COMPLIANT SEAL STRUCTURES FOR PROTECTED ACTIVE METAL ANODES

摘要

Protected anode architectures have ionically conductive protective membrane architectures that, in conjunction with compliant seal structures and anode backplanes, effectively enclose an active metal anode inside the interior of an anode compartment. This enclosure prevents the active metal from deleterious reaction with the environment external to the anode compartment, which may include aqueous, ambient moisture, and/or other materials corrosive to the active metal. The compliant seal structures are substantially impervious to anolytes, catholytes, dissolved species in electrolytes, and moisture and compliant to changes in anode volume such that physical continuity between the anode protective architecture and backplane are maintained. The protected anode architectures can be used in arrays of protected anode architectures and battery cells of various configurations incorporating the protected anode architectures or arrays.

主权项

1. A protected anode architecture having a predefined lower bound operating temperature, the architecture comprising:
an active metal anode having a first surface and a second surface; an ionically conductive protective membrane architecture in physical continuity with the first surface of the anode; an active metal anode backplane in physical continuity with the second surface of the anode; and a compliant seal structure comprising a flexible multilayer laminate having a top and a bottom thermoplastic material layer each having a glass transition temperature, the seal structure interfacing with the protective membrane architecture and the anode backplane to enclose the anode in an anode compartment, the seal structure being compliant to changes in anode thickness such that physical continuity between the anode, protective architecture and backplane are maintained; wherein the ionically conductive protective membrane architecture comprises one or more materials configured to provide a first membrane surface chemically compatible with the active metal of the anode in contact with the anode, and a second membrane surface substantially impervious to and chemically compatible with an environment exterior to the anode compartment; wherein the seal structure interfaces with the protective membrane architecture and the anode backplane such that a substantially impervious barrier between the interior and exterior of the anode compartment is provided; and further wherein the glass transition temperature of both the top and bottom layer is lower than the predefined lower bound operating temperature of the protected anode architecture.