# US 8,465,877 B2 · Alkali metal air battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,877 B2 - Document ID: US8465877B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/382,651 - Filed: 2009-03-20 - Published: 2009-09-24 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2008-03-24 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho - Applicants: Yoko Hase; Tohru Shiga; Mitsuru Nakano; Kensuke Takechi; Norihiko Setoyama - Inventors: Yoko Hase; Tohru Shiga; Mitsuru Nakano; Kensuke Takechi; Norihiko Setoyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465877B2 ## CPC - H01M 12/08: composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type - H01M 4/382: {Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence)} - H01M 4/9008: {Organic or organo-metallic compounds} - H01M 4/8605: {Porous electrodes} - H01M 2004/8689: {Positive electrodes} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A F-type electrochemical cell, which is a lithium air battery, includes a positive electrode facing a negative electrode composed of metallic lithium with a separator provided therebetween in a casing. Air is capable of flow to the positive electrode. A nonaqueous electrolytic solution is charged into a space between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. At least one of the positive electrode and the nonaqueous electrolytic solution of the lithium air battery contains a compound having a stable radical skeleton. The compound also serves as a redox catalyst for oxygen. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An alkali metal air battery comprising: a negative electrode containing a negative-electrode active material; a positive electrode using oxygen as a positive-electrode active material; and a nonaqueous ion-conducting medium configured to conduct alkali metal ions and arranged between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, wherein the positive electrode contains a compound having a stable radical skeleton and serving as a redox catalyst for oxygen, the stable radical skeleton having a spin density of 1019 spins/g or more, and the compound having a stable radical skeleton is not the negative-electrode active material and is not the positive-electrode active material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode does not contain the compound having the stable radical skeleton. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the ion-conducting medium also contains the compound having the stable radical skeleton. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the redox catalyst accounts for 0.01% to 60% by weight of the total weight of the positive electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the redox catalyst is a polymer having the stable radical skeleton. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the redox catalyst is a monomolecular compound having the stable radical skeleton. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 6, wherein the redox catalyst is the compound having a structure in which the stable radical skeleton is linked to a polycyclic aromatic ring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 7, wherein the polycyclic aromatic ring is linked to the radical skeleton with a spacer selected from the group consisting of an amide bond, an ester bond, a urea bond, a urethane bond, a carbamide bond, an ether bond, and a sulfide bond. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 8, wherein the redox catalyst is supported on a carrier in a monomolecular state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 9, wherein the redox catalyst is supported on the carrier by ultrasonic irradiation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 8, wherein the redox catalyst is supported on a carbonaceous carrier having a cyclic structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the ion-conducting medium contains the compound having a structure with the stable radical skeleton and a polycyclic aromatic ring linked to the radical skeleton, the compound serving as a redox catalyst for oxygen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 12, wherein the redox catalyst contains the radical skeleton and the polycyclic aromatic ring linked to the radical skeleton with a spacer selected from the group consisting of an amide bond, an ester bond, a urea bond, a urethane bond, a carbamide bond, an ether bond, and a sulfide bond. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 12, wherein the redox catalyst is a monomolecular compound having a stable radical skeleton. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the ion-conducting medium is a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing the compound having a structure with the stable radical skeleton. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 15, wherein the radical skeleton is 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl, and the compound has a structure in which at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, aromatic rings, and an amino group is bonded to the radical skeleton. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 15, wherein the positive electrode contains at least one of a radical polymer having a nitroxyl radical and electrolytic manganese dioxide serving as the redox catalyst. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the radical skeleton has a nitroxyl radical. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the alkali metal air battery is used as a rechargeable secondary battery. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The alkali metal air battery according to claim 1, wherein the negative electrode is capable of occluding and discharging lithium ions, and the ion-conducting medium conducts lithium ions.