Metal-air cell comprising an electrolyte with a room temperature ionic liquid and hygroscopic additive

摘要

An electrochemical cell comprising an electrolyte comprising water and a hydrophobic ionic liquid comprising positive ions and negative ions. The electrochemical cell also includes an air electrode configured to absorb and reduce oxygen. A hydrophilic or hygroscopic additive modulates the hydrophobicity of the ionic liquid to maintain a concentration of the water in the electrolyte is between 0.001 mol % and 25 mol %.

主权项

1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
an ionically conductive medium comprising a hydrophobic low temperature ionic liquid comprising positive ions and negative ions and at least one hygroscopic additive selected from the group consisting of ZnCl2, Zn(BF4)2, Zn(acetate)2, and mixtures thereof; a fuel electrode for oxidizing a fuel; and an air electrode for absorbing and reducing gaseous oxygen, wherein the hygroscopic additive modulates the hydrophobicity of the ionically conductive medium to maintain a concentration of water in the ionically conductive medium between 0.001 mol % and 25 mol % when the ionically conductive medium is allowed to equilibrate with an ambient air laboratory environment at 22° C. across a relative humidity of 20% to 40%.