Electroactive high storage capacity polyacetylene-co-polysulfur materials and electrolytic cells containing same
AssigneeMoltech Corporation
InventorsTerje A. Skotheim, Boris Trofimov, Anastasiya Grigorevna Malkina, Igor P. Kovalev
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Abstract
The present invention relates to novel electroactive energy storing polyacetylene-co-polysulfur (PAS) materials of general formula (C.sub.2 S.sub.x).sub.n wherein x is greater than 1 to about 100, and n is equal to or greater than 2. This invention also relates to novel rechargeable electrochemical cells containing positive electrode materials comprised of said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur materials with improved storage capacity and cycle life at ambient and sub-ambient temperatures.
Claims24
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material effective to provide cathode activity, wherein said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material in its oxidized state is of the general formula I
- [--C.sub.2 S.sub.x --].sub.n I
- wherein x ranges from greater than 1 to about 100, and n is greater than or equal to 2;
- and
- wherein said polyacetylene-copolysulfur material is obtained from the polymerization of acetylene in the presence of a metal amide and sulfur.
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material effective to provide cathode activity, wherein said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material in its oxidized state is of the general formula I
- [--C.sub.2 S.sub.x --].sub.n I
- wherein x ranges from greater than 6 to about 100 and n is greater than 5.
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material, which in its oxidized state, comprises one or more of the polysulfur species of formulae II-VI ##STR7## wherein m is the same or different at each occurrence and is greater than 2;
- and
- wherein the --S.sub.m -- components of said polysulfur species are covalently attached by both of their terminal sulfur atoms to said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material and all of their non-terminal sulfur atoms have only sulfur-sulfur single bonds.
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material, which in its oxidized state, comprises one or more of the polysulfur species of formulae II-V ##STR8## wherein m is the same or different at each occurrence and is greater than 2;
- wherein said polysulfur species of formulae II, III, IV, or V is incorporated by attachment of its double-bonded carbon atoms into the polymer backbone chain of said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material.
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material, which in its oxidized state, comprises one or more of the polysulfur species of formulae II-VI ##STR9## wherein m is the same or different at each occurrence and is greater than 2;
- and
- wherein said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material is obtained from the polymerization of acetylene in the presence of a metal amide and sulfur.
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material, which in its oxidized state, comprises one or more of the polysulfur species of formulae II-VI ##STR10## wherein m is the same or different at each occurrence and is greater than 2;
- and
- wherein said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material is obtained from the reaction of polyethylene with sulfur at elevated temperatures.
A method of forming an electric current producing cell, which method comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing a solid anode comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to group IA and group IIA of the Periodic Table of the elements;
- (b) providing a solid composite cathode comprised of a polyacetylene-co- polysulfur material, which in its oxidized state, is of the general formula I
- [--C.sub.2 S.sub.x --].sub.n I
- wherein x ranges from greater than 6 to about 100 and n is greater than 5;
- and,
- (c) enclosing an electrolyte between said anode and said cathode.
A method of forming an electric current producing cell, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a solid anode comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to group IA and group IIA of the Periodic Table of the elements;
- (b) providing a solid cathode material comprised of a polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material, which in its oxidized state, comprises one or more polysulfur species of formulae II-VI;
- ##STR11## where m is the same or different at each occurrence and is greater than 2;
- and
- (c) enclosing an electrolyte between said anode and said cathode;
- wherein the --S.sub.m -- components of said polysulfur species are covalently attached by both of their terminal sulfur atoms to said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material and all of their non-terminal sulfur atoms have only sulfur--sulfur single bonds.
A method of forming a composite cathode, which method comprises the step of:
- coating an electrically conducting cathode substrate with a mixture comprising an amount of an electrochemically active polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material effective to provide cathode activity, wherein said polyacetylene-co-polysulfur material in its oxidized state is of the general formula I
- [--C.sub.2 S.sub.x --].sub.n I
- wherein x ranges from greater than 1 to about 100, and n is greater than or equal to 2;
- and
- wherein said polyacetylene-co-polymer material is obtained from the reaction of polyethylene with sulfur at elevated temperatures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.