# US 2021/0280932 A1 · Metal air battery, method of manufacturing the same, apparatus including the metal air battery, and system and method of controlling the metal air battery

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- Number: US 2021/0280932 A1
- Document ID: US20210280932A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/176,490
- Filed: 2021-02-16
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Heungchan LEE; Hyunpyo LEE; Jungock PARK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210280932A1

## CPC

- H01M 12/08: composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
- H01M 4/861: {with a gradient in the porosity}
- H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00)
- H01M 12/02: Details (of electrodes H01M4/00; of non-active parts H01M50/00)
- H01M 12/06: with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
- H01M 2004/021: {Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area}
- H01M 2300/0065: Solid electrolytes
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- 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 metal air battery apparatus includes: a metal air cell including a cathode layer including pores, an anode layer facing the cathode layer, and a solid electrolyte layer between the cathode layer and the anode layer; and a controller configured to control at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell based on a porosity of the cathode layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A metal air battery apparatus comprising:
a metal air cell comprising
a cathode layer comprising pores,
an anode layer facing the cathode layer, and
a solid electrolyte layer between the cathode layer and the anode layer; and
a controller configured to control at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell based on a porosity of the cathode layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathode layer comprises a mixed ionic-electronic conductor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathode layer comprises:
an electron conductive layer that provides a path for oxygen flow; and
an ion conductive layer that provides a path for oxygen flow.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porosity of the cathode layer is in a range of about 0.2 to about 0.9, based on a total volume of the cathode layer of 1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal air cell further comprises:
a first electrode terminal;
a second electrode terminal; and
a port in fluid communication with the cathode layer,
wherein the port is configured to permit determination of the porosity of the cathode layer.

### Claim 6

A metal air battery apparatus comprising:
a metal air battery comprising
a first metal air cell comprising
a first cathode layer comprising pores,
a first anode layer facing the first cathode layer, and
a solid electrolyte layer between the first cathode layer and the first anode layer, and
a second cell at a location different from a location of the first metal air cell; and
a controller configured to control at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the first metal air cell based on a porosity of the first cathode layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein
the second cell comprises a second metal air cell comprising a second cathode layer comprising pores, and
a porosity of the second cathode layer is the same as or different from the porosity of the first cathode layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the second metal air cell based on the porosity of the second cathode layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller comprises:
a first controller configured to control at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the first metal air cell based on the porosity of the first cathode layer; and
a second controller configured to control at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the second metal air cell based on the porosity of the second cathode layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first cathode layer comprises a mixed ionic electronic conductor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second cathode layer comprises a mixed ionic electronic conductor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first metal air cell further comprises:
a first electrode terminal,
a second electrode terminal, and
a port in fluid communication with first cathode layer,
wherein the port is configured to permit determination of the porosity of the first cathode layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second metal air cell comprises:
a second anode layer facing the second cathode layer,
a solid electrolyte layer between the second cathode layer and the second anode layer,
a first electrode terminal,
a second electrode terminal, and
a port in fluid communication with second cathode layer,
wherein the port is configured to permit determination of the porosity of the second cathode layer.

### Claim 14

A metal air cell comprising:
a cathode layer comprising a mixed ionic electronic conductor;
an anode layer facing the cathode layer; and
a solid electrolyte layer between the cathode layer and the anode layer, wherein
a porosity P1 of the cathode layer satisfies Equation 2
(−0.122 ln(R)+0.3)≤P1≤(−0.122 ln(R)+0.5),
wherein R is a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell and is in a range of about 0.01 C to about 2.3 C.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The metal air cell of claim 14, wherein the porosity of the cathode layer is in a range of about 0.2 to about 0.6, based on a total volume of the cathode layer of 1.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The metal air cell of claim 14, wherein the porosity of the cathode layer is in a range of about 0.2 to about 0.4, based on a total volume of the cathode layer of 1.

### Claim 17

A method of operating a metal air cell, the method comprising:
determining a porosity of a cathode layer of the metal air cell;
determining a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell according to Equation 3
e((P1−0.3)/−0.122)≤R≤e((P1−0.5)/−0.122),
wherein P1 is the porosity of the cathode layer of the metal air cell and R is a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell; and
controlling at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell such that at least one of a charge rate or a discharge rate of the metal air cell satisfies Equation 3.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, comprising controlling the charge rate of the metal air cell.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, comprising controlling the discharge rate of the metal air cell.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein P1 is in a range of about 0.2 to about 0.9, based on a total volume of the cathode layer of 1.

### Claim 21 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the electron conductive layer and the ion conductive layer is in fluid communication with a source of oxygen.