Nickel-iron battery with high cycle life

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10707537-B2
Application number	US-201514882733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Feb 6, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

The present invention provides one with a high cycle life Ni—Fe battery. The battery uses a particular electrolyte. The electrolyte comprises sodium hydroxide, as well as lithium hydroxide and sulfide. The use of the sodium hydroxide based electrolyte with the iron anode in the battery has been found to enhance the performance characteristics of the battery. The resulting characteristics of cycle life, as well as power and charge retention, are much improved over conventional Ni—Fe batteries.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery, comprising:
a nickel cathode;
an iron anode comprising an iron active material that is metal iron or an iron oxide material, and a polyvinyl alcohol binder; and
an electrolyte comprising 6 to 7.5 M sodium hydroxide, 0.5 to 2.0 M lithium hydroxide, and 1-2 wt % sodium sulfide based on the weight of the electrolyte,
with the battery exhibiting a cycle life of at least about 10,000 cycles.

2. The battery of claim 1 , further comprising a polyolefin battery separator.

3. The battery of claim 1 , which is a sealed battery.

4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the iron anode is comprised of a single layer of a conductive substrate coated on at least one side with a coating comprising the iron active material and the binder.

5. The battery of claim 4 , wherein the substrate is coated on both sides.

6. The battery of claim 1 , further exhibiting a specific energy of at least about 105 watt hours/kg.

7. The battery of claim 1 , further exhibiting an energy density of at least about 183 watt hours/liter.

8. The battery of claim 1 , further exhibiting a specific power of at least about 2100 watts/kg.

9. The battery of claim 1 , further exhibiting a power density of at least about 3660 watts/liter.

10. The battery of claim 1 , further exhibiting a watt hour efficiency of at least about 95%.

11. The battery of claim 1 , further exhibiting a charge retention, measured as capacity at 28 days 20° C., of at least about 95%.

12. The battery of claim 1 , exhibiting
a specific energy of at least about 105 watt hours/kg;
an energy density of at least about 183 watt hours/liter;
a watt hour efficiency of at least about 95%; and
a charge retention of at least about 95%.

Assignees

• Encell Technology Inc

Inventors

• Ogg Randy

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/622

  being polymers · CPC title

• H01M4/24

  Electrodes for alkaline accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/26 Primary

  Selection of materials as electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M2300/0014

  Alkaline electrolytes · CPC title