Electrochemical cell with improved high-rate discharge performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020411884-A1
Application number	US-201916455124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Dec 31, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An alkaline electrochemical cell has a central cathode having a corresponding cathode current collector electrically connected with a positive terminal of the electrochemical cell. The cathode current collector has a tubular shape, such as a cylindrical shape or rectangular shape, extending parallel with the length of the central cathode. The cathode current collector is embedded within the central cathode, such as at a medial point of a radius of the central cathode, thereby minimizing the distance between the cathode current collector and any portion of the central cathode, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the cathode and facilitating charge transfer to the cathode current collector.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1 . A cathode for an electrochemical cell, the cathode comprising:
a cathode rod comprising a cathode active material; and a cathode current collector comprising a conducting tube embedded within the cathode rod.

2 . The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the cathode rod is a cylinder.

3 . The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the cathode rod comprises a plurality of cathode pellets stacked axially relative to one another.

4 . The cathode of claim 3 , wherein the cathode current collector is wrapped around the plurality of cathode pellets and embedded within an outer surface of the plurality of cathode pellets.

5 . The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the cathode current collector has a shape corresponding to the shape of the cathode rod.

6 . The cathode of claim 5 , wherein the cathode rod and the cathode current collector are at least substantially cylindrical and the cathode current collector is at least substantially concentric with the cathode rod, and wherein the cathode current collector has a diameter at least substantially half of a diameter of the cathode rod.

7 . The cathode of claim 5 , wherein the cathode rod and the cathode current collector are at least substantially rectangular.

8 . The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the conducting tube comprises a conducting mesh or perforated material.

9 . The cathode of claim 8 , wherein the conducting tube comprises a nickel mesh material.

10 . The cathode of claim 9 , wherein the nickel mesh material has a graphite coating.

11 . The cathode of claim 8 , wherein the conducting tube comprises a perforated nickel foil material.

12 . The cathode of claim 1 , wherein the conducting tube comprises a conducting wire coil.

13 . A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
placing an outer cathode ring within a container, wherein the outer cathode ring is in contact with an interior surface of the container and defines a cathode opening bounded by an inner surface of the outer cathode ring; covering the inner surface of the outer cathode ring with a separator material; disposing an anode material within the cathode opening, wherein the anode material is separated from the container and the outer cathode ring by the separator; positioning an inner cathode comprising an embedded cathode current collector and covered with a separator within the cathode opening of the outer cathode ring, thereby displacing at least a portion of the anode material into a gap defined between the inner surface of the outer cathode ring and an outer surface of the inner cathode; electrically connecting the cathode current collector with the container; extending an anode current collector into the anode material; and sealing the container with a cover, wherein the cover is in electrical connection with the anode current collector.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein electrically connecting the cathode current collector with the container comprises attaching a conducting tab between the cathode current collector and the container.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising electrically insulating the conducting tab from the anode and anode current collector.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein positioning an inner cathode within the cathode opening further comprises:
forming a plurality of cathode pellets; stacking the plurality of cathode pellets axially; embedding the cathode current collector within an exterior surface of the plurality of cathode pellets to form the inner cathode; and wrapping the inner cathode with the separator material.

17 . A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
placing an outer cathode ring within a container, wherein the outer cathode ring is in contact with an interior surface of the container and defines a cathode opening bounded by an inner surface of the outer cathode ring; covering the inner surface of the outer cathode ring with a separator material; positioning an inner cathode comprising an embedded cathode current collector and covered with a separator within the cathode opening of the outer cathode ring such that an outer surface of the inner cathode is spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer cathode ring; disposing an anode material between the outer cathode and the inner cathode; electrically connecting the cathode current collector with the container; extending an anode current collector into the anode material; and sealing the container with a cover, wherein the cover is in electrical connection with the anode current collector.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein electrically connecting the cathode current collector with the container comprises attaching a conducting plate between the cathode current collector and a closed bottom end of the container.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising electrically insulating the conducting plate from the anode.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein positioning an inner cathode within the cathode opening further comprises:
forming a plurality of cathode pellets; stacking the plurality of cathode pellets axially; embedding the cathode current collector within an exterior surface of the plurality of cathode pellets to form the inner cathode; and wrapping the inner cathode with the separator material.

Assignees

• Energizer Brands Llc

Inventors

• Huang Weiwei
• Kerosky Frank J

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/244

  Zinc electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/78

  Shapes other than plane or cylindrical, e.g. helical · CPC title

• H01M4/74

  Meshes or woven material; Expanded metal · CPC title