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AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsThomas A. Yersak, James R. Salvador
Estimating the term…
Fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes suitable for use in a cell employing an anode comprising an alkali metal are disclosed. Such fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes may be at least partially amorphous and prepared by compacting, at elevated temperatures, powders of an ion-conducting composition appropriate to the anode alkali metal. The separators/solid electrolytes may employ discrete high aspect ratio fibers and fiber mats or plate-like mineral particles to reinforce the separator solid electrolyte. The reinforcing fibers may be inorganic, such as silica-based glass, or organic, such as a thermoplastic. In the case of thermoplastic fiber-reinforced separators/solid electrolytes, any of a wide range of thermoplastic compositions may be selected provided the glass transition temperature of the polymer reinforcement composition is selected to be higher than the glass transition temperature of the amorphous portion of the separator/solid electrolyte.
A separator/solid electrolyte for an electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising an alkali metal, a cathode, and the separator/solid electrolyte in the form of a thin sheet, the separator/solid electrolyte sheet comprising electrically and ionically non-conducting, fiber reinforcements, distributed and embedded in a continuous ion-conducting matrix for conduction of cations of the alkali metal, at least a portion of the ion-conducting matrix being amorphous, the amorphous portion having a glass transition temperature, the separator/solid electrolyte sheet having a thickness and two opposing sheet faces, one of the sheet faces being adapted for face-to-face contact with the alkali metal anode and the opposing sheet face for face-to-face contact with the cathode of the electrochemical cell.
An electrochemical cell comprising an anode comprising an alkali metal, a cathode, and a separator/solid electrolyte in the form of a thin sheet, the separator/solid electrolyte sheet comprising electrically and ionically non-conducting, fiber reinforcements, distributed and imbedded in a continuous ion-conducting matrix for conduction of cations of the alkali metal, at least a portion of the ion-conducting matrix being amorphous, the separator/solid electrolyte sheet having a thickness and two opposing sheet faces, one of the sheet faces being in face-to-face contact with the alkali metal anode and the opposing sheet face being in face-to-face contact with the cathode of the electrochemical cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.