Electrically conductive, freestanding microporous polymer sheet
AssigneeAmtek Research International LLC
InventorsJames Emanuel, James Young, Richard W. Pekala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A freestanding, microporous polymer sheet (52, 56) is composed of a polymer matrix binding and electrically conductive matrix. The polymer matrix preferably includes UHMWPE, and the electrically conductive matrix preferably is in powder form. The UHMWPE is of a molecular weight that provides sufficient molecular chain entanglement to form a sheet, with freestanding characteristics. Multiple microporous sheets (30) can be wound or stacked in a package filled with an electrolyte to function as electrodes in an energy storage device (86), such as a battery. Metallic layers (81, 83) can be applied to the microporous sheets to function as current collectors in such devices.
Claims18
A freestanding, electrically conductive polymer web, comprising:
- an extruded polymer matrix binding a material composition having electrical conductivity properties, the polymer matrix including an ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin of a molecular weight that provides sufficient molecular chain entanglement to form a microporous web having freestanding characteristics and having pores encompassing a volume fraction of between about 0.20 and about 0.8.
In an energy storage device of a type having multiple electrodes and wound or stacked in a package filled with an electrolyte, the improvement comprising:
- a microporous web having freestanding characteristics and including an extruded polymer matrix binding a material composition having electrical conductivity properties, the polymer matrix including an ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin in an amount and of a molecular weight that provide sufficient molecular chain entanglement to form an electrode.
An electrode assembly formed as a multi-layer web, comprising:
- a microporous separator layer positioned between and coherently bonded to a microporous anode layer and a microporous cathode layer;
- the microporous separator layer formed as an extruded web from an ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin;
- and
- each of the microporous anode layer and microporous cathode layer formed as an extruded web from a mixture of an ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin and a material composition having electrical conductivity properties.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.