Gel electrolyte precursor and chemical battery

Details Gel electrolyte precursor and chemical battery Gel electrolyte precursor and chemical battery

2000-12-27

2004-02-03

Kalafut, Stephen (Department: 1745)

Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and

Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...

Include electrolyte chemically specified and method

C429S303000, C252S062200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06686095

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-374997, filed Dec. 28, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gel electrolyte precursor, a chemical battery comprising a gel electrolyte obtained from the gel electrolyte precursor, and a method of manufacturing the chemical battery.
A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which is an example of the chemical battery, comprises an electrode group including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte held by the electrode group. Used as the positive electrode active material is, for example, a lithium-containing complex oxide. Also, the negative electrode is formed of, for example, lithium, a lithium alloy, or a carbonaceous material absorbing-desorbing lithium. On the other hand, a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte prepared by dissolving a lithium salt as an electrolyte in a nonaqueous solvent such as propylene carbonate or &ggr;-butyrolactone is used as the nonaqueous electrolyte.
In recent years, it is required to increase the capacity of the battery, to make the battery thinner and to increase the active area of the battery in accordance with miniaturization, reduction in thickness and improvement in the performance of electronic appliances. It is proposed to use a film material such as a laminate film in place of a metal can as a vessel for housing the electrode group in an attempt to decrease the thickness of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and to make the secondary battery light in weight. In the case of using a film material, however, the liquid nonaqueous electrolyte tends to leak to the outside. Also, the distribution of the nonaqueous electrolyte within the electrode group tends to be nonuniform. As a result, a problem is generated that the cycle characteristics are lowered. In order to avoid the particular problem, it is studied to impart viscosity to the liquid nonaqueous electrolyte so as to lower the fluidity of the liquid nonaqueous electrolyte.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 61-23944 discloses a solid composition having an ionic conductivity, comprising an electrolyte consisting of ions of metals belonging to Group I and/or Group II of the Periodic Table, an organic high molecular weight compound having a relative dielectric constant smaller than 4, and an organic solvent having an excellent solubility in respect of the electrolyte and the organic high molecular weight compound noted above and also having a relative dielectric constant smaller than 10. It is disclosed that the solid composition having an ionic conductivity contains the electrolyte in an amount sufficient for imparting an ionic conductivity of at least about 10
−10
S·cm
−1
to the composition and in an amount not larger than 90 mol % of the solid composition. It is also disclosed that it is desirable to use resins other than thermosetting resins as the organic high molecular weight compound. Particularly, it is disclosed that a satisfactory result can be obtained in the case of using as the organic high molecular weight compound a thermoplastic resin having a one dimensional structure such as polymethyl methacrylate.
However, the solid composition having an ionic conductivity, which is disclosed in the prior art quoted above, has an ionic conductivity of about 10
−10
to 10
−7
S·cm
−1
, which is lower than that of the liquid nonaqueous electrolyte, and is not satisfactory in the electrochemical stability.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a gel electrolyte precursor capable of providing a gel electrolyte having a high ionic conductivity and a high adhesion to the electrode.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a chemical battery exhibiting improved charge-discharge cycle characteristics and comprising a gel electrolyte having a high adhesion force to the electrolyte and an improved ionic conductivity.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a chemical battery exhibiting improved charge-discharge cycle characteristics and comprising a gel electrolyte having a high adhesion force to the electrolyte and an improved ionic conductivity.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first gel electrolyte precursor, comprising a gelling agent containing at least one kind of a compound selected from the group consisting of an epoxy compound having an alicyclic structure and at least one epoxy group in a single molecule and an alicyclic epoxy resin, and an electrolyte.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a second gel electrolyte precursor, comprising:
an electrolyte;
a halogen-containing compound;
and a compound containing at least one kind of an element selected from the group consisting of N, P and S and capable of reaction with the halogen-containing compound to form an onium salt;
wherein the halogen-containing compound contains at least one kind of the compounds represented by chemical formula (A) to chemical formula (G) given below:
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
2
represents a divalent organic group, R
3
represents a monovalent organic group, and R
4
represents a monovalent organic group;
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
1′
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
5
represents a divalent organic group, R
6
represents a monovalent organic group, R
7
represents a divalent organic group, R
8
represents a monovalent organic group, and R
9
represents a divalent organic group;
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
10
represents a monovalent organic group, and R
11
represents a divalent organic group;
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
1′
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
12
represents a divalent organic group, and R
13
represents a divalent organic group;
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
1′
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
14
represents —(C═O)— or —CH—, R
15
represents —(C═O)— or —CH—, R
16
represents a divalent organic group, and R
17
represents a divalent organic group;
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
1′
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
18
represents a divalent organic group, and R
19
represents a divalent organic group;
where R
1
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
1′
represents an organic group having a halogen atom or a halogen atom, R
20
represents a divalent organic group, R
21
represents a monovalent organic group, and R
22
represents a divalent organic group.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a second gel electrolyte precursor, comprising:
an electrolyte;
a halogen-containing compound;
and a compound containing at least one kind of an element selected from the group consisting of N, P and S and capable of reaction with the halogen-containing compound to form an onium salt;
wherein the compound containing at least one kind of an element selected from the group consisting of N, P and S contains at least one kind of the compounds represented by chemical formula (H) to chemical formula (N) given below:
where R
1
represents an atomic group containing at least one kind of an atom selected from the group consisting of N, P and S, R
2
represents a divalent organic group, R
3
represents a monovalent organic group, and R
4
represents

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