Basf Corporation

Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.

Fdk Corporation

Jean Nei

Kwo Young

Diana F Wong

Tiejun Meng

Benjamin Reichman

William C Mays

Kwo-hsiung Young

Lixin Wang

Shigekazu Yasuoka

Taihei Ouchi

Hu Chao-Ian

Benjamin S Chao

Wentao Li

Diana Wong

Electrolyte compositions comprising a) an ionic liquid and b) a protic acid and/or an organic solvent are suitable for use in electrochemical cells, e.g. metal hydride batteries. The electrolyte compositions may replace the currently employed 30% by weight aqueous KOH. Suitable protic acids include carboxylic acids, mineral acids, sulfonic acids and the like. Suitable organic solvents include organic carbonates, ethers, glymes, ortho esters, polyalkylene glycols, esters, lactones, glycols, formates, sulfones, sulfoxides, amides, alcohols, ketones, nitro solvents, nitrile solvents and combinations thereof. Present batteries may achieve a nominal open-circuit voltage of &#x3e;1.2 V (volts) and up to about 6 V. The electrolyte compositions allow enlargement of the electrochemical window, thus allowing the use of further cathode active materials. Further cathode active materials include transition metals and their oxides, hydroxides and fluorides; for example, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt and Au and their oxides, hydroxides, oxide/hydroxides and fluorides.

Electrolyte compositions comprising ionic liquids and metal hydride batteries comprising same

Provided are sealed pouch-cell batteries that are alkaline batteries or non-aqueous proton-conducing batteries. A pouch cell includes a flexible housing such as is used for pouch cell construction where the housing is in the form of a pouch, a cathode comprising a cathode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an anode comprising an anode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an electrolyte that is optionally an alkaline or proton-conducting electrolyte, and wherein the pouch does not include or require a safety vent or other gas absorbing or releasing system. The batteries provided function contrary to the art recognized belief that such battery systems were impossible due to unacceptable gas production during cycling.

Alkaline and non-aqueous proton-conducting pouch-cell batteries

A multi-phase hydrogen storage alloy comprising a hexagonal CeNiphase and a hexagonal PrCophase, where the CeNiphase abundance is &#x2265;30 wt % and the PrCophase abundance is &#x2265;8 wt % and where the alloy comprises a mischmetal where Nd in the mischmetal is &#x3c;50 at % or a multi-phase hydrogen storage alloy comprising one or more rare earth elements, a hexagonal CeNiphase and a hexagonal PrCophase, where the CeNiphase abundance is from about 30 to about 72 wt % and the PrCophase abundance is &#x2265;8 wt % have improved electrochemical performance. The alloys are useful in an electrode in a metal hydride battery, a fuel cell or a metal hydride air battery.

Hydrogen storage multi-phase alloys

The present application discloses s an electrochemical cell (battery) comprising a hydrogen storage negative electrode (anode), a positive electrode (cathode) and a solid proton-conducting electrolyte in contact with the electrodes. The solid proton-conducting electrolyte comprises a silicon material which comprises at least 35 at % silicon.

Silicon-based solid electrolyte for rechargeable battery

A metal hydride battery comprising at least one negative electrode, at least one positive electrode, a casing having said electrodes positioned therein and an electrolyte composition, where the electrolyte composition comprises an ionic compound selected from the group consisting of protic acids, protic ammonium compounds, protic oxonium compounds, aprotic ammonium compounds, aprotic oxonium compounds, aprotic phosphonium compounds and alkali or alkali earth metal salts; or where the electrolyte composition comprises an ionic compound selected from the group consisting of alkali or alkali earth metal hydroxides and alkali or alkali earth metal alkoxides and an organic solvent; or where the electrolyte composition comprises an alkali metal hydroxide, water and one or more further components selected from the group consisting of organic solvents, further ionic compounds and additives; or where the electrolyte composition comprises an ionic compound selected from the group consisting of carboxylate compounds and carboxylic acids. Ionic compounds include ionic liquids and salts. Metal hydride batteries comprising certain electrolyte compositions have a nominal open-circuit voltage of from about 1.5 V to about 5.0 V.

Electrolytes and metal hydride batteries

Heterogeneous metal hydride (MH) compositions comprising a main region comprising a first metal hydride and a secondary region comprising one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of second metal hydrides, metals, metal alloys and further metal compounds are suitable as anode materials for lithium ion cells. The first metal hydride is for example MgH. Methods for preparing the composition include coating, mechanical grinding, sintering, heat treatment and quenching techniques.

Metal hydride compositions and lithium ion batteries

Certain nickel hydroxide active cathode materials for use in alkaline rechargeable batteries are capable of transferring &#x3e;1.3 electrons per Ni atom under reversible electrochemical conditions. The specific capacity of the nickel hydroxide active materials is for example &#x2265;325 mAh/g. The cathode active materials exhibit an additional discharge plateau near 0.8 V vs. a metal hydride (MH) anode. Ni in an oxidation state of less than 2, such as Ni, is able to participate in electrochemical reactions when using the present cathode active materials. It is possible that up to 2.3 electrons, up to 2.5 electrons or more may be transferred per Ni atom under electrochemical conditions.

Nickel hydroxide positive electrode for alkaline rechargeable battery

Certain nickel hydroxide active cathode materials for use in alkaline rechargeable batteries are capable of transferring &#x3e;1.3 electrons per Ni atom under reversible electrochemical conditions. The specific capacity of the nickel hydroxide active materials is for example &#x2267;325 mAh/g. The cathode active materials exhibit an additional discharge plateau near 0.8 V vs. a metal hydride (MH) anode. Ni in an oxidation state of less than 2, such as Ni, is able to participate in electrochemical reactions when using the present cathode active materials. It is possible that up to 2.3 electrons, up to 2.5 electrons or more may be transferred per Ni atom under electrochemical conditions.

Provided are sealed pouch-cell batteries that are alkaline batteries or non-aqueous proton-conducing batteries. A pouch cell includes a flexible housing such as is used for pouch cell construction where the housing is in the form of a pouch, a cathode comprising a cathode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an anode comprising an anode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an electrolyte that is optionally an alkaline or proton-conducting electrolyte, and wherein the pouch does not include or require a safety vent or other gas absorbing or releasing system as the anode active material and the cathode active material do not increase the internal atmospheric pressure any more than 2 psig during cycling. The batteries provided function contrary to the art recognized belief that such battery systems were impossible due to unacceptable gas production during cycling.

Hydrogen storage alloys comprising a) at least one main phase, b) a storage secondary phase and c) a catalytic secondary phase, where the weight ratio of the catalytic secondary phase abundance to the storage secondary phase abundance is &#x2267;3; or comprising a) at least one main phase, b) from 0 to about 13.3 wt % of a storage secondary phase and c) a catalytic secondary phase, where the alloy comprises from 0.05 at % to 0.98 at % of one or more rare earth elements; or comprising a) at least one main phase, b) from 0 to about 13.3 wt % of a storage secondary phase and c) a catalytic secondary phase, where the alloy comprises for example i) one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Nb and Hf and ii) one or more elements selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Sn, Al, Co, Cu, Mo, W, Fe, Si, Sn and rare earth elements, where the atomic ratio of ii) to i) is from about 1.80 to about 1.98, exhibit improved electrochemical properties, for instance improved low temperature electrochemical performance.

Hydrogen storage alloys

A hybrid power cell is provided that combines a nickel-metal hydride battery, solid state hydrogen storage, and alkaline fuel cell technologies in a single cell operating within a targeted intermediate temperature range. A cell includes a cathode that is capable of using raw atmospheric air as an oxygen source and an anode that is capable of reversible electrochemical and gas phase hydrogen storage, where the anode and the cathode are highly functional at intermediate temperatures. The resulting hybrid power cell overcomes prior challenges of reliable high-capacity grid-tied energy storage necessary for greater renewable energy adoption.

Growing community of inventors

Southgate, MI, United States of America

Jean Nei