Catholytes for aqueous lithium/air battery cells
AssigneePolyPlus Battery Company
InventorsSteven J. Visco, Lutgard C. De Jonghe, Yevgeniy S. Nimon, Alexei Petrov, Kirill Pridatko
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Abstract
Li/air battery cells are configurable to achieve very high energy density. The cells include a protected a lithium metal or alloy anode and an aqueous catholyte in a cathode compartment. In addition to the aqueous catholyte, components of the cathode compartment include an air cathode (e.g., oxygen electrode) and a variety of other possible elements.
Claims55
A battery cell, comprising:
- a protected anode, comprising,
- a lithium anode having a first surface and a second surface,
- a protective membrane architecture on at least the first surface of the anode,
- a cathode compartment comprising, prior to initial discharge, a cathode for reducing molecular oxygen and an aqueous catholyte comprising water and an active first salt dissolved therein, wherein the active first salt comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a nitrate, an aluminum halide, a magnesium halide and a titanium halide;
- and,
- wherein the protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the lithium anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with the aqueous catholyte.
A battery cell, comprising:
- a protected anode, comprising,
- a lithium anode having a first surface and a second surface,
- a protective membrane architecture on at least the first surface of the anode,
- a cathode compartment comprising, prior to initial discharge, a cathode for reducing molecular oxygen and an aqueous catholyte comprising water, an active first salt dissolved therein, and a second salt different than the active first salt;
- wherein the protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the alkali metal anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with the components of the cathode compartment.
The cell of 19, wherein the catholyte, prior to initial discharge, has a nitrate concentration of at least 6 Molar and a Li concentration of at least 2 Molar.
A battery cell, comprising:
- a protected anode, comprising,
- a lithium anode having a first surface and a second surface,
- a protective membrane architecture on at least the first surface of the anode,
- a cathode compartment comprising, prior to initial discharge, a cathode for reducing molecular oxygen and an aqueous catholyte comprising water, an active first salt dissolved therein, and wherein the catholyte is a saturated salt solution,
- wherein the protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the lithium anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with the aqueous catholyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.