US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Jeffrey A Read

Wishvender K Behl

Donald L Foster

Jeffrey B Wolfenstine

An electrolyte for a metal-oxygen battery includes a non-aqueous solvent which is characterized in that the solubility of oxygen therein is at least 0.1150 cc O/cc of solvent at STP. The electrolyte also includes an electrolyte salt dissolved in the solvent. The solvent may comprise a mixture of materials in which at least 50%, on a weight basis, of the materials have an oxygen solubility of at least 0.1760 cc O/cc at STP. Also disclosed is a method for optimizing the composition of an electrolyte for a metal-oxygen battery by selecting the solvent for the electrolyte from those materials which will dissolve the electrolyte salt and which have a solubility for oxygen which is at least 0.1150 cc O/cc at STP.

Electrolyte for metal-oxygen battery and method for its preparation

Disclosed is a cathode material for a metal-oxygen battery such as a lithium-oxygen battery. The material comprises, on a weight basis, a first component which is an oxide or a sulfide of a metal. The first component is capable of intercalating lithium, and is present in an amount which is greater than 20% and up to 80% of the material. The material includes a second component which comprises carbon. The carbon is an electroactive catalyst which is capable of reducing oxygen, and comprises 10&#x2013;80% of the material. The material further includes a binder, such as a fluoropolymer binder, which is present in an amount of 5&#x2013;40%. Also disclosed is a battery which incorporates the cathode material.

Cathode for metal-oxygen battery

An electrode for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery is formed by mixing stanous oxide (SnO) and lithium nitride (Li,N) in a stoichiometric ratio of 2 moles of Li,N to 3 moles of SnO to form a mixture, milling the mixture to obtain a milled powder, and processing the milled powder in accordance with an electrode-forming technique. The electrode forming technique can be any one of die pressing, spraying, doctor-blading and rolling. Conductive additives, such as carbon and binders (PVDF, cellulose and Teflon), can be introduced during the processing step. Preferably, the method is carried out in a dry, inert atmosphere of argon or helium. As a result of the invention, a smaller, lighter and more efficient lithium-ion battery is produced.

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West Friendship, MD, United States of America

Jeffrey A Read