Halogen complexing ethers

Claim 2

A process for improving the performance of current delivering electrochemical systems of the type which utilize a substance selected from the group consisting of bromine, chlorine, iodine, polyhalogen complexes, and mixtures thereof as its electrochemically active agent, said process comprising adding to the electrolyte of said system an ether additive which exists as an insoluble liquid in aqueous metal halide solutions at 30° C. in the presence of one or more molar equivalents of halogen per ether oxygen in the ether, said additive being selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R').sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ; and ##STR11## where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the additive's halogen complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, or iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof, wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 3

The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of alkyls, amides, carbocycles, carboxylates, halocarbons, halides, hydrogen, phosphonates, siloxanes, sulfonates, sulfones, sultones, and combinations thereof.

Claim 4

The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of halogen complexing functionalities.

Claim 5

The process as set forth in claim 3 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of ammoniums, ammonium hydrohalides, amidimidines, amine oxides, betaines, esters, hydroxyls, nitriles, phosphobetaines, phosphoniums, pyridiniums, pyridyls, quaternary ammoniums, quaternary O-alkyl hydroxylammoniums, sulfobetaines, sulfoniums, sydnones, tertiary amines, tertiary amine hydrohalides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 6

The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the additive is an ether selected from the group consisting of Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-triethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide; and, N,n'-bis-ethoxyethylene-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bis-ethyleneoxy diammonium dibromide.

Claim 7

An electrochemical cell comprising a case, a porous, conductive halogen electrode, an Me electrode, where Me is selected from the group consisting of zinc and cadmium, an aqueous electrolyte containing an inorganic salt of the formula MX, where M is selected from the group consisting of cadmium and zinc and X is selected from the group consisting of bromide, chloride, iodide, and combinations thereof, and an additive in said electrolyte comprising an ether compound which exists as an insoluble liquid in aqueous metal halide solutions at 30° C. in the presence of one or more molar equivalents of halogen per ether oxygen in the additive, said additive being an ether selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R'-).sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ; and ##STR12## where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the additives' halogen complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, or iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 8

An electrochemical cell comprising a case, a porous, conductive halogen electrode, an Me electrode, where Me is selected from the group consisting of zinc and cadmium, an aqueous electrolyte containing an inorganic salt of the formula MX, where M is selected from the group consisting of cadmium and zinc and X is selected from the group consisting of bromide, chloride, iodide, and combinations thereof, and an additive in said electrolyte comprising an ether compound which exists as an insoluble liquid in aqueous metal halide solutions at 30° C. in the presence of one or more molar equivalents of halogen per ether oxygen in the additive, said additive being an ether selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R'-).sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ; and ##STR12## where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the additives' halogen complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, or iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 9

The cell as set forth in claim 6 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of alkyls, amides, carbocycles, carboxylates, halocarbons, halides, hydrogen, phosphonates, siloxanes, sulfonates, sulfones, sultones, and combinations thereof.

Claim 10

The cell as set forth in claim 6 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of halogen complexing functionalities such as ammoniums, ammonium hydrohalides, amidimidines, amine oxides, betaines, esters, hydroxyls, nitriles, phosphobetaines, phosphoniums, pyridiniums, pyridyls, quaternary ammoniums, quaternary O-alkyl hydroxylammoniums, sulfobetaines, sulfoniums, sydnones, tertiary amines, tertiary amine hydrohalides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 11

The cell as set forth in claim 6 wherein said additive is a compound selected from the group consisting of: Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-triethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide; and N,n'-bis-ethoxyethylene-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bis-ethyleneoxy diammonium dibromide.

Claim 12

The cell as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cell is a secondary cell.

Claim 13

The cell as set forth in claim 6 further comprising means for storing the complex produced during charging.

Claim 14

The cell as set forth in claim 6 further comprising means for recirculating the electrolyte.

Claim 15

The cell as set forth in claim 12 further comprising means for storing said additive.

Claim 16

A water insoluble liquid complex substantially insoluble in water at 30° C. for use in electrochemical cells of the type which utilizes a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, polyhalogen complexes, and mixtures thereof, said complex consisting essentially of a substance selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, polyhalogen complexes, and mixtures thereof combined with an ether selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R'-).sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ; and ##STR13##where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, or iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof, wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 17

A water insoluble liquid complex substantially insoluble in water at 30° C. for use in electrochemical cells of the type which utilizes a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, polyhalogen complexes, and mixtures thereof, said complex consisting essentially of a substance selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, polyhalogen complexes, and mixtures thereof combined with an ether selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R'-).sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ; and ##STR13##where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, or iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof, wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 18

The complex as set forth in claim 14 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of alkyls, amides, carbocycles, carboxylates, halocarbons, halides, hydrogen, phosphonates, siloxanes, sulfonates, sulfones, sultones, and combinations thereof.

Claim 19

The complex as set forth in claim 14 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of halogen complexing functionalities.

Claim 20

The complex as set forth in claim 14 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of ammoniums, ammonium hydrohalides, amidimidines, amine oxides, betaines, esters, hydroxyls, nitriles, phosphobetaines, phosphoniums, pyridiniums, pyridyls, quaternary ammoniums, quaternary O-alkyl hydroxylammoniums, sulfobetaines, sulfoniums, sydnones, tertiary amines, tertiary amine hydrohalides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 21

The complex as set forth in claim 14 wherein said ether is selected from the group consisting of: Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-triethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide; and N,n'-bis-ethoxyethylene-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bis-ethyleneoxy diammonium dibromide.

Claim 22

A battery of the type including a casing, an Me electrode, where Me is a metal selected from the group consisting of cadmium and zinc, a plurality of counter electrodes spaced apart from said Me electrode, a bipolar electrode interposed between each adajcent pair of said counter electrodes, an aqueous electrolyte containing an inorganic salt of the formula MX, where M is selected from the group consisting of cadmium and zinc and X is selected from the group consisting of bromide, chloride, iodide, and combinations thereof, and an additive in said electrolyte comprising an ether compound, which exists as an insoluble liquid in aqueous metal halide solutions at 30° C. in the presence of one or more molar equivalents of halogen per ether oxygen in the additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R'-).sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ' and ##STR14## where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the additives' halogen complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 23

A battery of the type including a casing, an Me electrode, where Me is a metal selected from the group consisting of cadmium and zinc, a plurality of counter electrodes spaced apart from said Me electrode, a bipolar electrode interposed between each adajcent pair of said counter electrodes, an aqueous electrolyte containing an inorganic salt of the formula MX, where M is selected from the group consisting of cadmium and zinc and X is selected from the group consisting of bromide, chloride, iodide, and combinations thereof, and an additive in said electrolyte comprising an ether compound, which exists as an insoluble liquid in aqueous metal halide solutions at 30° C. in the presence of one or more molar equivalents of halogen per ether oxygen in the additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulae: a. (R-X-R'-).sub.m Z; b. Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'; c. Z'(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sub." Z(-R-X-R'-).sub.n.sup.' Z'; d. Z[(-R-X-R'-).sub.n Z'].sub.m ' and ##STR14## where R may equal R', Z may equal Z', R and R' are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n, n', and n" are numbers from 1 to 100, m is a number from 1 to 6, Z and Z' are chemical groups which do not render the additives' halogen complex crystalline at 30° C. and are incapable of substantial irreversible combination with bromine, chlorine, iodine, and X is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, H-C-OR", R'"-C-OR", and combinations thereof wherein R" and R'" are aliphatic groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 24

The battery as set forth in claim 19 where Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of alkyls, amides, carbocycles, carboxylates, halocarbons, halides, hydrogen, phosphonates, siloxanes, sulfonates, sulfones, sultones, and combinations thereof.

Claim 25

The battery as set forth in claim 19 wherein Z and Z' are selected from the group consisting of halogen complexing functionalities such as ammoniums, ammonium hydrohalides, amidimidines, amine oxides, betaines, esters, hydroxyls, nitriles, phosphobetaines, phosphoniums, pyridiniums, pyridyls, quaternary ammoniums, quaternary O-alkyl hydroxylammoniums, sulfobetaines, sulfoniums, sydnones, tertiary amines, tertiary amine hydrohalides, and combinations thereof.

Claim 26

The battery as set forth in claim 19 wherein said additive is a compound selected from the group consisting of: Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-triethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl ammonium bromide; Ethoxy-ethylene-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide; and N,n'-bis-ethoxyethylene-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bis-ethyleneoxy diammonium dibromide.

Claim 27

The battery as set forth in claim 19 further comprising means for storing the complex produced during charging.