Compliant seal structures for protected active metal anodes

A battery cell, comprising:

• protected anode architecture, comprising,
• an active metal anode having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the active metal is an alkali metal,
• an ionically conductive protective membrane architecture on the first surface of the anode,
• an anode backplane on the second surface of the anode;
• and
• a seal structure interfacing with the protective membrane architecture and the anode backplane to enclose the anode in an anode compartment, the seal structure being compliant to changes in anode thickness such that physical continuity between the anode, protective architecture and backplane are maintained;
• a cathode compartment in contact with the ionically conductive protective membrane architecture, the cathode compartment comprising a cathode structure and a catholyte, wherein the cathode structure comprises an electronically conductive component, and at least one of the cathode structure and the catholyte comprises at least one of an ionically conductive component and an electrochemically active component, wherein at least one of the cathode structure and the catholyte component comprises an active metal corrosive constituent;
• wherein the ionically conductive protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the active metal of the anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with the cathode compartment, and
• wherein the seal structure is bound to the protective membrane and the anode backplane to form a hermetic anode compartment exclusive of the cathode compartment, such that a substantially impervious barrier between the interior and exterior of the anode compartment is provided.

A method of making a protected anode structure, comprising:

• providing,
• an active metal anode having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the active metal is an alkali metal;
• an ionically conductive protective membrane architecture in physical continuity with the first surface of the anode;
• an anode backplane in physical continuity with the second surface of the anode;
• and
• interfacing the protective membrane architecture with the anode backplane and a compliant seal structure to enclose the anode in an anode compartment, the seal structure being compliant to changes in anode thickness such that physical continuity between the anode, protective architecture and backplane are maintained;
• wherein the ionically conductive protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the active metal of the anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with an environment exterior to the anode compartment;
• and
• wherein the compliant seal structure interfaces with the protective membrane architecture and the anode backplane to form a hermetic anode compartment exclusive of a cathode, such that a substantially impervious barrier between the interior and exterior of the anode compartment is provided.