a carbon-based storage material that enables storage of electrical charge in the electrode through formation of an electrical double layer (Helmholtz double layer), wherein the carbon-based storage material is activated carbon having a BET surface area of at least 800 m 2 /g, and

at least one non-carbon-based H2 storage material selected from the group consisting of AB 2 , AB 5 , A 2 B 7 and AB 3 alloys and can chemisorb hydrogen and/or store it as a metal hydride,

wherein the carbon-based storage material and the H2 storage material are homogenously distributed in the negative electrode,

a positive electrode containing

an output conductor, and

nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide,

a porous separator that separates the negative electrode and the positive electrode from one another,

an aqueous alkaline electrolyte with which the electrodes and the separator are soaked, and

a housing that encases the electrodes, the separator and the electrolyte.

2. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary electrode electrically connected to the negative electrode to dissipate any oxygen pressure arising in the housing.

3. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode has a lower capacity than the negative electrode.

4. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing has a gas- and liquid-tight configuration.

5. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the H2 storage material in the negative electrode is 50% by weight to 95% by weight.

6. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode contains the nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide in a proportion of 10% by weight to 100% by weight.

7. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carbon-based storage material and/or the H2 storage material are homogeneously distributed in the negative electrode.

8. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode has a first subregion in which the carbon-based storage material is enriched, and a second subregion in which the H2 storage material is enriched.

9. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the carbon-based storage material has been applied to an exterior of the output conductor of the negative electrode.

10. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode and/or negative electrode are layers having a thickness of 50 μm to 500 μm.

11. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte contains a dissolved hydroxide compound in a proportion of 0.1 M to 10 M and optionally includes a sulfate compound in a concentration of 0.001% to 0.1% by weight.

12. A method of charging the electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, during a charging operation, the ambient temperature and/or the temperature of the electrochemical element is measured and, upon exceeding a selected temperature threshold, the loading voltage is lowered by a value of 0.6 mV/° C. to 1.8 mV/° C.

13. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the output conductor of the negative electrode comprises a metallic or metal-coated open-pore foam, a metallic or metal-coated nonwoven, or a metal foil.

14. The secondary electrochemical cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the output conductor of the positive electrode comprises a metallic or metal-coated open-pore foam, a metallic or metal-coated nonwoven, or a metal foil.

15. A secondary electrochemical cell comprising:

a negative electrode comprising

an output conductor,

at least 5% by weight to 15% by weight of a carbon-based storage material that enables storage of electrical charge in the electrode through formation of an electrical double layer (Helmholtz double layer), wherein the carbon-based storage material is activated carbon having a BET surface area of at least 800 m 2 /g, and

at least one non-carbon-based H2 storage material selected from the group consisting of AB 2 AB 5 , A 2 B 7 and AB 3 alloys and can chemisorb hydrogen and/or store it as a metal hydride,

wherein the carbon-based storage material and the H2 storage material are homogenously distributed in the negative electrode,

a positive electrode containing

an output conductor, and

nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide,

a porous separator that separates the negative electrode and the positive electrode from one another,

an aqueous alkaline electrolyte with which the electrodes and the separator are soaked, and

a housing that encases the electrodes, the separator and the electrolyte.

16. A secondary electrochemical cell comprising:

a negative electrode comprising

an output conductor,

at least 5% by weight of a carbon-based storage material that enables storage of electrical charge in the electrode through formation of an electrical double layer (Helmholtz double layer), wherein the carbon-based storage material is activated carbon having a BET surface area of at least 800 m 2 /g, and

a non-carbon-based H2 storage material that is an A 2 B 7 alloy and can chemisorb hydrogen and/or store it as a metal hydride,

a positive electrode containing

an output conductor, and

nickel hydroxide and/or nickel oxyhydroxide,

a porous separator that separates the negative electrode and the positive electrode from one another,

an aqueous alkaline electrolyte with which the electrodes and the separator are soaked, and

a housing that encases the electrodes, the separator and the electrolyte.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2017
From: ENSLING, DAVID; PYTLIK, EDWARD; SCHOLZ, STEFANIE; SCHULA, CLAUDIO
To: VARTA MICROBATTERY GMBH
Reel/Frame 040869/0276 →
Priority Claims (2)
EP 14176415 · Jul 9, 2014 · regional
DE 10 2014 223 194 · Nov 13, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170194795A1 · Jul 6, 2017