Nickel-iron battery with a chemically pre-formed (CPF) iron negative electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10637041-B2
Application number	US-201816117238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

Provided is a Ni—Fe battery comprising an iron electrode which is preconditioned prior to any charge-discharge cycle. The preconditioned iron electrode used in the Ni—Fe battery is prepared by first fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, and then treating the surface of the electrode with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for preparing a Ni—Fe battery, comprising:
i) fabricating an electrode comprising an iron active material, polyvinyl alcohol binder and sulfur,
ii) treating the electrode surface with an oxidant to thereby create an oxidized iron surface prior to the battery being subjected to a charge-discharge cycle; and
iii) combining the electrode with the oxidized surface with a nickel electrode, an alkaline electrolyte and a separator to construct a Ni—Fe battery.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant state of the oxidized iron surface is +2, +2/+3, +3 or +4.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrode further comprises a conductive additive.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the conductive additive comprises nickel, or copper or carbon black.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises about:
50-90 wt % powder
5-30 wt % nickel powder
0.5-5.0 wt % binder, and
0.25-20 wt % sulfur.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the substrate of the electrode is comprised of nickel plated steel.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the electrode is in the range of about 15-50%.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant comprises water, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, chlorine, nitric acid, hypochlorite, nitrous oxide, bromine, iodine, permanganate compounds, or sodium perborate.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant comprises water or hydrogen peroxide.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant comprises a gaseous oxidant.

Assignees

• Encell Technology Inc

Inventors

• Ogg Randy Gene
• Roders Michael
• Meese Michael

Classifications

• H01M4/38

  of elements or alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/26

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/049 Primary

  Manufacturing of an active layer by chemical means · CPC title

• H01M4/624

  Electric conductive fillers · CPC title

• H01M4/62

  Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers · CPC title