Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Electrode
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-19
2004-08-31
Weiner, Laura (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...
Electrode
C429S229000, C429S206000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06783893
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an alkaline battery and a method of manufacturing an alkaline battery.
BACKGROUND
Batteries, such as alkaline batteries, are commonly used as energy sources. Generally, alkaline batteries have a cathode, an anode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte solution. The cathode can include a cathode material (e.g., manganese dioxide or nickel oxyhydroxide), carbon particles that enhance the conductivity of the cathode, and a binder. The anode can be formed of a gel including zinc particles. The separator is disposed between the cathode and the anode. The alkaline electrolyte solution, which is dispersed throughout the battery, can be an aqueous hydroxide solution such as potassium hydroxide.
SUMMARY
An alkaline battery includes a cathode including a manganese dioxide having a spinel-type crystal structure (e.g., &lgr;-MnO
2
) and an anode including zinc. The alkaline battery can have an average closed circuit voltage of about 1.3V at low rates of discharge, adequate high-rate performance, and sufficient capacity retention when stored. The lambda-manganese dioxide can have a specific discharge capacity at low-rate (e.g., C/30 or 10 mA/g of active cathode material) to a 0.8V cutoff of greater than 310 mAh/g. An average closed circuit voltage of at least about 1.3V can provide voltage compatibility with commercial manganese dioxide-zinc primary alkaline batteries.
In one aspect, an alkaline battery includes a cathode including an active cathode material including lambda-manganese dioxide, an anode including zinc, a separator between the anode and the cathode, and an alkaline electrolyte contacting the anode and the cathode. The active cathode material has a specific discharge capacity to a 0.8V cutoff of greater than 290 mAh/g, greater than 300 mAh/g, greater than 310 mAh/g, or greater than 320 mAh/g, at a discharge rate corresponding to 20 mA/g or 10 mA/g of active cathode material.
In another aspect, a method of manufacturing an alkaline battery includes providing a positive electrode including an active cathode material including lambda-manganese oxide, and forming a battery including the electrode and a negative electrode including zinc particles. Providing the electrode includes preparing lambda-manganese dioxide by contacting water with a compound of the formula Li
1+x
Mn
2−
O
4
, wherein x is from −0.02 to +0.02 or from −0.005 to +0.005, adding an acid to the water and the compound to form a mixture until the mixture has a pH of 1 or less, separating a solid from the water and acid, and drying the solid, optionally in vacuo, at a temperature of 150° C. or below to obtain the lambda-manganese dioxide. The alkaline battery has a specific discharge capacity to a 0.8V cutoff of greater than 300 mAh/g at a discharge rate corresponding to 10 mA/g active cathode material.
The lambda-manganese dioxide can have a B.E.T. surface area of between 1 and 10 m
2
/g (e.g., greater than 8 m
2
/g), a total pore volume of between 0.05 and 0.15 cubic centimeters per gram (e.g., 0.05 to 0.15 cubic centimeters per gram), or an average pore size of less than 100 A. The acid can be sulfuric acid, nitric acid, perchloric acid, hydrochloric acid, toluene sulfonic acid, or trifluoromethyl sulfonic acid. Concentration of acid can be between 1 and 8 molar. The final pH can be 1 or less, 0.7 or less, or between 0.5 and 0.7. The method can include washing the solid separated from the water and acid with water until the washings have a pH of between 6 and 7.
The solid can be dried at a temperature between 20° C. and 120° C., between 30° C. to 90° C., or between 50° C. and 70° C.
Contacting water and the compound can include forming a slurry. The slurry can be maintained at a temperature between about 5° C. and 50° C. The temperature of the slurry can be maintained substantially constant during the addition of acid.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4133856 (1979-01-01), Ikeda et al.
patent: RE30458 (1980-12-01), Uetani et al.
patent: 4246253 (1981-01-01), Hunter
patent: 4312930 (1982-01-01), Hunter
patent: 4604336 (1986-08-01), Nardi
patent: 4904552 (1990-02-01), Furukawa et al.
patent: 4975346 (1990-12-01), Lecerf et al.
patent: 5114804 (1992-05-01), Stiles et al.
patent: 5425932 (1995-06-01), Tarascon
patent: 5596278 (1997-01-01), Lin
patent: 5759510 (1998-06-01), Pillai
patent: 5955052 (1999-09-01), Padhi et al.
patent: 5997839 (1999-12-01), Pillai
patent: 6207129 (2001-03-01), Padhi et al.
patent: 6225009 (2001-05-01), Fleischer et al.
patent: 0 728 701 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 1-120767 (1989-05-01), None
Ammundsen et al., “Mechanism of Proton Insertion and Characterization of the Proton Sites in Lithium Manganate Spinels,” Chem. Mater., vol. 7, No. 11, pp. 2151-2160, (1995).
Bowden et al., “Manganese Dioxide for Alkaline Zinc Batteries: Why Electrolytic MnO2?,” ITE Letters on Batteries, New Technologies & Medicine, vol. 1, No. 6, (2000).
Dahn et al., “Thermal stability of LixCoO2, LixNiO2and &lgr;-MnO2and consequences for the safety of Li-ion cells,” Solid State Ionics, vol. 69, Nos. 3-4, pp. 265-270, (1994).
David et al., “Structure Refinement of the Spinel-Related Phases Li2Mn2O4and Li0.2Mn2O4,” J. Solid State Chem., vol. 67, pp. 316-323, (1987).
Geronov et al., “Rechargeable Compact Li Cells with LixCr0.9V0.1S2and Li1+xV3O8Cathodes and Ether-Based Electrolytes,” J. of the Electrochemical Soc., vol. 137, No. 11, pp. 3338-3344, (1990).
Giwa et al., “Lithium Primary Envelope Cells,” 16thIntern. Seminar & Exhibition on Primary & Secondary Batteries, pp. Q1-11 (1999).
Hunter, J. C. and Tudron, F. B., “Nonaqueous Electrochemistry of Lambda MnO2,” Proc. Electrochem. Soc. vol. 85-4, pp. 444-451, (1985).
Hunter, James C., “Preparation of a New Crystal of Manganese Dioxide: &lgr;-MnO2,” Journal of Solid State Chemistry, vol. 39, pp. 142-147, (1981).
Larcher et al., “Synthesis of MnO2Phases from LiMn2O4in Aqueous Acidic Media,” J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 145, No. 10, pp. 3392-3400, (1998).
Manev, V. et al., “Rechargeable lithium battery with spinel-related &lgr;-MnO21. Synthesis of &lgr;-MnO2for battery applications,” Journal of Power Sources, 43-44, pp. 551-559, (1983).
Mosbah et al., “Phases LixMnO2&lgr; Reattachees au Type Spinelle,” with English abstract, Bater. Res. Bull, vol. 18, pp. 1375-1381, (1938).
Patrice et al., “Understanding the second electron discharge plateau in MnO2-based alkaline cells,” ITE Letters on batteries, New Technologies and Medicine, vol. 2, No. 4, (2001).
Read et al., “Low Temperature Performance of &lgr;-MnO2in Lithium Primary Batteries,” Solid State Letters, vol. 4, No. 10, pp. A162-165, (2001).
Schilling et al., “Modification of the High-Rate Discharge Behavior of Zn-MnO2Alkaline Cells through the Addition of Metal Oxides to the Cathode,” ITE Letters on Batteries, New Technologies & Medicine, vol. 2, No. 3, (2001).
Tarascon et al., “Chemical and electrochemical insertion of Na into the spinel &lgr;-MnO2phase,” Solid State Ionics, vol. 57, pp. 113-120, (1992).
Tarascon et al., “The Spinal Phase of LiMn2O4as a Cathode in Secondary Lithium Cells,” J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 138, No. 10, pp. 2859-2864, (1991).
Tarascon, J. M. and Guyomard, D., “The Li1+xMn2O4/C Rocking-Chair System: A Review,” Electrochimica Acta, vol. 38, No. 9, pp. 1221-1231, (1991).
Xia, Xi and Sun Weiwei, “The electrochemical performance of .lambda.-MnO2 in alkaline solution,” abstract only, Dianyuan Jishu, 23 (Suppl.), pp. 74-76, (1999).
Bowden William L.
Brandt Klaus
Christian Paul A.
Jiang Zhiping
The Gillette Company
Weiner Laura
LandOfFree
Alkaline battery does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Alkaline battery, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Alkaline battery will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3276597