Lead-acid battery formulations containing discrete carbon nanotubes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9806343-B2
Application number	US-201514670178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 23, 2011
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

Compositions of discrete carbon nanotubes for improved performance lead acid batteries. Further disclosed is a method to form a lead-acid battery with discrete carbon nanotubes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composition for lead-acid battery construction comprising:
a plurality of discrete carbon nanotubes, not entangled as a mass, the nanotubes having an aspect ratio of about 10 to about 500;
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes are open ended; and
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes have an oxidation level of from about 1 weight percent to about 15 weight percent.

2. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one surfactant or dispersing aid.

3. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one surfactant or dispersing aid, wherein the surfactant or dispersing aid contains a sulfate moiety.

4. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a sulfonated polymer selected from the group consisting of: ligno-sulfonate, sulfonated polystyrene, and combinations thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising conducting polymers selected from the group consisting of: polyaniline, polyphenylene vinylene, polyvinylpyrollidone, polyacetylene polythiophene, polyphenylene sulfide, and blends, copolymers, and derivatives thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising water and wherein the nanotubes are dispersed in the water to form an expander material or battery paste.

7. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a non-fiber carbon moiety.

8. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising an organic material;
an inorganic salt; and a non-fiber carbon moiety.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein when said composition is employed as a battery paste the battery paste exhibits (1) at least 10% improved adhesion to carbon/lead electrodes, lead electrodes, or carbon electrodes, than pastes without carbon nanotubes; or (2) a 10% or greater increase in ion transport at any temperature for a given electrolyte concentration compared to a battery without carbon nanotubes at the same electrolyte concentration and temperature; or (3) both (1) and (2).

10. The composition of claim 9 wherein when said composition is employed as a battery paste the battery paste exhibits at least 10% improved adhesion to carbon/lead electrodes, lead electrodes, or carbon electrodes, than pastes without carbon nanotubes.

11. The composition of claim 9 wherein when said composition is employed as a battery paste the battery paste exhibits a 10% or greater increase in ion transport at any temperature for a given electrolyte concentration compared to a battery without carbon nanotubes at the same electrolyte concentration and temperature.

12. The composition of claim 8 wherein when said composition is employed as a battery paste the battery paste exhibits (1) at least 10% improved adhesion to carbon/lead electrodes, lead electrodes, or carbon electrodes, than pastes without carbon nanotubes; and (2) a 10% or greater increase in ion transport at any temperature for a given electrolyte concentration compared to a battery without carbon nanotubes at the same electrolyte concentration and temperature.

13. The composition of claim 8 wherein the inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, lead sulfate, calcium sulfate and tin oxide.

14. The composition of claim 7 wherein the non-fiber carbon moiety is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and graphene.

15. The composition of claim 8 wherein the non-fiber carbon moiety is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and graphene.

16. A composition for lead-acid battery construction comprising:
a plurality of discrete carbon nanotubes, not entangled as a mass, the nanotubes having an aspect ratio of about 10 to about 500;
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes are open ended;
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes have an oxidation level of from about 1 weight percent to about 15 weight percent; and
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes are coated with a conductive polymer.

17. The composition of claim 16 wherein the conductive polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polyaniline, polyphenylene vinylene, polyvinylpyrollidone, polyacetylene polythiophene, polyphenylene sulfide, and blends, copolymers, and derivatives thereof.

18. The composition of claim 16 , further comprising an organic material; an inorganic salt; and a non-fiber carbon moiety.

19. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, lead sulfate, calcium sulfate and tin oxide.

20. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the non-fiber carbon moiety is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and graphene.

21. A composition for lead-acid battery construction comprising:
(a) a plurality of discrete carbon nanotubes, not entangled as a mass, the nanotubes having an aspect ratio of about 10 to about 500;
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes are open ended;
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes have an oxidation level of from about 1 weight percent to about 15 weight percent; and
wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes are coated with a conductive polymer;
(b) an inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, lead sulfate, calcium sulfate and tin oxide; and
(c) a non-fiber carbon moiety is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and graphene.

22. The composition of claim 21 further comprising an organic material.

Assignees

• Molecular Rebar Design Llc

Inventors

• Bosnyak Clive P
• Swogger Kurt W

Classifications

• C08L97/02

  Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse {(manufacture of articles made from lignocellulosic material by dry processes B27N)} · CPC title

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M2220/10

  Batteries in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M4/624

  Electric conductive fillers · CPC title