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US3998657A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrochemical cells

Assignee: Yardney Technical Products Inc
•
Filing: 1975-07-25
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Granted: 1976-12-21
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Expires: 1995-07-25
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Abstract

Abstract Electrochemical cells having an oxidizable anode material, such as lithium, a cathode material, such as carbon or (C 4 F) n , upon the surface of which the solvent material is electrochemically reduced during operation of the cell, and an electrolytic solution comprising an inorganic solvent and a solute dissolved therein. The electrolytic solution further contains an additive such as sulfur monochloride (S 2 Cl 2 ), which is capable of dissolving any sulfur generated during operation of the cell and which is unreactive with the other components of the cell.

Inventors

  • 👤 James J. Auborn
  • 👤 Richard D. Bezman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 06:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M4/36; H01M4/58; H01M10/00; H01M10/36; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 93 words
An electrochemical cell comprising an oxidizable active anode material; a cathode material; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, said electrolytic solution comprising an inorganic solvent material and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode material during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products; said electrolytic solution further including an additive in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur which is formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 93 words
An electrochemical cell comprising an oxidizable active anode material; a cathode material; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, said electrolytic solution comprising an inorganic solvent material and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode material during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products; said electrolytic solution further including an additive in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur which is formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said active anode material is lithium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said cathode material comprises carbon black or graphite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 38 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said cathode material comprises (C 4 F) n , wherein n refers to the presence of a large, but indefinite, number of recurring (C 4 F) groups in said cathode material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 68 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said active cathode material is a mixture of (C 4 F) n and (CF) n to give a material represented by the general formula (C x F) n , where x is greater than 1 and less than 4, and n refers to the presence of a large, but indefinite, number of recurring (C x F) groups in said cathode material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said electrolytic solution includes a solvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, thionyl bromide, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 13 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said solvent material includes thionyl chloride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 111 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said solute provides at least one anion having the formula X - , MX 4 - , M'X 6 - , or M"Cl 6 = , where M is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum and boron; M' is an element selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony; M" is an element selected from the group consisting of tin, zirconium and titanium; and X is a halogen; said solute further providing at least one cation selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, the alkaline earth metals, the lanthanides, SOCl + , and SO 2 Cl + .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 43 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said solute includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of lithium tetrachloroaluminate, lithium tetrachloroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, lithium hexafluoroantimonate, lithium hexachloroantimonate, lithium hexachlorostannate, lithium hexachlorozirconate, lithium hexachlorotitanate and lithium chlorosulfate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said active anode material, said cathode material, and at least one separator are bonded together to form a spiral electrode assembly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 109 words
An electrochemical cell comprising a lithium anode; a carbon cathode; an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, said electrolytic solution including a solvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products of said discharge; said electrolytic solution further including an additive in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur which is formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 109 words
An electrochemical cell comprising a lithium anode; a carbon cathode; an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, said electrolytic solution including a solvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products of said discharge; said electrolytic solution further including an additive in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur which is formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 11 wherein said active anode material, said cathode material, and at least one separator are bonded together to form a spiral electrode assembly.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 31 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 13 wherein said carbon cathode material is present in said electrolytic solution which is in paste form, said cell further including an inert cathode current collector.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 135 words
An electrochemical cell comprising a lithium anode; a (C 4 F) n cathode, wherein n refers to the presence of a large, but indefinite, number of recurring (C 4 F) groups in said cathode material; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, said electrolytic solution including a solvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products of said discharge; said electrolytic solution further including an additive in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur which is formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 135 words
An electrochemical cell comprising a lithium anode; a (C 4 F) n cathode, wherein n refers to the presence of a large, but indefinite, number of recurring (C 4 F) groups in said cathode material; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode, said electrolytic solution including a solvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products of said discharge; said electrolytic solution further including an additive in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur which is formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 28 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 14 wherein said active anode material, said cathode material, and at least one separator are bonded together to form a spiral electrode assembly.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 93 words
An electrochemical cell comprising an oxidizable active anode material; a cathode material; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode material and said cathode material, said electrolytic solution comprising an inorganic solvent material and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode material during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products; said electrolytic solution further including sulfur monochloride in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 93 words
An electrochemical cell comprising an oxidizable active anode material; a cathode material; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode material and said cathode material, said electrolytic solution comprising an inorganic solvent material and a solute dissolved therein; said solvent material being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode material during discharge of said cell whereby elemental sulfur is formed as one of the reaction products; said electrolytic solution further including sulfur monochloride in sufficient amount to dissolve all of said elemental sulfur formed during operation of said cell.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 35 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 16 wherein said inorganic solvent material includes a solvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl chloride, thionyl bromide, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 33 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 16 wherein said anode material is lithium, said cathode material is carbon, and said solvent includes thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 12 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 18 wherein said solvent includes thionyl chloride.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 58 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 16 wherein said anode material is lithium, said cathode material is (C 4 F) n where n refers to the presence of a large, but indefinite, number of recurring (C 4 F) groups in said cathode material, and said solvent includes thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 12 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 20 wherein said solvent includes thionyl chloride.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 12 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 16 wherein said anode material is lithium.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 15 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 16 wherein said cathode material comprises carbon black or graphite.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 37 words
The electrochemical cell of claim 16 wherein said cathode material includes (C 4 F) n where n refers to the presence of a large, but indefinite, number of recurring (C 4 F) groups in said cathode material.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3923543A Cited
US3926669A Cited
US3891457A Cited
US3907597A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-12-21 1980-06-21 1980-12-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-12-21 1984-06-21 1984-12-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-12-21 1988-06-21 1988-12-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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