Secondary cell using organosulfur/metal charge transfer materials as positive electrode

Abstract

A novel battery cell is disclosed which is characterized by a metal-organosulfur positive electrode which has one or more metal-sulfur bonds wherein when the positive electrode is charged and discharged, the formal oxidation state of the metal is changed. The positive electrode has the general formula (M'.sup.z.spsp.+.sub.(c/z) [M.sub.q (RS.sub.y).sub.x.sup.c- ]).sub.n wherein z=1 or 2; y=1 to 20; x=1 to 10; c=0 to 10; n.gtoreq.1; and q=1 to 10; wherein M' is a metal or other cation; wherein M is any multivalent metal, and when n is >1, can be a different multivalent metal in different repeat units of the polymeric metal-organosulfur materials; wherein R is an organic group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms comprising one or more organic moieties selected from the group consisting of aliphatic chains, aromatic rings, alicyclic rings and combinations of aliphatic chains, aromatic rings, and alicylic rings, with the proviso that R does not comprise fused aromatic rings; wherein said aliphatic chains, aromatic and alicyclic rings may include one or more oxygen, sulfur, silicon, phosphorous or nitrogen heteroatoms, and which may be substituted with one or more electron withdrawing groups; and wherein each aliphatic chain may be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated; and wherein when n>1, R can be different in different repeat units of the polymeric materials. Gel, solid-state and liquid batteries using said novel positive electrode are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.