Electrode configurations for iron-air electrochemical systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024128549-A1
Application number	US-202318485804-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 12, 2023
Priority date	Oct 12, 2022
Publication date	Apr 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An iron-air battery including an iron electrode in contact with an anode current collector, wherein the iron electrode includes a plurality of channels; an oxygen reduction reaction electrode having a first surface facing the plurality of channels and an opposing second surface in contact with air; an oxygen evolution reaction electrode interdigitated with the plurality of channels of the iron electrode, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen evolution reaction electrode is disposed within the plurality of channels in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode; and an electrolyte in contact with the iron electrode, the first surface of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode, the plurality of channels, and the oxygen evolution reaction electrode.

First claim

1 . An iron-air battery, comprising:
an iron electrode in contact with an anode current collector, wherein the iron electrode comprises a plurality of channels; an oxygen reduction reaction electrode having a first surface facing the plurality of channels and an opposing second surface in contact with air; an oxygen evolution reaction electrode interdigitated with the plurality of channels of the iron electrode, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen evolution reaction electrode is disposed within the plurality of channels in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode; and an electrolyte in contact with the iron electrode, the first surface of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode, the plurality of channels, and the oxygen evolution reaction electrode.

2 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , further comprising a separator disposed between at least a portion of the iron electrode and the oxygen evolution reaction electrode.

3 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen evolution reaction electrode comprises:
a plurality of cathode projections disposed within the plurality of channels; and a trunk portion connected to the plurality of cathode projections, wherein the trunk portion is not interdigitated with the plurality of channels of the iron electrode, and wherein the trunk portion is disposed between the iron electrode and the oxygen reduction reaction electrode.

4 . The iron-air battery of claim 3 , wherein one or more cathode projections of the plurality of cathode projections has an average length of 3 mm to 50 mm when measured from the trunk portion.

5 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein greater than 25% of channels in the plurality of channels comprise the oxygen evolution reaction electrode disposed therein.

6 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein one or more channels of the plurality of channels further comprises an additive.

7 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein one or more channels of the plurality of channels has an average length of 3 mm to 50 mm in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode, and an average width of 1 mm to 40 mm in a direction parallel to the plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode.

8 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein one or more channels of the plurality of channels has an average width of 1 mm to 40 mm in a direction parallel to the plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode.

9 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein one or more channels of the plurality of channels are separated from each other by an average distance of 10 mm to 50 mm in a direction parallel to the plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode, when measured between centers of adjacent channels.

10 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein each channel of the plurality of channels independently has a rectangular prism shape, a cylindrical shape, a pyramidal shape, or a trapezoidal prism shape.

11 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen evolution reaction electrode comprises a porous metal mesh and an oxygen evolution catalyst.

12 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen evolution reaction electrode is arranged in a corrugated configuration within the plurality of channels.

13 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the anode current collector comprises:
one or more branch current collectors disposed parallel to the plurality of channels; and a primary current collector connected to the one or more branch current collectors, wherein the primary current collector is disposed parallel to the first surface of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode.

14 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a solid oxide electrolyte, a solid polymer electrolyte, a molten salt, an aqueous solution, a non-aqueous solution, a gel, or a combination thereof.

15 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution of an alkali hydroxide, an organic hydroxide, or a combination thereof.

16 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein the iron electrode has a surface density of 1 gram of iron per square centimeter to 7 grams of iron per square centimeter relative to a direction perpendicular to the oxygen reduction reaction electrode.

17 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein a volume fraction of the electrolyte in the iron electrode is 0.5 to 0.9, based on the total volume of the iron electrode when fully charged.

18 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , wherein
the anode current collector comprises a first surface and an opposite second surface, the iron electrode comprises a first iron electrode on the first surface of a first current collector, and a second iron electrode on the second surface of the first current collector, wherein the first iron electrode comprises a first plurality of channels and the second iron electrode comprises a second plurality of channels; the oxygen reduction reaction electrode has a first surface facing the first plurality of channels and an opposing second surface in contact with air; the oxygen evolution reaction electrode is interdigitated with the first plurality of channels of the first iron electrode, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen evolution reaction electrode is disposed within the first plurality of channels in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode; the first electrolyte is in contact with the first iron electrode, the first surface of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode, the first plurality of channels, and the oxygen evolution reaction electrode; and wherein the iron-air battery further comprises: a second oxygen reduction reaction electrode having a first surface facing the second plurality of channels and an opposing second surface in contact with air; a second oxygen evolution reaction electrode interdigitated with the second plurality of channels of the second iron electrode, wherein at least a portion of the second oxygen evolution reaction electrode is disposed within the second plurality of channels in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the second oxygen reduction reaction electrode; and a second electrolyte in contact with the second iron electrode, the first surface of the oxygen reduction reaction electrode, the second plurality of channels, and the second oxygen evolution reaction electrode, wherein the electrolyte and the second electrolyte are the same or different.

19 . The iron-air battery of claim 1 , further comprising
a second iron electrode in contact with a second anode current collector, wherein the second iron electrode comprises a second plurality of channels; a second oxygen reduction reaction electrode having a first surface facing the second plurality of channels and an opposing second surface in contact with air; a second oxygen evolution reaction electrode interdigitated with the second plurality of channels of the second iron electrode, wherein at least a portion of the second oxygen evolution reaction electrode is disposed within the second plurality of channels in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the second oxygen reduction reaction electrode; a second electrolyte in contact with the second iron electrode, the first surface of the second oxygen reduction reaction electrode, the second plurality of channels, and the second oxygen evolution reaction electrode; and an air channel disposed between the second surface of the oxygen reduction re

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

• Manser Joseph Stephen
• Reynolds Christopher Thomas
• Thomas-Alyea Karen
• Chon Michael
• Hooke David
• Gibson Michael Andrew
• Takagi Yuto
• Goodman Johanna
• Morgan Robert Wesley
• Sacha Valerie Christine
• Rivera Angel Ruben
• Pantano Joseph Anthony
• Sokol Julia
• Perkins Nicholas Reed

Classifications

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/8626

  characterised by the form · CPC title

• H01M4/8605

  Porous electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/38

  of elements or alloys · CPC title

• H01M12/06 Primary

  with one metallic and one gaseous electrode · CPC title