Electrochemical generators for producing current and new materials for their manufacture

Electrochemical generator for producing electrical current, comprising at least a negative electrode and at least a positive electrode separated from the negative electrode by means of a solid electrolyte, the negative electrode forming a "source" of material having a higher chemical potential, capable of supplying an alkali or ammonium cation at its interface with the electrolyte and the positive electrode forming a "well" at lower chemical potential for the non-ionized species corresponding to the above-said alkali cation, the electrolyte being of the type of those which enable the transfer of this alkali cation by ionic conduction from the negative electrode to the positive electrode, when the electrochemical reaction resulting from the production of current takes place, this generator comprising an electrolyte constituted at least in part by a solid solution of an ionic compound entirely dissolved within a solid, plastic macromolecular material and in which:

• the ionic compound has the formula M.sup.+ X.sup.- in which M is a cation derivative of an alkali metal or from the ammonium ion, this cation corresponding at least in part to the cation supplied by the negative electrode at its interface with the electrolyte and X.sup.- is an anion of a strong acid,
• the said macromolecular material being constituted at least in part by a member of the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers derivative of one or several monomers comprising at least one heteroatom notably oxygen or nitrogen, capable of forming donor-acceptor type bonds with the cation M.sup.+.