Gel polymer electrolytes comprising electrolyte additive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019140317-A1
Application number	US-201815918946-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods which provide an aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having one or more additive therein selected to configure the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte, and batteries formed therewith, for improved performance are described. Aqueous gel polymer electrolytes may, for example, have an additive compound including boron (e.g., a borate ion-containing salt) therein to configure batteries formed using the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte to increase the ionic conductivity of the gel polymer electrolyte. The addition of borax in Zinc-ion battery gel electrolytes of embodiments is configured to enhance the dissociation of zinc ions and anions, and subsequently release more mobile zinc ions. Furthermore, the interaction between borax and divalent transition metal (Zn) in electrolyte according to embodiments may enhance the transportation of mobile zinc ions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aqueous gel polymer electrolyte comprising:
an aqueous electrolyte solvent; a polymer matrix, the polymer matrix having a zinc salt solvent dispersed therein; and an electrolyte additive compound including boron.

2 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte additive compound including boron is selected to increase ionic conductivity of the gel polymer electrolyte.

3 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte solvent comprises at least one divalent zinc salt, wherein the zinc salt solution has a concentration of 0.2-3 M.

4 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte solvent comprise at least one bivalent manganous salt, wherein the manganous salt solution has a concentration of 0.05-0.5 M.

5 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of:
polyethylene oxide (PEO); polypropylene oxide (PPO); polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); polyacrylamide (PAM); polyacrylonitrile (PAN); polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA); polyacrylic acid (PAA); gelatin; and starch.

6 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte additive compound including boron comprises a borate ion-containing salt.

7 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 6 , wherein the borate ion-containing salt comprises sodium tetraborate decahydrate (Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O).

8 . The aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of claim 7 , wherein the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte comprises the sodium tetraborate decahydrate in an amount of 0.2 wt % to 1 wt % based on the total amount of the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte.

9 . A method for forming an aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having an electrolyte additive therein for improved electrochemical performance, the method comprising:
mixing gel monomer, crosslinking agent, and initiator with aqueous electrolyte solvent for forming an aqueous gel polymer electrolyte mixture; including an electrolyte additive compound including boron in the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte mixture to provide the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having the electrolyte additive therein; and curing the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having the electrolyte additive therein.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrolyte additive compound including boron comprises a borate ion-containing salt.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the borate ion-containing salt comprises sodium tetraborate decahydrate (Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O).

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having the electrolyte additive therein comprises the sodium tetraborate decahydrate in an amount of 0.2 wt % to 1 wt % based on the total amount of the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the gel monomer, crosslinking agent, and initiator form a polymer matrix, and wherein the polymer matrix has a zinc salt solvent dispersed therein.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of:
polyethylene oxide (PEO); polypropylene oxide (PPO); polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); polyacrylamide (PAM); polyacrylonitrile (PAN); polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA); polyacrylic acid (PAA); gelatin; and starch.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the curing comprises:
curing the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having the electrolyte additive therein in room temperature or high temperature.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the improved electrochemical performance comprises increased ionic conductivity, the method further comprising:
selecting the electrolyte additive compound including boron to increase the ionic conductivity of the gel polymer electrolyte.

17 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte solvent comprises at least one divalent zinc salt, wherein the zinc sat solution has a concentration of 0.2-3 M.

18 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte solvent comprise at least one bivalent manganous salt, wherein the manganous salt solution has a concentration of 0.05-0.5 M.

19 . A rechargeable Zinc-ion battery comprising:
a cathode; an anode; and an aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having electrolyte additive compound including boron as an electrolyte additive therein.

20 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 19 , wherein the electrolyte additive compound including boron comprises a borate ion-containing salt.

21 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 20 , wherein the borate ion-containing salt comprises sodium tetraborate decahydrate (Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O).

22 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 21 , wherein the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte having the electrolyte additive therein comprises the sodium tetraborate decahydrate in an amount of 0.2 wt % to 1 wt % based on the total amount of the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte.

23 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 20 , wherein the borate ion-containing salt comprises potassium tetraborate

24 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 19 , wherein the electrolyte additive compound including boron comprises boric acid.

25 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 19 , wherein the rechargeable zinc battery is a rechargeable Zn-MnO x battery.

26 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 25 , wherein the cathode comprises a current collector coated with a manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) material and one or more binders.

27 . The rechargeable Zinc-ion battery of claim 25 , wherein the anode comprises a current collector coated with a zinc material.

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Zhi Chunyi
• Zhu Minshen
• Tang Zijie

Classifications

• H01M10/054 Primary

  Accumulators with insertion or intercalation of metals other than lithium, e.g. with magnesium or aluminium · CPC title

• H01M10/0562

  Solid materials · CPC title

• C01G9/02

  Oxides; Hydroxides · CPC title

• C08J5/20

  Manufacture of shaped structures of ion-exchange resins · CPC title

• C01B15/12

  containing boron · CPC title