Alkaline electrochemical cell with improved anode and separator components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11264607-B2
Application number	US-201716311643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 20, 2016
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

An alkaline electrochemical cell includes a cathode, an anode which includes an anode active material, and a non-conductive separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the anode active material relative to a total amount of anode active material has a particle size of less than about 75 μm, and wherein the separator includes a unitary, cylindrical configuration having an open end, a side wall, and integrally formed closed end disposed distally to the open end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An alkaline electrochemical cell comprising:
a cathode;
an anode comprising an anode active material; and
a non-conductive separator disposed between the cathode and the anode;
wherein:
from about 15% to about 60% by weight of the anode active material relative to a total amount of anode active material has a particle size of less than about 75 μm, and wherein greater than about 8% and less than about 20% by weight of the anode active material relative to the total amount of anode active material present in the anode gel has a particle size of greater than about 150 μm and less than 425 μm; and
the separator comprises a unitary, cylindrical configuration having an open end, a side wall, and integrally formed closed end disposed distally to the open end;
wherein the separator comprises a non-conductive, porous material; and
wherein the separator has a single layer wound twice and having a dry thickness of about 0.205 mm to about 0.245 mm.

2. The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode active material has an apparent density from about 2.62 g/cc to about 2.92 g/cc.

3. The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode active material comprises a zinc alloy comprising zinc, indium, and bismuth.

4. The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 3 , wherein the zinc alloy comprises:
about 130 ppm to about 270 ppm of bismuth; and
about 130 ppm to about 270 ppm of indium.

5. The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 3 , wherein the zinc alloy is present in the anode from about 62% to about 70% by weight, relative to the total weight of the anode.

6. The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 3 , wherein the zinc alloy is present in the anode at about 63% by weight relative to the total weight of the anode.

7. An anode gel for an alkaline electrochemical cell, the anode gel comprising:
an anode active material, wherein from about 15% to about 60%, by weight relative to a total weight of anode active material has a particle size of less than about 75 μm, and wherein greater than about 8% and less than about 20% by weight of the anode active material relative to the total amount of anode active material present in the anode gel has a particle size of greater than about 150 μm and less than 425 μm;
an electrolyte; and
a gelling agent.

8. The anode gel of claim 7 , wherein the anode active material has an apparent density of from about 2.62 g/cc to about 2.92 g/cc.

9. The anode gel of claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide.

10. The anode gel of claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte has a hydroxide concentration of about 32% or less.

11. The anode gel of claim 7 , wherein the anode active material comprises a zinc alloy comprising zinc, indium and bismuth.

12. The anode gel of claim 11 , wherein the zinc alloy comprises:
about 130 ppm to about 270 ppm of bismuth; and
about 130 ppm to about 270 ppm of indium.

13. The anode gel of claim 7 , wherein about 20% to about 50% by weight of the anode active material, relative to the total amount of anode active material, has a particle size of less than about 75 microns.

14. The anode gel of claim 13 , wherein the anode active material has an apparent density of about 2.62 g/cc to 2.92 g/cc.

15. The anode gel of claim 7 , wherein the anode active material comprises a zinc alloy and the amount of zinc alloy is in the anode is present from about 62% to about 70% by weight relative to a total weight of the anode.

Assignees

• Energizer Brands Llc

Inventors

• Armacanqui M Edgar
• Roszkowski Andrew J
• Imhoff Casey
• Crowe Donald Raymond
• Evans Matthew
• Hadley John
• Hennek Matthew
• Turba Tim F
• Zhu Enqing

Classifications

• H01M50/429

  Natural polymers · CPC title

• H01M50/423

  Polyamide resins · CPC title

• H01M50/414

  Synthetic resins, e.g. thermoplastics or thermosetting resins · CPC title

• H01M50/426

  Fluorocarbon polymers · CPC title

• H01M50/417

  Polyolefins · CPC title