Active metal fuel cells
AssigneePolyPlus Battery Company
InventorsSteven J. Visco, Yevgeniy S. Nimon, Bruce D. Katz, Lutgard C. De Jonghe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Active metal fuel cells are provided. An active metal fuel cell has a renewable active metal (e.g., lithium) anode and a cathode structure that includes an electronically conductive component (e.g., a porous metal or alloy), an ionically conductive component (e.g., an electrolyte), and a fluid oxidant (e.g., air, water or a peroxide or other aqueous solution). The pairing of an active metal anode with a cathode oxidant in a fuel cell is enabled by an ionically conductive protective membrane on the surface of the anode facing the cathode.
Claims19
A lithium fuel cell, comprising:
- an anode comprising solid lithium metal as fuel;
- a cathode structure comprising a static electronically conductive component, an ioncially conductive component, and a liquid oxidant;
- and
- a lithium ion conductive protective membrane adjacent to the lithium anode, the membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode structure, the membrane isolating the anode from components of the cathode structure;
- wherein the ionically conductive component comprises a liquid electrolyte and the liquid oxidant comprises water;
- and
- further comprising lithium dissolved in a solvent on the anode side of the membrane, and wherein lithium ions electrically migrate through the membrane to the cathode side during discharge of the fuel cell.
A method of providing continuous electrical power, the method comprising:
- i) providing a lithium fuel cell comprising:
- an anode comprising solid lithium metal as fuel;
- a cathode structure comprising a static electronically conductive component, an ioncially conductive component, and a liquid oxidant;
- and
- a lithium ion conductive protective membrane adjacent to the lithium anode, the membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode structure, the membrane isolating the anode from components of the cathode structure;
- wherein the ionically conductive component is a liquid electrolyte and the liquid oxidant comprises water;
- and
- further comprising lithium dissolved in a solvent on the anode side of the membrane, and wherein lithium ions electrically migrate through the membrane to the cathode side during discharge of the fuel cell;
- ii) discharging the fuel cell;
- and
- iii) subsequent to cell discharge, supplementing the anode with fresh lithium metal fuel.
A method of removing waste product in the cathode structure of a lithium fuel cell, the method comprising:
- i) providing a lithium fuel cell comprising:
- an anode comprising solid lithium metal as fuel;
- a cathode structure comprising a static electronically conductive component, an ionically conductive component, and a liquid oxidant;
- and
- a lithium ion conductive protective membrane adjacent to the lithium anode, the membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode structure, the membrane isolating the anode from components of the cathode structure;
- wherein the ionically conductive component is a liquid electrolyte and the liquid oxidant comprises water;
- and
- further comprising lithium dissolved in a solvent on the anode side of the membrane, and wherein lithium ions electrically migrate through the membrane to the cathode side during discharge of the fuel cell;
- ii) discharging the fuel cell, thereby creating waste products in the cathode structure;
- and
- iii) flushing the cathode structure to remove the waste products from the cathode structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.