Non-aqueous electrochemical cell

Claim 2

A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising an anode, a cathode collector and a cathode-electrolyte, said cathode-electrolyte consisting of an ionically conductive solution of a salt dissolved in an active cathode depolarizer wherein the sole active cathode depolarizer is a liquid oxyhalide of an element of Group V or Group VI of the Periodic Table or mixtures thereof.

Claim 3

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said oxyhalide is selected from the group consisting of phosphoryl chloride, vanadyl trichloride, vanadyl tribromide, thionyl bromide, thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, pyrosulfuryl chloride, chromyl chloride, selenium oxychloride and selenium oxyfluoride.

Claim 4

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein the cathode collector is a high surface area carbon.

Claim 5

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein the cathode collector is a high surface area carbon mixed with polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 6

A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising an anode, a cathode collector and a cathode-electrolyte, said cathode-electrolyte consisting of an ionically conductive solution of a salt dissolved in an active cathode depolarizer and an organic co-solvent wherein the sole active cathode depolarizer is a liquid oxyhalide of an element of Group V or Group VI of the Periodic Table or mixtures thereof.

Claim 7

A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising an anode, a cathode collector and a cathode-electrolyte, said cathode-electrolyte consisting of an ionically conductive solution of a salt dissolved in an active cathode depolarizer and an organic co-solvent wherein the sole active cathode depolarizer is a liquid oxyhalide of an element of Group V or Group VI of the Periodic Table or mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 5 wherein said co-solvent is selected from the group consisting of propylene carbonate and nitrobenzene.

Claim 9

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 6 wherein said oxyhalide is selected from the group consisting of phosphoryl chloride, vanadyl trichloride, vanadyl tribromide, thionyl bromide, thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, pyrosulfuryl chloride, chromyl chloride, selenium oxychloride and selenium oxyfluoride.

Claim 10

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode current collector, said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible, covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein, said inorganic solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in said electrolytic solution; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 11

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode and said cathode current collector, said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible, covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein, said inorganic solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in said electrolytic solution; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 12

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said active anode material is lithium.

Claim 13

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said active anode material is sodium.

Claim 14

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said inorganic solvent includes at least one oxyhalide of phosphorus, sulfur or selenium.

Claim 15

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said inorganic solvent is selected from the group consisting of phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride, thionyl bromide, sulfuryl chloride, selenium oxychloride, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 16

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said inorganic solvent is thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride.

Claim 17

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said inorganic solvent is phosphorus oxychloride.

Claim 18

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said solute provides at least one anion having the formula X - , MX 4 - , M'X 6 - , and M"X 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 and antimony; M" is zirconium; and X is a halogen; said solute further providing at least one cation SO 2 Cl + .

Claim 19

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said solute includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of lithium tetrachloroaluminate, lithium tetrachloroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium hexachloroantimonate, and lithium hexachlorozirconate.

Claim 20

The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said solute includes a Lewis acid.

Claim 21

The electrochemical cell of claim 17 wherein said solute further includes a Lewis base having the general formula A m B n where A is an element selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, and potassium; B is an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine; and m and n are integers.

Claim 22

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode material and said cathode current collector, said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent being selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in said electrolytic solution; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 23

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode material and said cathode current collector, said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent being selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in said electrolytic solution; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 24

The electrochemical cell of claim 19 wherein said anode material is lithium.

Claim 25

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode material and said cathode current collector, said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent comprising phosphorus oxychloride and a cosolvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in said electrolytic solution; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 26

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with said anode material and said cathode current collector, said electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent comprising phosphorus oxychloride and a cosolvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in said electrolytic solution; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 27

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolyte solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible, covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein, said inorganic solvent being free of sulfur dioxide; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 28

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolyte solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible, covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein, said inorganic solvent being free of sulfur dioxide; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 29

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said active anode material is lithium.

Claim 30

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said active anode material is sodium.

Claim 31

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said inorganic solvent includes at least one oxyhalide of phosphorus, sulfur or selenium.

Claim 32

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said inorganic solvent is selected from the group consisting of phorphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride, thionyl bromide, sulfuryl chloride, selenium oxychloride, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 33

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said inorganic solvent is thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride.

Claim 34

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said inorganic solvent is phosphorus oxychloride.

Claim 35

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said solute provides at least one anion having the formula X - , MX 4 - , M'X 6 - , and M"X 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 and antimony; M" is zirconium; and X is a halogen; said solute further providing at least one cation SO 2 Cl - .

Claim 36

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said solute includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of lithium tetrachloroaluminate, lithium tetrachloroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium hexachloroantimonate, and lithium hexachlorozirconate.

Claim 37

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein said solute includes a Lewis acid.

Claim 38

The electrochemical cell of claim 31 wherein said solute further includes a Lewis base having the general formula A m B n where A is an element selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, and potassnium; B is an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine; and m and n are integers.

Claim 39

The electrochemical cell of claim 22 wherein one of the products of discharge of said cell is the halide of said anode material, the halogen in said halide originating from said inorganic solvent.

Claim 40

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent being selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being free of sulfur dioxide; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 41

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable, electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent being selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, mixtures thereof, and mixtures thereof with phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being free of sulfur dioxide; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 42

The electrochemical cell of claim 34 wherein said anode material is lithium.

Claim 43

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent comprising phosphorus oxychloride and a cosolvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being free of sulfur dioxide; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 44

An electrochemical cell consisting essentially of an oxidizable active anode material; a solid, non-consumable electrically conducting, inert cathode current collector; said anode material being more electropositive than said cathode current collector and thus said anode material is oxidized during operation of said cell; and an electrolytic solution consisting essentially of a liquid, electrochemically reducible covalent inorganic oxyhalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein; said inorganic solvent comprising phosphorus oxychloride and a cosolvent material selected from the group consisting of thionyl bromide, selenium oxychloride, thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride; said inorganic solvent being free of sulfur dioxide; said inorganic solvent being electrochemically reduced upon the surface of said cathode current collector, whereby said inorganic solvent in conjunction with said oxidizable anode material serves as a source of electrical energy during operation of said cell.

Claim 45

The electrochemical cell of claim 36 wherein said anode material is lithium.

Claim 46

The electrochemical cell of claim 37 wherein said cosolvent is thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride.

Claim 47

The electrochemical cell of claim 36 wherein said cosolvent is thionyl chloride or sulfuryl chloride.

Claim 48

A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising an anode, a porous cathode collector of a carbonaceous material and a cathode-electrolyte, said cathode-electrolyte comprising a solution of an ionically conductive solute dissolved in a liquid active cathode depolarizer wherein said active cathode depolarizer consists of at least one liquid oxyhalide of an element of Group V or Group VI of the Periodic Table and wherein said at least one liquid oxyhalide is the sole active cathode depolarizer.

Claim 49

A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising an anode, a porous cathode collector of a carbonaceous material and a cathode-electrolyte, said cathode-electrolyte comprising a solution of an ionically conductive solute dissolved in a liquid active cathode depolarizer wherein said active cathode depolarizer consists of at least one liquid oxyhalide of an element of Group V or Group VI of the Periodic Table and wherein said at least one liquid oxyhalide is the sole active cathode depolarizer.

Claim 50

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 40 wherein said anode is selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, alloys of alkali metals and alloys of alkaline earth metals.

Claim 51

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 40 wherein said oxyhalide is selected from the group consisting of phosphoryl chloride, vanadyl trichloride, vanadyl tribromide, thionyl bromide, thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride, pyrosulfuryl chloride, chromyl chloride, selenium oxychloride and selenium oxyfluoride.

Claim 52

The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 40 wherein said cathode-electrolyte additionally contains a cosolvent for said solute.

Claim 53

A non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 40 wherein said anode is lithium and said liquid active cathode depolarizer is thionyl chloride.