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US4592973A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Supported liquid membrane electrochemical separators

Assignee: Castle Technology Corp
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Filing: 1985-05-03
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Granted: 1986-06-03
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Expires: 2005-05-03
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Abstract

Abstract Supported liquid membrane separators improve the flexibility, efficiency and service life of electrochemical cells for a variety of applications. In the field of electrochemical storage, an alkaline secondary battery with improved service life is described in which a supported liquid membrane is interposed between the positive and negative electrodes. The supported liquid membranes of this invention can be used in energy production and storage systems, electrosynthesis systems, and in systems for the electrowinning and electrorefining of metals.

Inventors

  • 👤 J. Paul Pemsler
  • 👤 Michael D. Dempsey

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 14:11
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25B; C25B13/00; C25B13/04; C25B13/08; C25C; C25C7/00; C25C7/04; H; H01; H01M; H01M10/00; H01M10/24; H01M50/00; H01M50/40; H01M50/409; H01M50/411; H01M50/414; H01M50/417; H01M50/489; H01M50/491; H01M50/497; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 62 words
A separator for use in electrochemical cells, comprising: a hydrophobic microporous membrane; and a liquid ionic transport agent comprising an organic agent dissolved in an organic solvent supported by a porous matrix of the membrane that selectively transports specific cation or anion species through the membrane while rejecting others, wherein said liquid ionic transport agent is insoluble in the electrochemical electrolyte solution.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 62 words
A separator for use in electrochemical cells, comprising: a hydrophobic microporous membrane; and a liquid ionic transport agent comprising an organic agent dissolved in an organic solvent supported by a porous matrix of the membrane that selectively transports specific cation or anion species through the membrane while rejecting others, wherein said liquid ionic transport agent is insoluble in the electrochemical electrolyte solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
The separator of claim 1 wherein said electrolyte insoluble liquid ionic transport agent comprises: a water insoluble organic complexing agent dissolved in a water insoluble polar organic solvent wherein the polar character of the solvent ensures low resistivity of the separator enabling the required current demand of the electrochemical cell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The separator of claim 2 wherein said polar organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of hexanol, heptanol, n-octanol, n-decanol, cyclohexanol, phenethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The separator of claim 1 wherein the membrane has an overall porosity between about 30 to about 65 percent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The separator of claim 4 wherein the membrane has a thickness from about 1 to about 3 mils.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The separator of claim 5 wherein the saturated membrane has a resistivity of less than about 100 ohm-cm 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
The separator of claim 4 wherein the saturated membrane has a resistivity of less than about 10 ohm-cm 2 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 58 words
A supported liquid membrane comprising a hydrophobic microporous membrane having a thickness between about 0.5 and 25 mils, whose pores support a mixture of a water insoluble organic complexing agent dissolved in a organic solvent therefore, wherein the mixture, which is substantially insoluble in the electrochemical electrolyte solution, selectively transports specific cation and anion species through said membrane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 58 words
A supported liquid membrane comprising a hydrophobic microporous membrane having a thickness between about 0.5 and 25 mils, whose pores support a mixture of a water insoluble organic complexing agent dissolved in a organic solvent therefore, wherein the mixture, which is substantially insoluble in the electrochemical electrolyte solution, selectively transports specific cation and anion species through said membrane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 22 words
The supported liquid membrane of claim 8 wherein the solvent is a mixture of a polar organic solvent and a hydrocarbon solvent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
The supported liquid membrane of claim 8 wherein the polar organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of cyclohexanol, hexanol, benzyl alcohol, decanol, phenethyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 86 words
In an alkaline battery comprising at least one pair of a positive electrode and a negative electrode the improvement comprising a hydrophobic microporous membrane which supports within its porous matrix a liquid ionic transport agent interposed between the negative and the positive electrode, said agent which is substantially insoluble in the electrochemical electrolyte solution and consisting essentially of an organic ion transport agent in a polar organic solvent therefore, such that the electrolyte insoluble agent selectively transports specific cation and anion species through the microporous membrane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 86 words
In an alkaline battery comprising at least one pair of a positive electrode and a negative electrode the improvement comprising a hydrophobic microporous membrane which supports within its porous matrix a liquid ionic transport agent interposed between the negative and the positive electrode, said agent which is substantially insoluble in the electrochemical electrolyte solution and consisting essentially of an organic ion transport agent in a polar organic solvent therefore, such that the electrolyte insoluble agent selectively transports specific cation and anion species through the microporous membrane.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3806369A Cited
US4192725A Cited
US4086405A Cited
US4310608A Cited
US4396687A Cited
US4430398A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-06-02 1989-12-02 1990-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-06-02 1993-12-02 1994-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-06-02 1997-12-02 1998-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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