Cell electrode and electrochemical cell therewith

Abstract

This invention provides an electrode for an electrochemical cell in which an active material in an electrode material is a proton-conducting compound, wherein the electrode material comprises a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound or a polymer having a unit containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety.

1 . An electrode for an electrochemical cell, which comprises: 
 a proton-conducting compound as an active material; and    a polymer comprising a unit containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety.    
     
     
         2 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety is a moiety selected from the group consisting of a benzimidazole moiety, a benzbisimidazole moiety and an imidazole moiety.  
     
     
         3 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a polybenzimidazole represented by formula (6) or a polyvinylimidazole represented by formula (7);  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n represents a positive integer.  
       
     
     
         4 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer further comprises a unit containing a proton-conducting moiety.  
     
     
         5 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein a content of the unit containing the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety in the polymer is at least 5 mol %.  
     
     
         6 . The electrode of  claim 1 , further comprising a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound.  
     
     
         7 . The electrode of  claim 6 , wherein the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of imidazole, triazole, pyrazole, benzimidazole and their derivatives.  
     
     
         8 . The electrode of  claim 6 , wherein the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of imidazole or its derivatives represented by formula (1), trizole or its derivatives represented by formula (2) or (3), pyrazole or its derivatives represented by formula (4) and benzimidazole or its derivatives represented by formula (5):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R independently represents hydrogen, alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, amino, carboxyl, nitro, phenyl, vinyl, halogen, acyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl, alkylsulfonyl or trifluoromethylthio.  
     
     
         9 . The electrode of  claim 1 , comprising 1 to 80 parts by weight of the polymer to 100 parts by weight of the active material.  
     
     
         10 . The electrode of  claim 6 , comprising 1 to 80 parts by weight of the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound and the polymer to 100 parts by weight of the active material.  
     
     
         11 . An electrochemical cell, comprising: 
 a positive electrode comprising a proton-conducting compound as an active material; and    a negative electrode comprising a proton-conducting compound as an active material;    wherein at least one of the electrodes is the electrode as claimed in  claim 1 .    
     
     
         12 . An electrochemical cell of  claim 11 , comprising an electrolyte containing a proton source wherein only protons act as a charge carrier in a redox reaction in both electrodes associated with charge and discharge.  
     
     
         13 . A secondary battery comprising the electrochemical cell of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         14 . An electrode for an electrochemical cell, comprising: 
 a proton-conducting polymer comprising a unit containing a proton-conducting moiety and a unit containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety, as an active material.    
     
     
         15 . The electrode of  claim 14 , wherein the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety is a moiety selected from the group consisting of: 
 a benzimidazole moiety, a benzbisimidazole moiety, and an imidazole moiety.    
     
     
         16 . The electrode of  claim 14 , wherein the unit containing the proton-conducting moiety is a unit selected from the group consisting of: 
 a quinoxaline moiety and a phenylquinoxaline moiety.    
     
     
         17 . The electrode of  claim 14 , wherein the proton-conducting polymer is a polymer comprising a unit represented by formula (18):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         18 . An electrochemical cell, comprising: 
 a first electrode containing a polymer comprising a unit containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety;    a second electrode; and    a separator separating the first electrode and the second electrode.    
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety is a moiety selected from the group consisting of: 
 a benzimidazole moiety, a benzbisimidazole moiety and an imidazole moiety.    
     
     
         20 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a proton-conducting compound as an active material.  
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the polymer is a proton conducting polymer comprising a unit containing a proton-conducting moiety and a unit containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety, the polymer being an active material.  
     
     
         22 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the second electrode comprises a proton-conducting compound as an active material.  
     
     
         23 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the second electrode comprises a proton-conducting compound as an active material, and a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound.  
     
     
         24 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the second electrode comprises a proton-conducing compound as an active material, and a polymer comprising a unit containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moiety.  
     
     
         25 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18  further comprising a proton-ionizing electrolyte.