# US 12,002,951 B2 · Buffer interlayers in membraneless high voltage batteries

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- Number: US 12,002,951 B2
- Document ID: US12002951B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/365,691
- Filed: 2021-07-01
- Published: 2022-01-06
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-02
- Assignees: Urban Electric Power Inc.
- Applicants: Urban Electric Power Inc.
- Inventors: Gautam G. Yadav; Aditya Upreti; Meir Weiner; Jinchao Huang; Xia Wei; Sanjoy Banerjee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002951B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/42: Alloys based on zinc
- H01M 4/364: {as mixtures}
- H01M 4/38: of elements or alloys
- H01M 4/48: of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
- H01M 4/505: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
- H01M 4/622: {being polymers}
- H01M 4/625: {Carbon or graphite}
- H01M 4/661: {Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence)}
- H01M 4/662: {Alloys (collectors of lead alloys H01M4/685)}
- H01M 10/36: Accumulators not provided for in groups H01M10/05-H01M10/34
- H01M 2300/0011: Sulfuric acid-based
- H01M 2300/0014: Alkaline electrolytes
- H01M 2300/0085: Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A membraneless battery comprising a cathode comprising a cathode electroactive material; an anode comprising an anode electroactive material; a catholyte in contact with the cathode, wherein the catholyte is not in contact with the anode; an anolyte in contact with the anode, wherein the anolyte is not in contact with the cathode; and one or more buffer interlayers disposed between the anolyte and the catholyte. The catholyte has a pH of less than 4, and the anolyte has a pH of greater than 10. The one or more buffer interlayers regulate a pH in the battery. The anode electroactive material comprises a Zn electroactive material. At least one of the one or more buffer interlayers comprises a weak acid and its conjugate base; and/or at least one of the one or more buffer interlayers comprises a weak base and its conjugate acid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A buffer interlayer battery comprising:
a cathode comprising a cathode electroactive material;
an anode comprising an anode electroactive material;
a catholyte in contact with the cathode, wherein the catholyte is not in contact with the anode, and wherein the catholyte has a pH of less than 4;
an anolyte in contact with the anode, wherein the anolyte is not in contact with the cathode, and wherein the anolyte has a pH of greater than 10; and
one or more buffer interlayers disposed between the anolyte and the catholyte, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers regulate a pH in the battery, and wherein the buffer interlayer battery does not comprise an ion-exchange membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers are gelled or polymerized.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more buffer interlayers individually has an acidic pH value of less than 7, a neutral pH value of 7, or a basic pH value of greater than 7.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers comprise at least two buffer interlayers, and wherein the buffer interlayers have the same or different pH values.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers comprise at least one acidic buffer interlayer and at least one basic buffer interlayer; wherein the at least one acidic buffer interlayer contacts the anolyte; and wherein the at least one basic buffer interlayer contacts the catholyte.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more buffer interlayers individually comprises (i) a weak acid and a conjugate base, and/or (ii) a weak base and a conjugate acid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more buffer interlayers individually comprises a buffer system selected from the group consisting of (a) sodium acetate, acetic acid; with a pH value of about 4 to about 4.5; (b) potassium phosphate monobasic, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 7; (c) potassium hydrogen phthalate; with a pH value of about 4; (d) potassium carbonate, potassium tetraborate, potassium hydroxide, disodium EDTA dihydrate; with a pH value of about 10; (e) Tris buffered saline (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, Tris/Tris-HCl); with a pH value of about 7.4; (f) potassium phosphate monobasic, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 8; (g) potassium phosphate monobasic, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 6; (h) potassium acid phthalate, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 5; (i) potassium chloride, hydrochloric acid; with a pH value of about 1; (j) potassium chloride, hydrochloric acid; with a pH value of about 2; (k) boric acid, potassium chloride, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 9; (l) Tris-EDTA; with a pH value of about 8; (m) Tris hydrochloride; with a pH value of about 7.5; (n) potassium acid phthalate, hydrochloric acid; with a pH value of about 3; (o) buffer concentrate; with a pH value of about 11; (p) buffer solution concentrate; with a pH value of about 6; (q) sodium chloride-Tris-EDTA; with a pH value of about 8; (r) Tris-acetate-EDTA, Tris-borate-EDTA, phosphate buffer, borax standard buffer, Tris-glycine-SDS; with varying pH values; (s) disodium phosphate, citric acid; with a pH value of about 3 to about 8; (t) citric acid, monopotassium phosphate, boric acid, diethyl barbituric acid; with a pH value of about 2.6 to about 12; (u) dihydrogen potassium phosphate, sodium phosphate dibasic; with a pH value of about 7; (v) potassium hydrogen phthalate, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 5; (w) potassium biphthalate, sodium hydroxide; with a pH value of about 5; or (x) any combinations of (a)-(w).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery is characterized by an average discharge potential of from about 2 V to about 5 V.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery is characterized by an average discharge potential of equal to or greater than about 3 V.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anolyte comprises a first gelled or polymerized electrolyte solution, and wherein the catholyte comprises a second gelled or polymerized electrolyte solution.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery is a solid state battery.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the cathode electroactive material comprises at least one of a manganese oxide, manganese dioxide (MnO2), Mn2O3, Mn3O4, MnO; a manganese hydroxide, MnOOH, Mn(OH)2; a silver oxide, AgO, Ag2O; silver (Ag); nickel (Ni); a nickel oxide, NiO, Ni2O3; a nickel hydroxide, NiOOH, Ni(OH)2; a cobalt oxide, Co3O4, CoO; a cobalt hydroxide; lead (Pb); a lead oxide, PbO, PbO2; a copper oxide; copper (Cu); a copper hydroxide; potassium iron oxide (K2FeO4); barium iron oxide (BaFeO4); copper hexacyanoferrate; lithium iron phosphate; lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide; a lithium manganese oxide, LiMn2O4, Li2MnO3; calix[4]quinone; 1,4-napththoquinone; 9,10-anthraquinone; vanadium oxide; or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a conductive carbon, wherein the conductive carbon is mixed with the cathode electroactive material, and wherein the conductive carbon comprises graphite, carbon fiber, carbon black, acetylene black, single walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nickel coated carbon nanotubes, copper coated carbon nanotubes, dispersions of single walled carbon nanotubes, dispersions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphyne, graphene oxide, or any combinations thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises an additive and/or dopant, and wherein the additive and/or dopant comprises bismuth, bismuth oxide, copper oxide, copper, indium, indium hydroxide, indium oxide, aluminum, aluminum oxide, nickel, nickel hydroxide, nickel oxide, silver, silver oxide, cobalt, cobalt oxide, cobalt hydroxide, lead, lead oxide, lead dioxide, quinones, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a binder, and wherein the binder comprises methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPH), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxethylmethyl cellulose (HEMC), carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), polyvinyl alcohol, TEFLON, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a pressed cathode material on a current collector, wherein the current collector comprises carbon, lead, nickel, steel, stainless steel, nickel-coated steel, nickel plated copper, tin-coated steel, copper plated nickel, silver coated copper, copper, magnesium, aluminum, tin, iron, platinum, silver, gold, bismuth, titanium, cold rolled steel, half nickel and half copper, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The battery of claim 16, wherein the current collector is a foil, mesh, perforated foil, foam, felt, fibrous, porous block architecture, honey-combed mesh, sponge-shaped, or any combinations thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises 1-99 wt. % of a cathode electroactive material, 1-99 wt. % of a conductive carbon, 0-30 wt. % of an additive and/or dopant, and 0-10 wt. % of a binder, based on a total weight of the cathode.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode electroactive material comprises zinc (Zn); aluminum (Al); magnesium (Mg); iron (Fe); iron oxide, Fe2O3 Fe3O4; bismuth (Bi); indium (In); copper (Cu); a manganese oxide, manganese dioxide (MnO2), Mn2O3, Mn3O4; or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The battery of claim 19, wherein the anode electroactive material is a powder, foil, mesh, foam, sponge, perforated foil, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode electroactive material comprises a Zn electroactive material.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises conductive carbon, wherein the conductive carbon is mixed with the anode electroactive material, and wherein the carbon comprises graphite, carbon fiber, carbon black, acetylene black, single walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nickel coated carbon nanotubes, copper coated carbon nanotubes, dispersions of single walled carbon nanotubes, dispersions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphyne, graphene oxide, or any combinations thereof.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises an additive and/or dopant, and wherein the additive and/or dopant comprises bismuth, bismuth oxide, indium, indium oxide, indium hydroxide, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium dodecyl sulfate, calcium hydroxide, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, polyethylene glycol, zinc oxide, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises a binder, and wherein the binder comprises methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPH), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxethylmethyl cellulose (HEMC), carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), polyvinyl alcohol, TEFLON, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises a pressed anode material on a current collector, wherein the current collector comprises carbon, lead, nickel, steel, stainless steel, nickel-coated steel, nickel plated copper, tin-coated steel, copper plated nickel, silver coated copper, copper, magnesium, aluminum, tin, iron, platinum, silver, gold, bismuth, titanium, zinc, cold rolled steel, half nickel and half copper, polypropylene, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The battery of claim 25, wherein the current collector is a foil, mesh, perforated foil, foam, felt, fibrous, porous block architecture, honey-combed mesh, sponge-shaped, or any combinations thereof.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises 1-100 wt. % of a Zn electroactive material, 0-10 wt. % of a conductive carbon, 0-30 wt. % of an additive and/or dopant, and 0-10 wt. % of a binder, based on a total weight of the anode.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the catholyte comprises an acidic electrolyte; and wherein the acidic electrolyte comprises at least one of hydrogen phosphate, bicarbonates, ammonium cation, hydrogen sulfide, acetic acid, hydrogen fluoride, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen bromide, hydroiodic acid, triflic acid, or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The battery of claim 28, wherein the acidic electrolyte is present in the catholyte in a concentration of between about 0.1 M and about 16 M.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the catholyte comprises a catholyte additive; and wherein the catholyte additive comprises at least one of manganese sulfate, nickel sulfate, potassium permanganate, manganese chloride, manganese acetate, manganese triflate, bismuth chloride, bismuth nitrate, manganese nitrate, nickel sulfate, nickel nitrate, zinc sulfate, zinc chloride, zinc acetate, zinc triflate, indium chloride, copper sulfate, copper chloride, lead sulfate, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, ammonium chloride, vanillin, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, lithium nitrate, lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium acetate, lithium triflate, aluminum trifluoromethanesulfonate, aluminum chloride, aluminum nitrate, potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anolyte comprises an alkaline electrolyte; and wherein the alkaline electrolyte comprises at least one of ammonia, methylamine, glycine, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, caesium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The battery of claim 31, wherein the alkaline electrolyte is present in the anolyte in an amount of 20-60 wt. %, based on the total weight of the anolyte.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the anolyte comprises an anolyte additive; and wherein the anolyte additive comprises at least one of vanillin, indium hydroxide, zinc acetate, zinc oxide, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, polyethylene glycol, ethanol, methanol, zinc gluconate, glucose, or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1, wherein the catholyte, the anolyte, or both are gelled or polymerized.

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

The battery of claim 1,
wherein the anode electroactive material comprises a Zn electroactive material;
wherein the catholyte has a pH of less than 2;
wherein the anolyte has a pH of greater than 12;
wherein the one or more buffer interlayers comprise at least one acidic buffer interlayer and/or at least one basic buffer interlayer;
wherein the at least one acidic buffer interlayer, when present, contacts the anolyte; and
wherein the at least one basic buffer interlayer, when present, contacts the catholyte.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The battery of claim 35, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers are gelled or polymerized.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The battery of claim 35, wherein each of the one or more buffer interlayers individually comprises (i) a weak acid and a conjugate base, and/or (ii) a weak base and a conjugate acid.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The battery of claim 35, wherein the catholyte comprises an acidic electrolyte; wherein the acidic electrolyte comprises at least one of hydrogen phosphate, bicarbonates, ammonium cation, hydrogen sulfide, acetic acid, hydrogen fluoride, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen bromide, hydroiodic acid, triflic acid, or any mixture thereof; and wherein the acidic electrolyte is present in the catholyte in a concentration of between about 1 M and about 16 M.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The battery of claim 35, wherein the anolyte comprises an alkaline electrolyte; wherein the alkaline electrolyte comprises at least one of ammonia, methylamine, glycine, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, caesium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, or any mixture thereof; and wherein the alkaline electrolyte is present in the anolyte in an amount of 30-55 wt. %, based on the total weight of the anolyte.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The battery of claim 35, wherein the battery is characterized by an average discharge potential of from about 3 V to about 5 V.

### Claim 41 (depends on 35)

The battery of claim 35, wherein the catholyte, the anolyte, and the one or more buffer interlayers are gelled or polymerized; and wherein the battery is a solid state battery.

### Claim 42

A method of forming a buffer interlayer zinc (Zn)-anode battery, the method comprising:
disposing a catholyte in contact with a cathode, wherein the cathode comprises a cathode electroactive material, and wherein the catholyte has a pH of less than 4;
disposing an anolyte in contact with an anode, wherein the anode comprises a Zn electroactive material, and wherein the anolyte has a pH of greater than 10; and
disposing at least one buffer interlayer between the anolyte and the catholyte, wherein the catholyte is not in contact with the anode, wherein the anolyte is not in contact with the cathode, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers regulate a pH in the battery, and wherein the buffer interlayer zinc (Zn)-anode battery does not comprise an ion-exchange membrane.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, further comprising disposing the catholyte, the anolyte, the anode, the cathode, and the at least one buffer interlayer in a housing to form the buffer interlayer Zn-anode battery.

### Claim 44 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the at least one buffer interlayer is gelled or polymerized.

### Claim 45 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein each of the at least one buffer interlayer individually comprises (i) a weak acid and a conjugate base, and/or (ii) a weak base and a conjugate acid.

### Claim 46 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the catholyte comprises an acidic electrolyte; wherein the acidic electrolyte comprises at least one of hydrogen phosphate, bicarbonates, ammonium cation, hydrogen sulfide, acetic acid, hydrogen fluoride, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen bromide, hydroiodic acid, triflic acid, or any mixture thereof; and wherein the acidic electrolyte is present in the catholyte in a concentration of between about 1 M and about 16 M.

### Claim 47 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the anolyte comprises an alkaline electrolyte; wherein the alkaline electrolyte comprises at least one of ammonia, methylamine, glycine, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, caesium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, or any mixture thereof; and wherein the alkaline electrolyte is present in the anolyte in an amount of 30-55 wt. %, based on the total weight of the anolyte.

### Claim 48

A method for producing energy comprising:
discharging a buffer interlayer high voltage zinc (Zn)-anode battery to a discharge voltage to produce energy, wherein the buffer interlayer high voltage Zn-anode battery comprises:
a cathode comprising a cathode electroactive material;
an anode comprising an anode electroactive material, wherein the anode electroactive material comprises a Zn electroactive material comprising Zn, and wherein at least a portion of the Zn of the Zn electroactive material is oxidized during the discharging to form oxidized zinc;
a catholyte in contact with the cathode, wherein the catholyte is not in contact with the anode, and wherein the catholyte has a pH of less than 4;
an anolyte in contact with the anode, wherein the anolyte is not in contact with the cathode, and wherein the anolyte has a pH of greater than 10; and
one or more buffer interlayers disposed between the anolyte and the catholyte, wherein the one or more buffer interlayers regulate a pH in the battery, wherein the buffer interlayer high voltage Zn-anode batter does not comprise an ion exchange membrane; and
charging the high voltage Zn-anode battery to a charge voltage, wherein at least a portion of the oxidized zinc is reduced to Zn during the charging.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

The method of claim 48, wherein the discharge voltage is equal to or greater than about 3 V.

### Claim 50 (depends on 48)

The method of claim 48, wherein the catholyte, the anolyte, and the one or more buffer interlayers are gelled or polymerized; and wherein the battery is a solid state battery.