# US 12,763,317 B2 · Bipolar battery plate and fabrication thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,763,317 B2 - Document ID: US12763317B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/273,172 - Filed: 2022-01-25 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-26 - Assignees: Gridtential Energy, Inc. - Applicants: Gridtential Energy, Inc. - Inventors: Esteban M. Hinojosa; Collin Kwok Leung Mui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12763317B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/20: of pasted electrodes - H01M 4/0404: {by coating on electrode collectors} - H01M 4/043: {involving compressing or compaction} - H01M 2004/029: {Bipolar electrodes} - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY ## Abstract Apparatus and techniques described herein can be used to provide a bipolar battery plate with lower resistance as compared to other approaches. In an example, a bipolar plate comprises a conductive current collector substrate with lead-containing surfaces on both sides, onto which active materials are applied. Interfaces with low contact resistance can be created between the active materials and the current collector substrate by a combination of mechanical, thermochemical, and electrochemical techniques. Specifically, the present subject matter can include a bipolar plate fabricated by applying “wet,” (e.g., uncured) active materials to the current collector, and performing a curing procedure such that a corrosion layer with low contact resistance is formed between the active materials and the underlying surfaces of the current collector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing a bipolar battery plate having at least one active material layer, the method comprising: treating a first surface of a conductive substrate, the first surface comprising lead or a lead alloy; depositing a first wet active material paste upon a specified portion of the treated first surface, the first wet active material paste comprising lead or a lead oxide; patterning the first wet active material paste after deposition; and curing the first wet active material paste to provide an electrode having first conductivity type for the bipolar battery plate; wherein the bipolar battery plate is located in a stack of other respective bipolar battery plates, where respective bipolar battery plates are isolated from each other by a separator having controlled porosity at least during the curing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive substrate comprises an ohmic contact layer comprising a silicide; and wherein the first surface comprising the lead or the lead alloy is located upon the ohmic contact layer, the lead or the lead alloy forming an adhesion layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the lead or lead alloy is applied to the ohmic contact layer using at least one of a plating process or a coating process. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first wet active material paste is patterned to provide stress-relief features that regulate cohesion of the first wet active material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first wet active material paste is patterned at least in part using a support web other than the conductive substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first wet active material paste is also patterned prior to deposition of the first wet active material paste upon a specified portion of the treated first surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein treating the first surface of the conductive substrate comprises etching or roughening the first surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein treating the first surface comprises embossing or otherwise stamping the first surface. ### Claim 9 A method for providing a bipolar battery plate, the method comprising: treating a first surface of a conductive substrate, the first surface comprising lead or a lead alloy; treating a second surface of the conductive substrate opposite the first surface, the second surface comprising lead or a lead alloy; depositing a first wet active material paste upon a specified portion of the treated first surface, the first wet active material paste comprising lead; depositing a different second wet active material paste upon a specified portion of the treated second surface, the second wet active material paste comprising lead dioxide; and curing the first wet active material paste and the second wet active material paste contemporaneously to provide a first battery electrode having a first conductivity type upon the first surface and a second battery electrode having an opposite second conductivity type upon the second surface; wherein the bipolar battery plate is located in a stack of other respective bipolar battery plates, where respective bipolar battery plates are isolated from each other by a separator having controlled porosity at least during the curing; and wherein pressure is applied to place a stack of the respective bipolar battery plates in compression at least during the curing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first surface comprising the lead or the lead alloy is located upon a first ohmic contact layer; wherein the second surface comprising the lead or the lead alloy is located upon a second ohmic contact layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein pressure is applied to place a stack of respective bipolar battery plates in compression at least during the curing to form corrosion layers while the bipolar plates are isolated from each other by the separators having controlled porosity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the bipolar battery plate is separated from the other respective bipolar battery plates after curing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first wet active material paste or the second wet active material paste is patterned prior to the curing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, comprising patterning the first wet active material paste after deposition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first wet active material paste is patterned to provide stress-relief features that regulate cohesion of the first wet active paste. ### Claim 16 A method for providing a bipolar battery plate, comprising: forming a conductive substrate; forming an ohmic contact layer upon a first surface of the substrate; forming an adhesion layer upon the ohmic contact layer, the adhesion layer comprising lead or a lead alloy; depositing a first wet active material paste upon a specified portion of the first surface, the first wet active material comprising lead or a lead oxide, the first wet active material paste including a patterned surface or profile; and curing the first wet active material paste including using multiple phases of curing defining different environmental conditions including varying at least one of temperature or humidity during a respective phase to form a corrosion layer, with at least two phases including elevated temperature versus ambient, the curing to provide an electrode having first conductivity type for the bipolar battery plate; wherein the bipolar battery plate is located in a stack of other respective bipolar battery plates, where respective bipolar battery plates are isolated from each other by a separator having controlled porosity at least during the curing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, comprising wetting a surface of at least one of the adhesion layer or the first wet active material paste prior to deposition of the first wet active material paste. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the bipolar battery plate is located in a stack of other respective bipolar battery plates, where respective bipolar battery plates are isolated from each other by a separator at least during the curing; and wherein pressure is applied to place a stack of the respective bipolar battery plates in compression at least during the curing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the patterned surface or profile provides stress-relief features that regulate cohesion of the paste.