Zinc electrodes for batteries
AssigneeThe Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsJoseph F. Parker, Jeffrey W. Long, Debra R. Rolison
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Abstract
An article having a continuous network of zinc and a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network. The zinc network is a fused, monolithic structure. A method of: providing an emulsion having a zinc powder and a liquid phase; drying the emulsion to form a sponge; annealing and/or sintering the sponge to form an annealed and/or sintered sponge; heating the annealed and/or sintered sponge in an oxidizing atmosphere to form an oxidized sponge having zinc oxide on the surface of the oxidized sponge; and electrochemically reducing the zinc oxide to form a zinc metal sponge.
Claims8
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- an anode current collector;
- an anode in electrical contact with the anode current collector;
- wherein the anode is made by a method comprising:
- providing a mixture comprising a metallic zinc powder and a liquid phase emulsion;
- drying the mixture to form a sponge;
- annealing and/or sintering the sponge in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum at a temperature below the melting point of zinc to form an annealed sponge having a metallic zinc surface;
- and
- heating the annealed sponge in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature above the melting point of zinc to form an oxidized sponge comprising a zinc oxide shell on the surface of the oxidized sponge;
- wherein the anode comprises:
- a continuous network comprising metallic zinc;
- a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network;
- and
- metallic zinc bridges connecting metallic zinc particle cores;
- an electrolyte filling the void space;
- a cathode current collector;
- a cathode comprising nickel, nickel hydroxide, or nickel oxyhydroxide in electrical contact with the cathode current collector;
- and
- a separator between the anode and the cathode.
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- an anode current collector;
- an anode in electrical contact with the anode current collector;
- wherein the anode is made by a method comprising:
- providing a mixture comprising a metallic zinc powder and a liquid phase emulsion;
- drying the mixture to form a sponge;
- annealing and/or sintering the sponge in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum at a temperature below the melting point of zinc to form an annealed sponge having a metallic zinc surface;
- heating the annealed sponge in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature above the melting point of zinc to form an oxidized sponge comprising a zinc oxide shell on the surface of the oxidized sponge;
- and
- electrochemically reducing the zinc oxide to form a zinc metal sponge;
- wherein the anode comprises:
- less than 5 wt. % of zinc oxide;
- a continuous network comprising metallic zinc;
- a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network;
- and
- metallic zinc bridges connecting metallic zinc particle cores;
- an electrolyte filling the void space;
- a cathode current collector;
- a cathode comprising nickel, nickel hydroxide, or nickel oxyhydroxide in electrical contact with the cathode current collector;
- and
- a separator between the anode and the cathode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.