Metal-air battery having folded structure and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10749231-B2
Application number	US-201816170141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2018
Priority date	Nov 18, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A metal-air battery including: a negative electrode metal layer; a negative electrode electrolyte layer disposed on the negative electrode metal layer; a positive electrode layer disposed on the negative electrode electrolyte layer, the positive electrode layer comprising a positive electrode material which is capable of using oxygen as an active material; and a gas diffusion layer disposed on the positive electrode layer, wherein the negative electrode electrolyte layer is between the negative electrode metal layer and the positive electrode layer; wherein the negative electrode metal layer, the negative electrode electrolyte layer, and the positive electrode layer are disposed on the gas diffusion layer so that the positive electrode layer contacts a lower surface and an opposite upper surface of the gas diffusion layer, and wherein one side surface of the gas diffusion layer is exposed to an outside.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A metal-air battery comprising:
a first gas diffusion layer;
a negative electrode metal layer bent so that the negative electrode metal layer is in a folded configuration and surrounds a lower surface, a first side surface, and an upper surface of the first gas diffusion layer;
a negative electrode electrolyte layer disposed between the lower surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode metal layer and between the upper surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode metal layer; and
a positive electrode layer disposed between the lower surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode electrolyte layer and between the upper surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode electrolyte layer,
wherein a second side surface of the first gas diffusion layer is exposed to the outside.

2. The metal-air battery of claim 1 , further comprising a second gas diffusion layer stacked over the upper surface of the first gas diffusion layer,
wherein the negative electrode metal layer is further bent so that the negative electrode metal layer surrounds a lower surface, a first side surface, and an upper surface of the second gas diffusion layer,
wherein the negative electrode electrolyte layer is further disposed between the lower surface of the second gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode metal layer and between the upper surface of the second gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode metal layer; and
wherein the positive electrode layer is further disposed between the lower surface of the second gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode electrolyte layer and between the upper surface of the second gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode electrolyte layer, and
wherein a second side surface of the second gas diffusion layer is exposed to the outside.

3. The metal-air battery of claim 2 , wherein, the negative electrode metal layer is bent by 180 degrees between the upper surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the lower surface of the second gas diffusion layer so that the negative electrode metal layer is folded configuration.

4. The metal-air battery of claim 1 , further comprising a negative electrode collector which contacts a bend portion of the negative electrode metal layer and extends in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of each of the negative electrode metal layer, the negative electrode electrolyte layer, the positive electrode layer, and the first gas diffusion layer.

5. The metal-air battery of claim 4 , wherein a ratio of a weight of the negative electrode collector to a weight of the metal-air battery is no more than about 10%.

6. The metal-air battery of claim 5 , further comprising an outer casing which surrounds surfaces of the negative electrode metal layer so that the metal-air battery is wrapped by the outer casing excluding the exposed second side surface of the first gas diffusion layer,
wherein the negative electrode collector is disposed between the negative electrode metal layer and the outer casing.

7. The metal-air battery of claim 1 , wherein an end of the exposed second side surface of the first gas diffusion layer protrudes from the negative electrode metal layer, the negative electrode electrolyte layer, and the positive electrode layer.

8. The metal-air battery of claim 7 , further comprising a positive electrode collector connected to the protruding end of the second side surface of the first gas diffusion layer.

9. The metal-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode electrolyte layer comprises a solid electrolyte, the solid electrolyte comprising one of a polymer-based electrolyte, an inorganic-based electrolyte, and a composite electrolyte which is obtained by mixing the polymer-based electrolyte and the inorganic-based electrolyte.

10. The metal-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode electrolyte layer comprises a separation layer which is ionically conductive and substantially impermeable to oxygen, and an electrolyte.

11. The metal-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode layer comprises:
a first positive electrode layer disposed between the lower surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode electrolyte layer; and
a second positive electrode layer disposed between the upper surface of the first gas diffusion layer and the negative electrode electrolyte layer,
wherein the first positive electrode layer and the second positive electrode layer are separated from each other.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Min-Sik
• Kim Tae-Young
• Lee Dong-Joon
• Ma Sang-Bok
• Im Dong-Min
• Roev Victor

Classifications

• H01M50/466

  U-shaped, bag-shaped or folded · CPC title

• H01M50/417

  Polyolefins · CPC title

• H01M12/06 Primary

  with one metallic and one gaseous electrode · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• H01M50/44

  Fibrous material · CPC title