Electrochemical cell for use in high temperature metal-air battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10826145-B2
Application number	US-201816205974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Feb 10, 2017
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

An electrochemical cell includes a bifunctional air cathode, an anode, and a ceramic electrolyte separator disposed substantially between the bifunctional air cathode and the anode. The anode includes a solid metal and an electrolyte configured to transition to a liquid phase in an operating temperature range. The electrolyte includes at least one of an alkali oxide, boron oxide, a carbonate, a phosphate, and a group III-X transition metal oxide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a bifunctional air cathode;
an anode comprising:
a solid metal; and
an electrolyte configured to transition to a liquid phase in an operating temperature range of 300-1000 degrees Celsius, said electrolyte comprising at least one of:
an alkali oxide;
boron oxide;
a carbonate;
a phosphate; and
a group III-X transition metal oxide; and

a ceramic electrolyte separator disposed substantially between said bifunctional air cathode and said anode.

2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode further comprises bismuth.

3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said bifunctional air cathode comprises one of lanthanum strontium chromium ferrite, lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite, a mixture of lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia, and a mixture of gadolinium doped ceria and yttria stabilized zirconia.

4. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises at least one of vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, niobium, tantalum, or mixture thereof.

5. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises iron.

6. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises vanadium.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises manganese.

8. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said ceramic electrolyte separator comprises yttria stabilized zirconia.

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode comprises a eutectic mixture of compounds.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode comprises at least one alkali chloride.

11. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode forms a liquid-solid interface between said anode and said separator at a nominal operating temperature.

12. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein said electrochemical cell is rechargeable.

13. An electrochemical cell comprising:
a tubular ceramic electrolyte separator comprising an inner surface and an outer surface;
an anode disposed within said tubular ceramic electrolyte separator, said anode comprising:
a solid metal; and
an electrolyte configured to transition to a liquid phase in an operating temperature range, said electrolyte comprising at least one of:
an alkali oxide;
boron oxide;
a carbonate;
a phosphate; and
a group III-X transition metal oxide; and

a negative terminal disposed at least partially within said anode and extending out of said anode; and
a bifunctional air cathode disposed at least partially about said outer surface of said tubular ceramic electrolyte separator.

14. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein the operating temperature range is 300-1000 degrees Celsius.

15. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode further comprises bismuth.

16. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said bifunctional air cathode comprises one of lanthanum strontium chromium ferrite, lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite, a mixture of lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia, and a mixture of gadolinium doped ceria and yttria stabilized zirconia.

17. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises at least one of vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, niobium, and tantalum.

18. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises iron.

19. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises vanadium.

20. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said solid metal of said anode comprises manganese.

21. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said ceramic electrolyte separator comprises yttria stabilized zirconia.

22. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode comprises a eutectic mixture of compounds.

23. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode comprises at least one alkali chloride.

24. The electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein said electrolyte of said anode forms a liquid-solid interface between said anode and said separator at a nominal operating temperature.

25. A method for storing and generating electrical charge, said method comprising:
coupling an electrochemical cell to a current source to charge the electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell comprising:
a bifunctional air cathode;
an anode comprising:
a solid metal; and
an electrolyte configured to transition to a liquid phase in an operating temperature range of 300-1000 degrees Celsius, said electrolyte comprising at least one of:
an alkali oxide;
boron oxide;
a carbonate;
a phosphate; and
a group III-X transition metal oxide; and

a ceramic electrolyte separator disposed substantially between the ionically conductive cathode and the anode; and

coupling the electrochemical cell to an electrical load to discharge the electrochemical cell.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Hart Richard Louis
• Kniajanski Sergei
• Shiang Joseph John
• Srivastava Alok Mani

Classifications

• H01M50/434

  Ceramics · CPC title

• H01M4/9033

  Complex oxides, optionally doped, of the type M1MeO3, M1 being an alkaline earth metal or a rare earth, Me being a metal, e.g. perovskites · CPC title

• H01M4/8615

  Bifunctional electrodes for rechargeable cells · CPC title

• H01M2300/0048

  Molten electrolytes used at high temperature · CPC title

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title