Bifacial sealed gas diffusion electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023395904-A1
Application number	US-202318160480-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 27, 2023
Priority date	Jan 28, 2022
Publication date	Dec 7, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods of the various embodiments may provide bifacial sealed gas diffusion electrode (GDE) assemblies. In some embodiments, a bifacial sealed gas diffusion electrode (GDE) assembly includes active electrode layers on two opposing sides of the assembly. Various embodiments may provide architecture and/or sealing methods for GDE assemblies. In various embodiments, the GDE assemblies may be for use in devices. In various embodiments, the devices may be primary or secondary batteries. In various embodiments, these devices may be useful for energy storage. For example, bifacial sealed GDE assemblies of the various embodiments may form cathode electrodes (sometimes called air electrodes) of a battery, such as a metal-air battery.

First claim

1 . An electrode assembly, comprising:
a first electrode comprising a planar portion, a bottom peripheral edge, a top peripheral edge, a first lateral peripheral edge, a second lateral peripheral edge, a convex portion, and a raised portion, the planar portion of the first electrode adjacent to each one of the bottom peripheral edge, the first lateral peripheral edge, and the second lateral peripheral edge, the convex portion extending from the planar portion of the first electrode to the raised portion in a central region and extending to the top peripheral edge; and a second member opposite the first electrode, the second member including a surface, the planar portion of the first electrode contacting and sealed against the surface of the second member, and the first electrode and the second member defining an internal chamber therebetween.

2 . The electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second member comprises a second electrode, the second electrode comprises a planar portion, a convex portion, and a raised portion, the planar portion of the second electrode adjacent to the bottom peripheral edge, the first lateral peripheral edge, and the second lateral peripheral of the first electrode, the convex portion of the second electrode extending from the planar portion of the second electrode to the raised portion of the second electrode, the raised portion in a central region of the second electrode and extending to a top peripheral edge of the first electrode.

3 . The electrode assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each comprise a respective Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) electrode.

4 . The electrode assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each comprise a respective laminate structure gas diffusion electrode, each laminate structure gas diffusion electrode comprising an active layer and at least one backing layer.

5 . The electrode assembly of claim 4 , wherein the respective active layer of each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a hydrophilic surface and the respective backing layer of each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a hydrophobic surface.

6 . The electrode assembly of claim 4 , wherein the respective laminate structure gas diffusion electrode of each one of the first electrode and the second electrode has an embedded current collector.

7 . The electrode assembly of claim 6 , wherein the embedded current collector electrically contacts a bus bar within the internal chamber.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The electrode assembly of claim 4 , wherein the respective active layer of each one of the first electrode and the second electrode is spaced away from each of the bottom peripheral edge, the first lateral peripheral edge, and the second lateral peripheral edge.

10 . The electrode assembly of claim 9 , wherein the respective active layer of each one of the first electrode and the second electrode is spaced away from the top peripheral edge of the electrode assembly.

11 . The electrode assembly of claim 4 , further comprising an insert within the internal chamber and contacting the respective backing layer of each one of the first electrode and the second electrode, the insert defining air flow fields across the respective backing layer of each one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

12 . The electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the raised portion of the first electrode comprises a textured, contoured, and/or roughened three-dimensional shape.

13 . The electrode assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a sealant material located between the planar portion of the first electrode and a surface of the second member.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The electrode assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a sealant material over each one of the bottom peripheral edge, the first lateral peripheral edge, and the second lateral peripheral edge.

16 . The electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the sealant material comprises at least one of an epoxy paint, an epoxy dose, and epoxy dip seal, a clip, a clamp, and an epoxy-lined tape.

17 - 18 . (canceled)

19 . A battery, comprising:
a housing; a liquid electrolyte within the housing; an anode electrode within the housing and at least partially submerged within the liquid electrolyte; and an electrode assembly according to claim 1 , the electrode assembly within the housing and at least partially submerged within the liquid electrolyte.

20 . A method of fabricating an electrode assembly, comprising:
providing a layer stack comprising at least one active layer and at least one backing layer; forming a laminate structure gas diffusion electrode by applying pressure and heat to the layer stack, the laminate structure gas diffusion electrode including a planar portion adjacent to a bottom peripheral edge and first and second lateral peripheral edges of the electrode, a convex portion extending from the planar portion to a raised portion of the electrode located in a central region and extending adjacent to a top peripheral edge of the electrode; and bonding the laminate structure gas diffusion electrode to a second member to seal the planar portion to the second member and form an electrode assembly having an internal chamber between the laminate structure gas diffusion electrode and the second member.

21 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . A method of fabricating an electrode assembly, comprising:
sealing a first laminate structure gas diffusion electrode against one or more sidewalls of a support frame on a first side of the support frame such that the first laminate gas diffusion electrode extends over a first side of an open region interior of the one or more sidewalls; and sealing a second laminate structure against the one or more sidewalls on a second side of the support frame such that the second laminate gas diffusion electrode extends over a second side of the open region interior of the one or more sidewalls.

28 . (canceled)

29 . A method of fabricating a large-area laminate structure gas diffusion electrode, comprising:
folding over unlaminated portions of a first layer stack and a second layer stack to provide interlocking lateral edges of the first layer stack and the second layer stack, wherein each layer stack includes at least one active layer and at least one backing layer; and applying pressure and heat to the interlocking lateral edges to bond the interlocking lateral edges and form a seam that couples the first layer stack and the second layer stack.

30 . A method of fabricating an electrode assembly, comprising:
providing a first layer stack comprising at least one active layer and at least one backing layer and a second layer stack comprising at least one active layer and at least one backing layer; forming a first laminate structure gas diffusion electrode by applying pressure and heat to the first layer stack, and a second laminate structure gas diffusion electrode by applying pressure and heat to the second layer stack; bonding the first laminate structure gas diffusion electrode to the second laminate structure gas diffusion electrode to form an electrode assembly having a spacer between the first laminate structure gas diffusion electrode and the second laminate structure gas diffusion electrode; and removing the spacer from the electrode assembly to provide a cavity in the electrode assembly between the first laminate structure ga

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

• Patrick Meghan Marya
• Donahey Glenn
• Traini Erica Skye
• Woodford William Henry
• Reynolds Christopher Thomas
• Tarasov Vladimir Sergeyevich
• Mckibben Nicholas
• Wood Christopher Evan
• Yang Kalina

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M2300/0017

  Non-aqueous electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M2300/0002

  Aqueous electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• H01M8/0284

  Organic resins; Organic polymers · CPC title