Hybrid electrode for metal/air cells
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsDieter Groppel, Gisela Siemsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid electrode for metal/air cells of the type having a hydrophilic layer of nickel on the electrolyte side for the precipitation of oxygen, hydrophobic layer of plastic on the gas side and a hydrophobic layer of carbon between these two layers which contains an embedded metallic structure for use in dissolving oxygen, in which the metallic structure of the carbon layer is firmly connected to the nickel layer and protrudes on at least partially on the gas side beyond the carbon layer and into the plastic layer, the plastic layer also having a metallic structure embedded therein which is firmly connected to the part of the metallic structure protruding from the carbon layer.
Claims18
A hybrid electrode for use in metal/air cells of the type having a hydrophilic layer of nickel on the electrolyte side for use in oxygen precipitation, a hydrophobic layer of plastic on the gas side and a hydrophobic layer of carbon between said two layers, the carbon layer containing an embedded metallic structure and being used for the dissolution of oxygen, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a. a metallic structure embedded in the carbon layer which is firmly connected on the electrolyte side to the nickel layer, with the metallic structure protruding at least partially on the gas side beyond the carbon layer and into the plastic layer;
- and
- b. a metallic structure embedded in the plastic layer, said metallic structure being firmly connected to the portion of the metallic structure embedded in the carbon layer which protrudes into the plastic layer.
A hybrid electrode for use in metal/air cells of the type having ahydrophilic layer of nickel on the electrolyte side for use in oxygen precipitation, a hydrophobic layer of plastic on the gas side and a hydrophobic layer of carbon between said two layers, the carbon layer containing an embedded metallic structure and being used for the dissolution of oxygen wherein the improvement comprises:
- a. a metallic structure comprising at least a plurality of nickel wires arranged in the form of a rung wall embedded in a carbon layer consisting of carbon, a binder and approximately 20 to 30% by weight of plastic, said rung wall of wires being firmly connected on the electrolyte side to the nickel layer and protruding on the gas side at least partially beyond the carbon layer into the plastic layer;
- and
- b. a metallic structure comprising an expanded metal sheet of nickel embedded in the plastic layer, said expanded sheet of nickel being firmly connected with the portion of the wires of the rung wall protruding into the plastic layer with the plastic in said plastic layer and the plastic in said carbon layer being polytetrafluoreothylene.
A method for manufacturing a hybrid electrode for metal/air cells, said electrode being of the type having a hydrophilic layer of nickel on the electrolyte side for oxygen precipitation, a hydrophobic layer of plastic on the gas side and a hydrophobic layer of carbon between said two layers, said carbon layer containing an embedded metallic structure and being used for the dissolution of oxygen comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a hydrophilic nickel layer;
- b. connecting a first metal structure to said nickel layer by spot welding;
- c. placing a mixture of carbon and a hydrophobic plastic in the recesses in said metal structure;
- d. applying pressure to produce a carbon layer;
- e. exposing the surface of the metal structure facing away from the nickel layer;
- f. enclosing a second metal structure in a hydrophobic plastic such that isolated metallic areas remain free of plastic;
- g. connecting the isolated metallic areas of the said second metal structure to the exposed surface of the first metal structure by spot welding;
- h. applying a hydrophobic plastic to the second metal structure so as to completely embed said second metal structure in a plastic layer that extends up to the carbon layer;
- and
- i. sintering the structure so formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.