# US 12,191,504 B2 · Bipolar metal-air battery, air electrode manufacturing method, and collector manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,504 B2 - Document ID: US12191504B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/312,559 - Filed: 2019-12-11 - Published: 2022-03-24 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-25 - Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation - Applicants: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation - Inventors: Mikayo Iwata; Masaya Nohara; Hironobu Minowa; Shuhei Sakamoto; Takeshi Komatsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191504B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/8631: {Bipolar electrodes} - H01M 4/8825: {Methods for deposition of the catalytic active composition} - H01M 4/8882: {Heat treatment, e.g. drying, baking} - H01M 4/9016: {Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts} - H01M 4/9041: {Metals or alloys (H01M4/92 takes precedence)} - H01M 4/96: Carbon-based electrodes - H01M 12/06: with one metallic and one gaseous electrode - H01M 2004/8689: {Positive electrodes} - H01M 2004/8694: {Bipolar electrodes} - 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 The performance of a bipolar type metal air battery is improved while a low environmental load is maintained. The bipolar type metal air battery includes a plurality of cells including air electrodes composed of a co-continuous component having a 3D network structure in which a plurality of nanostructures are integrated by non-covalent bonds, negative electrodes, and an electrolyte disposed between the air electrode and the negative electrode, and a current collector disposed between the plurality of cells, and the plurality of cells are electrically connected in series, and the current collector is in close contact with the negative electrode using a biodegradable material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bipolar type metal air battery, comprising: a plurality of cells including an air electrode composed of a co-continuous component having a 3D network structure in which a plurality of nanostructures are integrated by non-covalent bonds, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte disposed between the air electrode and the negative electrode; and a current collector disposed between the plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of cells are electrically connected in series, and wherein the current collector is in contact with the negative electrode using a biodegradable material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the current collector is made of cloth, felt, a foil or a plate composed of at least one of carbon, copper, aluminum, zinc, iron, or calcium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the nanostructure of the air electrode is a nanosheet composed of at least one of carbon, iron oxide, manganese oxide, zinc oxide, molybdenum oxide, or molybdenum sulfide or a nanofiber composed of at least one of carbon, iron oxide, manganese oxide, zinc oxide, molybdenum oxide, molybdenum sulfide, or cellulose. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the air electrode supports a catalyst composed of at least one metal of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, or molybdenum or an oxide of at least one metal of calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, or molybdenum. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, the method comprising: a freezing process in which a sol or gel in which the nanostructure is dispersed is frozen to obtain a frozen component; and a drying process in which the frozen component is dried in a vacuum to obtain the co-continuous component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which iron oxide or manganese oxide nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; and a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which cellulose nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried; and a carbonization process in which the co-continuous component obtained by drying is heated and carbonized in a gas atmosphere in which cellulose does not burn. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A current collector production method which is a method of producing a current collector of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 1, the method comprising: a process in which a water-permeable material is made water impermeable using the biodegradable material; and a process in which the water impermeable material and the negative electrode are brought into contact with each other using the biodegradable material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 2, wherein the nanostructure of the air electrode is a nanosheet composed of at least one of carbon, iron oxide, manganese oxide, zinc oxide, molybdenum oxide, or molybdenum sulfide or a nanofiber composed of at least one of carbon, iron oxide, manganese oxide, zinc oxide, molybdenum oxide, molybdenum sulfide, or cellulose. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 2, wherein the air electrode supports a catalyst composed of at least one metal of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, or molybdenum or an oxide of at least one metal of calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, or molybdenum. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 3, wherein the air electrode supports a catalyst composed of at least one metal of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, or molybdenum or an oxide of at least one metal of calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, or molybdenum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 2, the method comprising: a freezing process in which a sol or gel in which the nanostructure is dispersed is frozen to obtain a frozen component; and a drying process in which the frozen component is dried in a vacuum to obtain the co-continuous component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 3, the method comprising: a freezing process in which a sol or gel in which the nanostructure is dispersed is frozen to obtain a frozen component; and a drying process in which the frozen component is dried in a vacuum to obtain the co-continuous component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 4, the method comprising: a freezing process in which a sol or gel in which the nanostructure is dispersed is frozen to obtain a frozen component; and a drying process in which the frozen component is dried in a vacuum to obtain the co-continuous component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 2, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which iron oxide or manganese oxide nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; and a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 3, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which iron oxide or manganese oxide nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; and a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 4, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which iron oxide or manganese oxide nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; and a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 2, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which cellulose nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried; and a carbonization process in which the co-continuous component obtained by drying is heated and carbonized in a gas atmosphere in which cellulose does not burn. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 3, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which cellulose nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried; and a carbonization process in which the co-continuous component obtained by drying is heated and carbonized in a gas atmosphere in which cellulose does not burn. ### Claim 20 (depends on 4) An air electrode production method which is a method of producing an air electrode of the bipolar type metal air battery according to claim 4, the method comprising: a gel production process in which a gel in which cellulose nanofibers are dispersed is produced by bacteria; a freezing process in which the gel is frozen; a drying process in which the frozen gel component is dried; and a carbonization process in which the co-continuous component obtained by drying is heated and carbonized in a gas atmosphere in which cellulose does not burn.