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US 7,291,186 B2Granted
Solid porous zinc electrodes and methods of making same
AssigneeTeck Cominco Metals Ltd.
InventorXiaoge Gregory Zhang
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AssigneeTeck Cominco Metals Ltd.
InventorXiaoge Gregory Zhang
Estimating the term…
A solid porous zinc electrode for use in alkaline-zinc batteries, zinc-air batteries and fuel cells is provided which comprises specific zinc filaments, fibers, threads or strands compressed into a physically-stable wooly mass to form the electrode with a controlled geometrical shape and porosity distribution. Differential densification incorporates ribs, borders, grids or tabs for good structural integrity, mechanical strength, electrochemical behavior, and electrical conductivity. Pressing in a mold or rolling of a compressed sheet can also provide an anode with a large anode/cathode interface area and a complex geometry. The filaments of controlled dimension and composition are preferably made by spin forming from molten zinc alloys. Such anodes are not susceptible to breakage, have a long storage life and can be used in high rate discharge applications.
A solid porous zinc electrode for use in alkaline-zinc batteries, zinc-air batteries or fuel cells comprising a group of zinc fibers, filaments, threads or strands compressed into a mass having a varied density distribution over its area created by compressing the fibers, filaments, threads or strands more densely in some areas than in other areas.
An electrode as claimed in 6 wherein the electrode has a uniform density distribution over its interior area, said density being in the range of 0.5 g/cm3 to 6.3 g/cm3.
A method of forming a solid porous zinc electrode comprising a group of zinc fibers, filaments, threads or strands having a nominal diameter between 5 and 1,000 μm and a length of at least 10 times the nominal diameter, which comprises forming the zinc fibers, filaments, threads or strands by utilizing an apparatus which converts zinc into zinc fibers, filaments, threads or strands, which are removed from the apparatus, collected in an area to form a group of fibers, filaments, threads or strands, and compressed into a porous mass which is more densely compressed in some areas than in other areas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.