Methods for preparing non-corrosive, electroactive, conductive organic polymers
AssigneeMoltech Corporation
InventorsIgor P. Kovalev, Dawn M. Sloane, Boris A. Trofimov
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Abstract
Provided are methods for preparing non-corrosive, electroactive, conductive organic polymers, such as for use in electrochemical cells, wherein the non-corrosive polymers are formed by treatment of electroactive, conductive organic polymer compositions, comprising corrosive anions, with sulfide anions. Also provided are non-corrosive conductive organic polymers prepared by such methods, composite cathodes comprising such polymers, electrochemical cells comprising such cathodes, and methods of preparing such composite cathodes and cells.
Claims30
A method for preparing an electroactive, conductive organic polymer in its oxidized state, wherein said electroactive, conductive polymer comprises (i) a positively charged polymer and (ii) one or more sulfide anions;
- wherein said method comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing a dispersion of said positively charged polymer and an anion other than a sulfide anion, in a liquid medium comprising water;
- (b) treating the dispersion of step (a) with a solution comprising water and sulfide anions, thereby forming a dispersion of said electroactive, conductive organic polymer in a liquid medium;
- (c) separating said electroactive, conductive organic polymer of step (b) from said liquid medium of step (b);
- and
- (d) drying the polymer separated in step (c) to remove residual amounts of said liquid medium of step (b) to form said electroactive, conductive organic polymer;
- wherein said positively charged polymer is selected from the group consisting of positively charged polypyrroles, positively charged polyanilines, positively charged polythiophenes, positively charged [M″(Sm)x−n]y polymers, and positively charged [M′]p[{M″(Sm)x−n}y]z polymers wherein:
- M′is a non-conductive repeating unit of the polymer and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- M″is a conductive repeating unit of the polymer and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- n is an integer from 0 to 3 and is the same or different at each occurrence, with the proviso that the number of (Sm)x− moieties in the positively charged polymer is equal to or greater than 1;
- y is an integer from 8 to 1000;
- m is an integer from 3 to 200 and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- x is an integer from 0 to 2 and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- p is an integer from 2 to 20,000;
- and
- z is an integer from 1 to 100, where z is less than or equal to p.
An electroactive, conductive organic polymer, wherein in its oxidized state said polymer comprises (i) a positively charged polymer selected from the group consisting of positively charged polypyrroles, positively charged polyanilines, positively charged polythiophenes, positively charged [M″(Sm)x−n]y polymers, and positively charged [M′]p[{M″(Sm)x−n}y]z polymers and (ii) one or more sulfide anions;
- wherein:
- M′is a non-conductive repeating unit of the polymer and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- M″is a conductive repeating unit of the polymer and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- n is an integer from 0 to 3 and is the same or different at each occurrence, with the proviso that the number of (Sm)x− moieties in the positively charged polymer is equal to or greater than 1;
- y is an integer from 8 to 1000;
- m is an integer from 3 to 200 and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- x is an integer from 0 to 2 and is the same or different at each occurrence;
- p is an integer from 2 to 20,000;
- and
- z is an integer from 1 to 100, where z is less than or equal to p;
- wherein said electroactive, conductive organic polymer is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dispersion of said positively charged polymer and an anion other than a sulfide anion, in a liquid medium comprising water;
- (b) treating the dispersion of step (a) with a solution comprising water and sulfide anions thereby forming a dispersion of said electroactive, conductive organic polymer in a liquid medium;
- (c) separating the electroactive, conductive organic polymer of step (b) from the liquid medium of step (b);
- and
- (d) drying the polymer separated in step (c) to remove residual amounts of said liquid medium of step (b) to form said electroactive, conductive organic polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.