Electrochemical cells including electrode stacks for metal-air batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025273772-A1
Application number	US-202519061979-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2025
Priority date	Feb 22, 2024
Publication date	Aug 28, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrochemical cell may include a vessel, a first module, a second module, and a gas diffusion electrode (GDE). The vessel has a thickness dimension. The first module includes a first anode sandwiched between two first oxygen evolution electrodes along the thickness dimension of the vessel. The second module includes a second anode sandwiched between two second oxygen evolution electrodes along the thickness dimension of the vessel. A gas diffusion electrode (GDE) is disposed between the first module and the second module in the vessel along the thickness dimension of the vessel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a vessel having a thickness dimension; a first module including a first anode sandwiched between two first oxygen evolution electrodes along the thickness dimension of the vessel; a second module including a second anode sandwiched between two second oxygen evolution electrodes along the thickness dimension of the vessel; and a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) disposed between the first module and the second module in the vessel along the thickness dimension of the vessel.

2 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the vessel includes a core, a first panel, and a second panel collectively encapsulating the first module, the second module, and the GDE.

3 . The electrochemical cell of claim 2 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are each welded to the core.

4 . The electrochemical cell of claim 2 , wherein the first module, the second module, and the GDE are each supported in place by the core of the vessel alone.

5 . The electrochemical cell of claim 2 , wherein all fluid ports into the vessel and all electrical connections into the vessel pass through the core of the vessel.

6 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the first anode and the second anode are load-bearing members within the vessel.

7 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein, in the first module, the each of the two first oxygen evolution electrodes is heat staked to the first anode and, in the second module, each of the two second oxygen evolution electrodes is heat staked to the second anode.

8 . The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , further comprising a first terminal extending through the vessel and into parallel electrical communication with the first anode and the second anode in the vessel.

9 . The electrochemical cell of claim 8 , further comprising a second terminal extending through the vessel and into parallel electrical communication with the two first oxygen evolution electrodes and the two second oxygen evolution electrodes.

10 . The electrochemical cell of claim 9 , further comprising a third terminal extending through the vessel and into electrical communication with the GDE.

11 . The electrochemical cell of claim 10 , further comprising a polyamide seal overmolded on at least one of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the third terminal.

12 . A vessel for an electrochemical cell, the vessel comprising:
a terminal electrically connectable to an external circuit; a seal overmolded on the terminal, the seal formed of a first polymer, the first polymer being a polyamide; and a core defining a ring, the core formed of a second polymer different from the first polymer, and the seal molded into the core with the terminal extending through the core into the ring such that the terminal is connectable in electrical communication with one or more electrodes supportable in the ring.

13 . The vessel of claim 12 , wherein the terminal is a nickel-plated.

14 . The vessel of claim 12 , wherein the polyamide of the first polymer is nylon.

15 . The vessel of claim 12 , wherein the second polymer of the core is one or more of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, or a low-molecular weight polyamide.

16 . A method of assembling an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
securing a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) to a core in a position with the GDE within a ring collectively formed by sides of the core; securing at least one oxygen evolution electrode (OEE) and at least one anode relative to the GDE secured to the core; and sealing a first panel and a second panel to the core such that the first panel, the second panel, and the core enclose the GDE, the at least one OEE, and the at least one anode.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein securing the GDE to the core includes passing one or more electrical connections through the core from the GDE.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein securing the at least one oxygen evolution electrode (OEE) and the at least one anode relative to the GDE secured to the core includes passing one or more electrical connections through the core from the at least one OEE and from the at least one anode.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the core includes one or more terminals and passing the one or more electrical connections through the core includes electrically connecting the at least one OEE, and the at least one anode to the one or more terminals.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein securing the at least one OEE and the at least one an anode relative to the GDE secured to the core includes securing an OEE on each side of the GDE secured to the core and securing an anode on each side of the GDE secured to the core.

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

• Pitt Emily C
• Brandt Riley
• Wynn Nathaniel C
• Rivera Angel Ruben
• Paxson Derek
• Cummings Malcolm
• Sledd Alan
• Syvertsen Marc Louis
• Zhang Mei

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/1385

  Hybrid cells · CPC title

• H01M12/08

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title

• H01M12/065

  with plate-like electrodes or stacks of plate-like electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/38

  Construction or manufacture · CPC title