Alkaline electrochemical cells comprising increased zinc oxide levels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12126014-B2
Application number	US-202217819365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2022
Priority date	Jan 23, 2019
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

Alkaline electrochemical cells are provided, wherein dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide is included at least in the free electrolyte solution, and/or solid zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide is included in the anode, so as to slow formation of a zinc oxide passivation layer on a zinc electrode. Methods for preparing such cells are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A primary alkaline electrochemical cell, comprising:
a container; and
an electrode assembly disposed within the container and comprising a cathode, an anode,
a separator located between the cathode and the anode, and a free electrolyte solution;
wherein the anode comprises 1) solid zinc, 2) solid particulate zinc oxide or solid particulate zinc hydroxide, 3) gelling agent, and 4) aqueous metal hydroxide electrolyte solution;
wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide; and
wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide or total zinc hydroxide weight percent of greater than about 2.0%.

2. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide or total zinc hydroxide weight percent of greater than about 4.5%.

3. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the total dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide weight percent in the electrochemical cell's full cell electrolyte solution is greater than or equal to about 1.5 weight percent.

4. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous metal hydroxide electrolyte solution comprises dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide in an amount of at least about 2.5 weight percent.

5. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total dissolved zinc oxide weight percent of greater than 2.0% and a total zinc oxide weight percent of greater than 2.1%.

6. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a zinc oxide volume percent of greater than 1.4% and the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide weight percent of greater than 4.0%.

7. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the free electrolyte solution comprises dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide in an amount of 0.1-6 weight percent.

8. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell's full cell electrolyte solution is greater than 40% saturated with dissolved zinc oxide.

9. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide or total zinc hydroxide weight percent of greater than about 3.0%.

10. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide weight percent of greater than about 3.0%.

11. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide or total zinc hydroxide weight percent of greater than about 4.0%.

12. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide weight percent of greater than about 4.0%.

13. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide or total zinc hydroxide weight percent of greater than about 5.0%.

14. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide weight percent of greater than about 5.0%.

15. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide or total zinc hydroxide weight percent of greater than about 6.0%.

16. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide weight percent of greater than about 6.0%.

17. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the free electrolyte solution comprises dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide in an amount of 4.0-6.0 weight percent.

18. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the free electrolyte solution comprises dissolved zinc oxide in an amount of 4.0-6.0 weight percent.

19. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the free electrolyte solution comprises dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide in an amount of 1.0-5.0 weight percent.

20. The primary alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the free electrolyte solution comprises dissolved zinc oxide in an amount of 1.0-5.0 weight percent.

Assignees

• Energizer Brands Llc

Inventors

• Johnson Robert P
• Ray Jr Robert E
• Huang Weiwei
• Liu Zhufang
• Limmer Steven J

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/26

  Selection of materials as electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M2300/0085

  Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte · CPC title

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M2300/0014

  Alkaline electrolytes · CPC title