Process of manufacturing porous separator for electrochemical power supply

Claim 2

The process of Claim 1, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 3

The process of Claim 1, wherein said polymer binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 4

The process of Claim 1, wherein said step of disposing a solution of separator precursor on said electrode comprises using a printing technique to dispose said solution of precursor on said electrode.

Claim 5

The process of Claim 1, wherein said step of transforming said solution of separator precursor on said electrode comprises curing said solution of separator precursor to form a porous separator layer.

Claim 6

The process of Claim 5, wherein said porous composite separator layer has a thickness in the rage of 5µ to 100µ.

Claim 7

The process of Claim 5, wherein said step of curing comprises applying heat to said solution of separator precursor in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 90-130°C so that said solution of separator precursor forms said porous separator material.

Claim 8

A process for fabricating a porous composite separator for an electrochemical cell which includes an electrode, comprising the steps of: disposing a solution of separator precursor on said electrode wherein said solution comprises 60% to 95% by mass of 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) solvent; and curing said solution of separator precursor so that said solution of separator precursor forms a porous composite separator that adheres to said electrode.

Claim 9

The process of Claim 8, wherein said step of disposing a solution of separator precursor on said electrode comprises using a printing technique to dispose said solution of precursor on said electrode.

Claim 10

The process of Claim 8, wherein said step of curing comprises applying heat to said solution of separator precursor in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 90-130°C so that said solution of separator precursor forms said porous separator material.

Claim 11

An electrochemical cell comprising: a first layer of electrode material; a layer of porous composite separator material disposed on said first layer of electrode material wherein said separator material adheres to said first layer of electrode material and wherein said separator material defines a plurality of micropores, said separator material comprises a composite structure comprised of a solid particulate material and a binder to hold said solid particulate material wherein the proportion of said binder to said solid particulate material is selected between 5/95 and 50/50; a second layer of electrode material superjacent to said porous composite layer; and a liquid electrolyte contained within said plurality of pores of said porous composite separator material so that said electrolyte provides a conducting medium between said first and second electrode layers.

Claim 12

The electrochemical cell of Claim 11, wherein said first and said second electrode layers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, sulfides, carbon compounds, metals, alloys, intermetallics, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

The electrochemical cell of Claim 11, wherein said liquid electrolyte comprises 1.0 M LiClO 4 in a solvent mixture consisting of 2 parts by volume ethylene carbonate and one part dimethyl carbonate.

Claim 14

The electrochemical cell of Claim 11, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 15

The electrochemical cell of Claim 11, wherein said binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 16

An electrochemical cell comprising: a first layer of electrode material; a layer of porous composite separator material disposed on said first layer of electrode material wherein said separator material adheres to said first layer of electrode material and wherein said separator material defines a plurality of micropores, said separator material comprises a composite structure which is formed by combining a solid particulate material, a polymer binder and 60% to 95% by mass 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) solvent to dissolve said polymer binder wherein the ratio of said binder to said solid particulate material is selected between 5/95 and 50/50; a second layer of electrode material superjacent to said porous composite layer, and a liquid electrolyte contained within said plurality of pores of said porous composite separator layer so that said electrolyte provides a conducting medium between said first and second electrode layers.

Claim 17

The electrochemical cell of Claim 16, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

The electrochemical cell of Claim 16, wherein said polymer binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 19

An electrochemical cell having a liquid-electrolyte-permeable separator, comprising: an electrode; a layer of solid particulate material relying on said electrode for mechanical support; and a binder for said solid particulate material, the proportion of said binder to said solid particulate material is selected between 5/95 and 50/50 so that said liquid electrolyte permeates throughout said layer of solid particulate material.

Claim 20

The electrochemical cell of Claim 19, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

The electrochemical cell of Claim 19, wherein said binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 22

A process of forming a microporous separator for an electrochemical cell which includes an electrode, comprising: printing a continuous layer of said separator on said electrode by disposing a solution comprised of a solid particulate material, a binder for said solid particulate material and a solvent to dissolve said binder wherein the ratio of said binder to said solid particulate material is selected between 5/95 and 50/50; and curing said layer to form micropores therein.

Claim 23

The process of Claim 22, wherein said binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 24

The process of Claim 22, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 25

The process of Claim 22, wherein said step of curing comprises applying heat to said continuous layer of separator on said electrode in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 90-130°C.

Claim 26

The process of Claim 22, wherein said step of printing said continuous layer of said separator on said electrode comprises using either a stencil or a screen printing technique.

Claim 27

An electrochemical cell having a liquid-electrolyte-permeable separator, comprising an electrode: a matrix of solid particulate material which is so thin that it would not be self supporting, which matrix is supported directly on said electrode; and sufficient binder to hold said solid particulate material in an open matrix which permits liquid electrolyte to permeate said layer of solid particulate material wherein the ratio of said binder to said solid particulate material is selected between 5/95 and 50/50.

Claim 28

The electrochemical cell of Claim 27, wherein said solid particulate material, comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 29

The electrochemical cell of Claim 27, wherein said binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 30

A process of forming a microporous separator for a electrochemical cell which includes an electrode, comprising: conformally bonding a continuous layer of said separator on said electrode by disposing a solution comprised of a solid particulate material, a polymer binder for said solid particulate material and 60% to 95% by mass 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) solvent to dissolve said polymer binder wherein the ratio of said polymer binder to said solid particulate material is selected between 5/95 and 50/50; and curing said layer to form micropores therein.

Claim 31

The process of Claim 30, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof

Claim 32

The process of Claim 30 wherein said polymer binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 33

The process of Claim 30, wherein said step of disposing said solution on said electrode comprises using a printing technique to dispose said solution on said electrode.

Claim 34

The process of Claim 30, wherein said step of curing comprises applying heat to said continuous layer of separator on said electrode in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 90-130°C.

Claim 35

An electrochemical cell, comprising: an electrode; a discontiguous delicate layer of silica particles having voids therebetween supported directly on said electrode wherein said discontiguous layer comprises a binder to hold said silica particles and wherein the proportion of said binder to said silica particles is selected between 5/95 and 50/50; and a fluid organic solution electrolyte contained within said voids.

Claim 36

The electrochemical cell of Claim 35, wherein said binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 37

The electrochemical cell of Claim 35, wherein said fluid organic solution electrolyte comprises 1.0 M LiClO 4 in a solvent mixture consisting of 2 parts by volume ethylene carbonate and one part dimethyl carbonate.

Claim 38

An electrochemical cell, comprising: an electrode; a discontiguous delicate layer of solid particles having voids therebetween adjacent said electrode wherein said delicate layer comprises a binder to hold said solid particles and wherein the proportion of said binder to said solid particles is selected between 5/95 and 50/50; and a fluid organic solution electrolyte contained within said voids, wherein the ratio of the specific resistivity of said electrolyte to the specific resistivity of said electrolyte filled separator is greater then 0.10, using a complex impedance measurement over the frequency range of 100,000 Hz to 0.01 Hz and a sinusoidal voltage of 5 mV.

Claim 39

The electrochemical cell of Claim 38, wherein said fluid organic solution electrolyte comprises 1.0 M LiClO 4 in a solvent mixture consisting of 2 parts by volume ethylene carbonate and one part dimethyl carbonate.

Claim 40

The electrochemical cell of Claim 38, wherein said binder comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and ethylene propylene hexadiene monomer.

Claim 41

The electrochemical cell of Claim 38, wherein said solid particulate material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogel, fumed silica, silica gel, silica hydrogel, silica xerogel, silica sol, colloidal silica, alumina, titania, magnesia, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.