Preparation of electrodes and Ni/MHx electrochemical storage cell
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorHong S. Lim
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Abstract
An electrode (40) for a Ni/MHx storage cell (47) is prepared by providing a substrate (62) and providing an active material in a finely divided form. A paste (60) of a mixture of the active material, optionally a finely divided carbon powder, and a solution of a polymer in an organic solvent is formed. The paste (60) is coated onto the substrate (62). The paste-coated substrate (62) is immersed into water to wash away the organic solvent and to precipitate the polymer, completing the anode fabrication. This electrode (40) is assembled with another electrode (44) and as a separator (46) between the electrodes (40 and 44) and provided with an electrolyte (50), to form the electrochemical cell (47).
Claims19
A method of preparing an electrode comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate;
- providing a hydride-forming metal alloy active material in a powdered form;
- preparing a paste comprising a mixture of the active material and a solution of a polymer in a water soluble organic solvent;
- coating the paste onto the substrate;
- and
- bonding the coated paste to the substrate comprises the step of
- washing away the organic solvent with water which precipitates the polymer such that the polymer deposits on solid particles of the active material and substrate material to form an interconnected porous holding structure around the particles.
A method of preparing an electrochemical storage cell, comprising the steps of:
- preparing a first electrode by the steps of:
- providing a first electrode substrate,
- providing a hydride-forming metal alloy active material in a powdered form,
- preparing a paste comprising a mixture of the active material and a solution of a polymer in a water soluble organic solvent,
- coating the paste onto the first electrode substrate, and
- bonding the coated paste to the substrate comprising the steps of:
- washing away the organic solvent with water which precipitates the polymer such that the polymer deposits on solid particles of the active material and substrate to form an interconnected porous holding structure around the particles;
- providing a second electrode;
- providing a separator;
- assembling a cell having the separator between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- and
- providing an electrolyte to the cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.