Integrated bipolar electrode, preparation method and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020411882-A1
Application number	US-201816976872-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2018
Priority date	Nov 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 31, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An integrated bipolar electrode includes a laminated structure and a bipolar plate. The laminated structure is formed by interconnecting an anode active material layer with a cathode active material layer. The bipolar plate is sandwiched in a hollow cavity of the laminated structure. Side surfaces of the laminated structure are provided with a sealing layer for mating with a bipolar electrode fixing frame to prevent an anolyte and a catholyte from permeating into each other. The anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer in the integrated bipolar electrode are directly connected. A contact resistance between the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer is quite low, and a battery prepared finally has better performances.

First claim

1 . An integrated bipolar electrode, comprising a laminated structure and a bipolar plate, the laminated structure being formed by interconnecting an anode active material layer with a cathode active material layer, the bipolar plate being sandwiched in a hollow cavity of the laminated structure, side surfaces of the laminated structure being provided with a sealing layer for mating with a bipolar electrode fixing frame to prevent an anolyte and a catholyte from permeating into each other.

2 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , wherein the bipolar plate is a non-conductive sheet which does not react with the anolyte or the catholyte and is impermeable.

3 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , wherein the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer are graphite felts, carbon felts, carbon cloths or conductive sheets containing a carbon material.

4 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , wherein a thickness h of the anode active material layer and/or the cathode active material layer at the side surface of the laminated structure is less than 1 mm.

5 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , wherein the anode active material layer and/or the cathode active material layer positioned at the side surface of the laminated structure is in a net shape.

6 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , wherein a material of the anode active material layer is same as a material of the cathode active material layer, the laminated structure is formed by folding a single piece of sheet in half, and the bipolar plate is arranged in the hollow cavity of the laminated structure.

7 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , wherein the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer are two separate sheets, the hollow cavity of the laminated structure is a sealed cavity formed by folding the two separate sheets, and the bipolar plate is arranged in the sealed cavity.

8 . A preparation method of the integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 , comprising:
S 1 : inserting a bipolar plate between an anode active material layer and a cathode active material layer to form a “sandwich” structure, folding an edge of the anode active material layer and/or the cathode active material layer along a side edge of the bipolar plate to make the anode active material layer interconnect with the cathode active material layer, and pressing a connected part; S 2 : gluing the connected part in S 1 , so as to allow the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer to form an interconnected whole; and S 3 : gluing and sealing side surfaces of the “sandwich” structure to form a sealing layer, thereby obtaining the integrated bipolar electrode.

9 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 6 , wherein the integrated bipolar electrode is prepared with a preparation method comprising:
S 1 : folding the single piece of sheet in half to form the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer which have an identical area, then inserting the bipolar plate between the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer to form a three-layer overlaid structure; and S 2 : gluing and sealing side surfaces of the three-layer overlaid structure to form the sealing layer, thereby obtaining the integrated bipolar electrode.

10 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 6 , wherein the integrated bipolar electrode is prepared with a preparation method comprising:
S 1 : folding the single piece of sheet to allow two ends of the single piece of sheet to be connected and form a cavity for receiving the bipolar plate, gluing the two ends of the single piece of sheet, and inserting the bipolar plate into the cavity to form a three-layer overlaid structure; and S 2 : gluing and sealing side surfaces of the three-layer overlaid structure to form the sealing layer, thereby obtaining the integrated bipolar electrode.

11 . The integrated bipolar electrode of claim 7 , wherein the integrated bipolar electrode is prepared with a preparation method comprising:
S 1 : inserting the bipolar plate between the two separate sheets to form a “sandwich” structure, then folding an edge of at least one of the two separated sheets along a side edge of the bipolar plate to allow the two separate sheets to be in direct contact with each other, then pressing and gluing a contact part, such that the bipolar plate is completely wrapped by the two separate sheets; and S 2 : gluing and sealing side surfaces of the “sandwich” structure to form the sealing layer, thereby obtaining the integrated bipolar electrode.

12 . Use of an integrated bipolar electrode of claim 1 in an all-vanadium redox flow battery, wherein the all-vanadium redox flow battery comprises at least one integrated bipolar electrode, a bipolar electrode fixing frame for fixing the integrated bipolar electrode, and a diaphragm for separating an anolyte from a catholyte.

13 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Univ Central South

Inventors

• Liu Suqin
• Yuan Xiugui

Classifications

• H01M4/8657 Primary

  layered · CPC title

• H01M2004/8694

  Bipolar electrodes · CPC title

• H01M8/188

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/88 Primary

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/96

  Carbon-based electrodes · CPC title