WO1991020105A1 - A battery - Google Patents

A battery Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1991020105A1
WO1991020105A1 PCT/GB1991/000998 GB9100998W WO9120105A1 WO 1991020105 A1 WO1991020105 A1 WO 1991020105A1 GB 9100998 W GB9100998 W GB 9100998W WO 9120105 A1 WO9120105 A1 WO 9120105A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
battery
foraminous
electrolyte material
laminate
fold
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1991/000998
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Paul Radmall
Original Assignee
Dowty Electronic Components Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dowty Electronic Components Limited filed Critical Dowty Electronic Components Limited
Publication of WO1991020105A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991020105A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M6/00—Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M6/14—Cells with non-aqueous electrolyte
    • H01M6/18—Cells with non-aqueous electrolyte with solid electrolyte
    • H01M6/181—Cells with non-aqueous electrolyte with solid electrolyte with polymeric electrolytes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M6/00—Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M6/04—Cells with aqueous electrolyte
    • H01M6/06—Dry cells, i.e. cells wherein the electrolyte is rendered non-fluid
    • H01M6/10—Dry cells, i.e. cells wherein the electrolyte is rendered non-fluid with wound or folded electrodes

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a solid state battery, and in particular, a solid state battery of folded construction.
  • the present invention is concerned with providing a solid state battery of folded construction in which this problem is eliminated, or at least drastically reduced.
  • the present invention comprises a solid state battery of at least one electrochemical cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a solid electrolyte material which are assembled as a laminate which is then folded back on itself, characterised in that a layer of an electrically non-conducting foraminous material is incorporated within the solid electrolyte material in the region of the fold in the laminate.
  • the foraminous member should be made from a non- electrically conducting material.
  • the non-electrically conducting material may, or may not, have the ability to allow ionic conduction thereacross.
  • non-electrically conducting material should be a material which will not itself deteriorate the actual electrochemical operation of the cell. For example, it should not react or contain latent contaminants (such as water) which will react with the materials of the major components of the battery and so effect the operation of the cells of the battery.
  • the foraminous member prevents the negative and positive electrodes from electrically contacting one another, and ensures that electrolyte material (which is enclosed within the holes of the foraminous member) is present allowing normal electrochemical operation of the cell in this area.
  • the foraminous member is embedded in the electrolyte material so that it does not add to the overall width/thickness of .the major component assembly of the battery.
  • individual foraminous members are provided in respect of each individual fold of the concertina, and each of the individual foraminous members comprises a strip which extends over the full transverse of the negative electrode, positive electrode and electrolyte material.
  • the foraminous member is provided with a series of perforations.
  • the negative electrode of the battery of the present invention is formed from lithium metal or a lithium alloy and the foraminous member is formed from polypropylene.
  • the non-electrically conducting material of the foraminous member is a material substantially free of latent water, namely polypropylene.
  • polypropylene in addition to being non electrically conducting does not exhibit any ionic conductivity of its own right.
  • the actual ionic conductivity of the battery in this area across the foraminous member is brought about by the electrolyte material caught and held within the holes, for example, the holes or perforations of the foraminous member.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of an electrochemical cell of a battery made in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of the electrochemical cell shown in Figure 1 of the drawings;
  • Figure 3 shows a schematic section across the width of a folded section of the core member of Figures 1 and 2.
  • a battery made in accordance with the present invention comprises electrochemical cells as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, which electrochemical cells include a core member 1.
  • the core member 1 comprises a layered structure having three layers as follows: a first layer 2 which comprises a positive active material held within a polymeric structure and constitutes the positive electrode of the electro ⁇ chemical cell; .
  • a second layer 3 of polymeric solid state electrolyte material for example Polyethylene Oxide containing Propylene Carbonate and Ethylene Carbonate and having a lithium salt dispersed therein;
  • the core member 1 of the battery is assembled within a casing (not shown) and in order to economically achieve this (in a spatial sense) the core member 1 can be formed into a concertina which has a known preset separation between the position of the folds which enable formation of the concertina. In order to form the concertina the core member is folded back and forth across itself so that in a side profile the core member 1 has a zig zag pattern.
  • the core member 1 is provided with a series of foraminous members 5 having a number of perforations 6 formed thereon.
  • the foraminous members 5 in this example are manufactured from polypropylene which in itself, and any latent compounds of the electrochemical cells.
  • the foraminous members 5 are manufactured from polypropylene sheeting whose thickness is less than the thickness of the second layer 3 of electrolyte material of the battery with which it is to be associated. In this way the foraminous member 5 can easily be embedded in the second layer 3 of electrolyte material of the battery without adding any thickness to the core member of the battery.
  • the series of foraminous members 5 are spaced from one another in the second layer 3 of electrolyte material, at the same spacing as the battery will be folded to form the concertina.
  • the electrolyte material When the core member 5 is folded, in the vicinity of the fold the electrolyte material is squeezed as a result of the bunching in the innermost ' layer and the stretching of the outermost layer. Now as the electrolyte material is of a physical consistency which is more likely to flow than that of the surrounding layers it is forced away from the affected area.
  • the foraminous members 5 were not present the positive electrode and negative electrodes of the electrochemical cell(s) would eventually contact one another and short the electrochemical cell(s). This obviously drastically affects the operation of the battery. ow in the present invention some of the electrolyte material in the second layer 3 of the core member 1 may be squeezed away from the vicinity of the fold. However, the foraminous member 5 in the vicinity of the fold prevents the positive electrode and negative electrode from contacting one another.

Abstract

A solid state battery of at least one electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode (2), a negative electrode (4) and a solid electrolyte material (3) which are assembled as a laminate which is then folded back on itself, a layer of an electrically non-conducting foraminous material (5) being incorporated within the solid electrolyte material (3) in the region of the fold in the laminate. The foraminous material (5) may be polypropylene and may be perforated. Foraminous material (5) may be provided in the region of each of a plurality of folds.

Description

A BATTERY
Technical Field
This invention relates to a solid state battery, and in particular, a solid state battery of folded construction.
At present certain difficulties are experienced in assembling and operating solid state batteries in which the cathode, the electrolyte material and the anode are assembled together in a folded or concertina type construction. These problems primarily originate from the immediate vicinity of the fold, where folding over of the major components of the battery causes stressing therein. In turn, because of the fluidic nature of the electrolyte material of the cell in comparison with the other materials, this stressing tends to cause the electrolyte material to be forced away from this area of the cell. Ultimately, of course, this will cause the cathode and anode of the cell of the battery to contact one another and thus short the battery. Disclosure of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with providing a solid state battery of folded construction in which this problem is eliminated, or at least drastically reduced.
The present invention comprises a solid state battery of at least one electrochemical cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a solid electrolyte material which are assembled as a laminate which is then folded back on itself, characterised in that a layer of an electrically non-conducting foraminous material is incorporated within the solid electrolyte material in the region of the fold in the laminate.
The foraminous member should be made from a non- electrically conducting material. However, the non-electrically conducting material may, or may not, have the ability to allow ionic conduction thereacross.
In addition to the foraminous member being manufactured of non-electricallγ conducting material it will be clearly appreciated by those skilled in the art that the non-electrically conducting material should be a material which will not itself deteriorate the actual electrochemical operation of the cell. For example, it should not react or contain latent contaminants (such as water) which will react with the materials of the major components of the battery and so effect the operation of the cells of the battery.
Now when the assembly of the positive electrode, electrolyte material and the negative electrode is folded the area in the vicinity of the fold(s) is again stressed trying to force the electrolyte material away from this region. However in the present invention the foraminous member prevents the negative and positive electrodes from electrically contacting one another, and ensures that electrolyte material (which is enclosed within the holes of the foraminous member) is present allowing normal electrochemical operation of the cell in this area. In a preferred arrangement of the present invention, the foraminous member is embedded in the electrolyte material so that it does not add to the overall width/thickness of .the major component assembly of the battery.
Preferably, individual foraminous members are provided in respect of each individual fold of the concertina, and each of the individual foraminous members comprises a strip which extends over the full transverse of the negative electrode, positive electrode and electrolyte material.
In a preferred embodiment of the preset invention the foraminous member is provided with a series of perforations.
In a particular example of the present invention the negative electrode of the battery of the present invention is formed from lithium metal or a lithium alloy and the foraminous member is formed from polypropylene. In this example as will be well appreciated by those in the industry, in order to ensure the efficient operation of this battery it is essential to keep the battery substantially free of water , such as latent water locked within the materials of the battery, as lithium is readily oxidised in the presence of water. Consequently, the non-electrically conducting material of the foraminous member is a material substantially free of latent water, namely polypropylene.
Further, polypropylene in addition to being non electrically conducting does not exhibit any ionic conductivity of its own right. The actual ionic conductivity of the battery in this area across the foraminous member is brought about by the electrolyte material caught and held within the holes, for example, the holes or perforations of the foraminous member.
Description of the Drawings
The present invention will now be illustrated by way of description of an example made in accordance with the present invention and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of an electrochemical cell of a battery made in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of the electrochemical cell shown in Figure 1 of the drawings;
and Figure 3 shows a schematic section across the width of a folded section of the core member of Figures 1 and 2.
Mode of Carrying Out the Invention A battery made in accordance with the present invention comprises electrochemical cells as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, which electrochemical cells include a core member 1.
The core member 1 comprises a layered structure having three layers as follows: a first layer 2 which comprises a positive active material held within a polymeric structure and constitutes the positive electrode of the electro¬ chemical cell; .
a second layer 3 of polymeric solid state electrolyte material, for example Polyethylene Oxide containing Propylene Carbonate and Ethylene Carbonate and having a lithium salt dispersed therein;
and - a third layer 4 of lithium metal which constitutes the negative electrode of the electrochemical cell.
The core member 1 of the battery is assembled within a casing (not shown) and in order to economically achieve this (in a spatial sense) the core member 1 can be formed into a concertina which has a known preset separation between the position of the folds which enable formation of the concertina. In order to form the concertina the core member is folded back and forth across itself so that in a side profile the core member 1 has a zig zag pattern.
The core member 1 is provided with a series of foraminous members 5 having a number of perforations 6 formed thereon. The foraminous members 5 in this example are manufactured from polypropylene which in itself, and any latent compounds of the electrochemical cells.
The foraminous members 5 are manufactured from polypropylene sheeting whose thickness is less than the thickness of the second layer 3 of electrolyte material of the battery with which it is to be associated. In this way the foraminous member 5 can easily be embedded in the second layer 3 of electrolyte material of the battery without adding any thickness to the core member of the battery.
The series of foraminous members 5 are spaced from one another in the second layer 3 of electrolyte material, at the same spacing as the battery will be folded to form the concertina.
Once the core member 1 has been manufactured it is folded so that a foraminous member 5 is at the exact position of each of the folds in the core member 1.
When the core member 5 is folded, in the vicinity of the fold the electrolyte material is squeezed as a result of the bunching in the innermost' layer and the stretching of the outermost layer. Now as the electrolyte material is of a physical consistency which is more likely to flow than that of the surrounding layers it is forced away from the affected area.
If the foraminous members 5 were not present the positive electrode and negative electrodes of the electrochemical cell(s) would eventually contact one another and short the electrochemical cell(s). This obviously drastically affects the operation of the battery. ow in the present invention some of the electrolyte material in the second layer 3 of the core member 1 may be squeezed away from the vicinity of the fold. However, the foraminous member 5 in the vicinity of the fold prevents the positive electrode and negative electrode from contacting one another.
In view of the fact that polypropylene is a non electrically conducting material, the positive electrode and negative electrode are prevented from coming into electrical contact with one another, and hence shorting the electrochemical cell(s). However, electrolyte material is held within the perforations 6 of the foraminous member 5 and therefore ionic conductivity is maintained in the vicinity of the fold.

Claims

1. A solid state battery of at least one electrochemical ceil comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a solid electrolyte material which are assembled as a laminate which is then folded back on itself, characterised in that a 'layer of an electrically non-conducting foraminous material (5) is incorporated within the solid electrolyte material (3) in the region of the fold in the laminate.
2. A battery as claimed in claim 1 in which the foraminous material (5) is formed with a series of perforations.
3. A battery as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the laminate is folded back and forth on itself a plurality of times in a concertina form and a layer of electrically non-conducting foraminous material (5) is incorporated within the solid electrolyte material (3) in the region of each fold.
4. A battery as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the negative electrode (4) is lithium metal or alloy and the foraminous material (5) is polypropylene.
5. A battery substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
PCT/GB1991/000998 1990-06-20 1991-06-20 A battery WO1991020105A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9013754A GB2245411A (en) 1990-06-20 1990-06-20 Folded solid state battery.
GB9013754.8 1990-06-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1991020105A1 true WO1991020105A1 (en) 1991-12-26

Family

ID=10677922

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1991/000998 WO1991020105A1 (en) 1990-06-20 1991-06-20 A battery

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0487682A1 (en)
JP (1) JPH05500880A (en)
GB (1) GB2245411A (en)
WO (1) WO1991020105A1 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1994007276A1 (en) * 1992-09-11 1994-03-31 Valence Technology, Inc. Electrochemical cell stack and method of making an electrochemical cell stack
EP0602976A1 (en) * 1992-12-18 1994-06-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Rectangular cell and its fabrication method
US5597659A (en) * 1993-10-07 1997-01-28 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Manufacturing method of a separator for a lithium secondary battery and an organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery using the same separator
US7063918B2 (en) 2000-10-23 2006-06-20 The University Of Maryland, College Park Nanoscale solid-state polymeric battery system

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB621239A (en) * 1947-02-10 1949-04-06 Chloride Electrical Storage Co Improvements relating to electric accumulators
FR1365074A (en) * 1962-09-24 1964-06-26 Gould National Batteries Inc Improvements to accumulator battery cells and their manufacturing processes
FR1391849A (en) * 1964-01-18 1965-03-12 Accumulateurs Fixes Process for manufacturing cells or accumulators with electrodes in the form of strips or strings and resulting products
GB1078135A (en) * 1963-10-02 1967-08-02 Yardney International Corp Improvements in or relating to electrode assemblies for battery cells
EP0025663A2 (en) * 1979-09-12 1981-03-25 LUCAS INDUSTRIES public limited company Battery systems employing bipolar electrodes
JPS63152884A (en) * 1986-12-16 1988-06-25 Shin Kobe Electric Mach Co Ltd Manufacture of alkaline storage battery
DE3829541A1 (en) * 1987-09-03 1989-03-16 Ricoh Kk LEAF-SHAPED ELECTRODE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME AND SECONDARY BATTERY CONTAINING THIS

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4761352A (en) * 1985-05-17 1988-08-02 Eastman Kodak Company Accordian folded electrode assembly
FR2616970B1 (en) * 1987-06-18 1995-05-19 Elf Aquitaine MULTI-LAYERED ASSEMBLY FOR PRODUCING THE ASSEMBLY OF A GENERATOR, METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME AND PRODUCING THE COMPLETE GENERATOR, AND GENERATOR THUS PRODUCED

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB621239A (en) * 1947-02-10 1949-04-06 Chloride Electrical Storage Co Improvements relating to electric accumulators
FR1365074A (en) * 1962-09-24 1964-06-26 Gould National Batteries Inc Improvements to accumulator battery cells and their manufacturing processes
GB1078135A (en) * 1963-10-02 1967-08-02 Yardney International Corp Improvements in or relating to electrode assemblies for battery cells
FR1391849A (en) * 1964-01-18 1965-03-12 Accumulateurs Fixes Process for manufacturing cells or accumulators with electrodes in the form of strips or strings and resulting products
EP0025663A2 (en) * 1979-09-12 1981-03-25 LUCAS INDUSTRIES public limited company Battery systems employing bipolar electrodes
JPS63152884A (en) * 1986-12-16 1988-06-25 Shin Kobe Electric Mach Co Ltd Manufacture of alkaline storage battery
DE3829541A1 (en) * 1987-09-03 1989-03-16 Ricoh Kk LEAF-SHAPED ELECTRODE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME AND SECONDARY BATTERY CONTAINING THIS

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 12, no. 414, (E-677)[3261], 2 November 1988, & JP, A, 63152884, (SHIN KOBE ELECTRIC MACH CO. LTD), 25 June 1988, see the whole document *

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1994007276A1 (en) * 1992-09-11 1994-03-31 Valence Technology, Inc. Electrochemical cell stack and method of making an electrochemical cell stack
EP0602976A1 (en) * 1992-12-18 1994-06-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Rectangular cell and its fabrication method
US5582931A (en) * 1992-12-18 1996-12-10 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Rectangular cell
US5693105A (en) * 1992-12-18 1997-12-02 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Battery and its fabrication method
US5597659A (en) * 1993-10-07 1997-01-28 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Manufacturing method of a separator for a lithium secondary battery and an organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery using the same separator
US5691005A (en) * 1993-10-07 1997-11-25 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Manufacturing method of a separator for a lithium secondary battery and an organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery using the same separator
US7063918B2 (en) 2000-10-23 2006-06-20 The University Of Maryland, College Park Nanoscale solid-state polymeric battery system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0487682A1 (en) 1992-06-03
GB9013754D0 (en) 1990-08-08
JPH05500880A (en) 1993-02-18
GB2245411A (en) 1992-01-02

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