# US 9,520,580 B2 · Multifunctional cell for structural applications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,580 B2 - Document ID: US9520580B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/398,004 - Filed: 2013-05-08 - Published: 2015-04-02 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-08 - Assignees: Battelle Memorial Institute - Applicants: Battelle Memorial Institute - Inventors: Jay Sayre; Steven Risser; Andrew James Manning - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520580B2 ## CPC - H01M 50/545: formed by the casing of the cells (cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56) - H01G 11/52: Separators - H01G 11/72: specially adapted for integration in multiple or stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors - H01G 11/76: specially adapted for integration in multiple or stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors - H01G 11/80: Gaskets; Sealings - H01G 11/82: Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations - H01M 10/0413: {Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes} - H01M 10/0436: {Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - H01M 50/103: prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) - H01M 50/105: Pouches or flexible bags - H01M 50/119: Metals - H01M 50/186: characterised by the disposition of the sealing members - H01M 50/193: Organic material - H01M 50/414: Synthetic resins, e.g. thermoplastics or thermosetting resins - H01M 50/417: Polyolefins - H01M 50/423: Polyamide resins - H01M 50/426: Fluorocarbon polymers - H01M 50/461: {with adhesive layers between electrodes and separators} - H01M 50/489: Separators, membranes, diaphragms or spacing elements inside the cells, characterised by their physical properties, e.g. swelling degree, hydrophilicity or shut down properties - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/058: Construction or manufacture - H01M 10/12: Construction or manufacture - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02E 60/13: Energy storage using capacitors - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y10T 29/49112: including laminating of indefinite length material - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An electrochemical device comprises one or more anode, cathode, and separator. In some embodiments, the separator is also an electrolyte. In addition it has two or more current collectors. The anode and cathode are between the two current collectors and each is adhered to an adjacent current collector. The separator is between the anode and cathode and adhered to the anode and cathode. The current collectors are a barrier, and are bonded together to create a sealed container for the anode, cathode, and separator. The electrochemical device may be integrated into a composite panel suitable for uses such as structural load bearing panels or sheets for aircraft wings or fuselage, composite armor, torpedo, missile body, consumer electronics, etc. The electrochemical device may include, but is not limited to, energy storage (batteries, supercapacitors), and energy generation (fuel cells). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrochemical device comprising one or more anodes, one or more cathodes, one or more separators; one or more inner current collectors; and two outer current collectors; wherein the one or more anodes and one or more cathodes are between the two outer current collectors and each of the one or more anodes and one or more cathodes is adhered to an adjacent inner or outer collector, and the one or more separators are between the one or more anodes and one or more cathodes and are adhered to at least one anode or cathode; wherein the one or more inner current collectors are inside the two outer current collectors; wherein at least one of the one or more inner current collectors is not bonded to the two outer current collectors; wherein the two outer current collectors are a barrier; and wherein the two outer current collectors are bonded together to create a sealed container for the one or more anodes, one or more cathodes, and one or more separators. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the device is hermetically sealed inside the two outer current collectors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, additionally comprising a perimeter seal, wherein the perimeter seal is bonded between the two outer current collectors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrochemical device of claim 3, wherein the perimeter seal is selected from ionomer resin, ethylene acrylic acid (EAA), polyolefin, acidified polyolefin, polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polyimide, polyamide, epoxy, and polyurethane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises two or more anodes, cathodes, or both. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the one or more anodes, or one or more cathodes are adjacent to the outer current collectors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein at least one anode or cathode is a double-sided electrode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrochemical device of claim 7, wherein the double-sided electrode is wrapped in a separator which is sealed around the electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein all the cathodes are electrically connected and all the anodes are electrically connected. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the separator is selected from a microporous polyolefin, a ceramic coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a PVDF separator; the separator is coated with an adhesive layer selected from poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) copolymer, chlorinated polypropylene, and maleic anhydride/polypropylene. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the separator is a polymer selected from polyimides and polyamides, wherein the polymer is interdispersed with at least one adhesive. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the separator is a polymer selected from crosslinked PVDF and crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the separator is from about 10 microns to about 50 microns in thickness. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the size of the pores in the separator range from about 30 nm to 10 microns. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A structural panel comprising the electrochemical device of claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The structural panel of claim 15, wherein the panel comprises a polymer, and the outer current collectors of the electrochemical device are adhesively bonded to the polymer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The structural panel of claim 16, wherein a majority of the outer surface of the electrochemical device is encased in the polymer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The structural panel of claim 15, wherein the panel comprises a composite of resin and reinforcement. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The structural panel of claim 15, wherein the electrochemical device and panel are conformed to a surface contour. ### Claim 20 A method for making an electrochemical device, comprising the steps of: providing one or more electrolytes, one or more separators; four or more electrodes; one or more inner current collectors; and two outer current collectors; wherein at least one electrode is an anode and at least one electrode is a cathode; the device is assembled by forming a stack comprising the two outer current collectors, four or more electrodes, one or more separators, and one or more inner current collectors; wherein the one or more inner current collectors are inside the two outer current collectors; wherein at least one of the one or more inner current collectors is not bonded to the two outer current collectors; the one or more electrolytes are added to the one or more separators; and the stack is laminated by heating to about 90° C. or higher under at least 15 psi of pressure; wherein the two outer current collectors are bonded together to create a sealed container for at least one anode, at least one cathode, and one or more separators.