Alkaline electrochemical cells comprising increased zinc oxide levels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025329711-A1
Application number	US-202519185868-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2025
Priority date	Apr 22, 2024
Publication date	Oct 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Alkaline electrochemical cells are provided, wherein methods to decrease or eliminate shorting in batteries by preventing zinc oxide reaction precipitate from creating a conductive bridge between the two electrodes. The alkaline electrochemical cell comprises solid zinc oxide particles in the anode and dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide in one or more of the catholyte, the anolyte, and the free electrolyte. Optimally, the solid zinc oxide particles have a large Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area and/or a large median particle size (D50). The cells may also comprise a certain amount of surfactant in the separator.

First claim

1 . An alkaline electrochemical cell, comprising:
a container; and an electrode assembly disposed within the container and comprising a cathode, an anode, a separator located between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte shot; wherein the anode comprises 1) solid zinc, 2) anolyte, 3) solid zinc oxide particles, and 4) gelling agent, wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area greater than 5 m 2 /g.

2 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a BET surface area greater than 30 m 2 /g.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 5 μm.

5 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 4 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 20 μm.

6 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles comprise greater than 3000 ppm of sulfate.

7 . An alkaline electrochemical cell, comprising:
a container; and an electrode assembly disposed within the container and comprising a cathode, an anode, a separator located between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte shot; wherein the anode comprises 1) solid zinc, 2) anolyte, 3) solid zinc oxide particles, and 4) gelling agent, wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 5 μm.

8 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 7 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 20 μm.

9 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 7 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area greater than 5 m 2 /g.

10 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 9 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a BET surface area greater than 30 m 2 /g.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 7 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles comprise greater than 3000 ppm of sulfate.

13 . An alkaline electrochemical cell, comprising:
a container; and an electrode assembly disposed within the container and comprising a cathode, an anode, a separator located between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte shot; wherein the anode comprises 1) solid zinc, 2) anolyte, 3) solid zinc oxide particles, and 4) gelling agent, wherein the solid zinc oxide particles comprise greater than 3000 ppm of sulfate.

14 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 5 μm.

15 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 14 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 20 μm.

16 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area greater than 5 m 2 /g.

17 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 16 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a BET surface area greater than 30 m 2 /g.

18 . (canceled)

19 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 13 , wherein the solid zinc oxide particles have a median particle size (D50) greater than 5 μm and a Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area greater than 5 m 2 /g.

20 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises about 0.01 wt % to about 3.0 wt % of a surfactant.

21 . An alkaline electrochemical cell, comprising:
a container; and an electrode assembly disposed within the container and comprising a cathode, an anode, a separator located between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte shot; wherein the anode comprises 1) solid zinc, 2) anolyte, 3) solid zinc oxide particles, and 4) gelling agent; and wherein the separator comprises about 0.01 wt % to about 3.0 wt % of a surfactant.

22 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 21 , wherein the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant or an anionic surfactant.

23 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 21 , wherein the surfactant is an ethoxylate.

24 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 23 , wherein the surfactant is an ethoxylated alcohol or an ethoxylated phosphate ester.

25 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the separator is a non-woven separator.

26 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises at least about 0.2 vol. % of the solid zinc oxide particles.

27 . (canceled)

28 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the total zinc oxide weight percent in the full-cell electrolyte is at least about 1.0%.

29 . (canceled)

30 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises catholyte, and wherein one or more of the catholyte, the anolyte, and the free electrolyte comprises dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide.

31 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the alkaline electrochemical cell comprises a total zinc oxide equivalent weight of about 3.0 wt % to about 5.5 wt %.

32 . (canceled)

33 . (canceled)

34 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the full cell molarity of the dissolved zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide is from about 0.1 M to about 1.5 M.

35 - 37 . (canceled)

38 . The alkaline electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the alkaline electrochemical cell is a primary cell.

Assignees

• Energizer Brands Llc

Inventors

• Liu Zhufang
• Fan Daniel
• Johnson Robert

Classifications

• H01M6/24

  Cells comprising two different electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M6/22

  Immobilising of electrolyte · CPC title

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/38

  of elements or alloys · CPC title

• H01M2300/0085

  Immobilising or gelification of electrolyte · CPC title