Electrolyte with indicator

Abstract

An electrolyte with an indicator, such as a dye, for detecting leakage from an electrochemical energy storage device is provided. Also provided is a method of making such an electrolyte with indicator; a device that incorporates such an electrolyte with indicator; a method of manufacturing an electronic or electrical system that incorporates such a device; and a method of detecting the leakage of electrolyte from a battery or capacitor.

1 . A method for detecting electrolyte leakage from an electrochemical device comprising:
 adding an odorously detectable amount of an odiferous indicator to an electrolyte, wherein said electrolyte is in an electrochemical cell prior to said adding, or is loaded into said electrochemical cell subsequent to said adding; and   olfactorily detecting the presence or absence of said odiferous indicator in an environment ambient to said electrochemical cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said electrolyte has a voltage window and a conductivity after said adding that is at least about 80% of the electrolyte's voltage window and conductivity prior to said adding. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said electrolyte has a voltage window and a conductivity after said adding that is at least about 90% of the electrolyte's voltage window and conductivity prior to said adding. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said electrolyte has a voltage window and a conductivity after said adding that is at least about 95% of the electrolyte's voltage window and conductivity prior to said adding. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte comprises a salt dissolved in a solvent, wherein said solvent selected from the group consisting of linear ether, cyclic ether, ester, carbonate, formate, lactone, nitrile, amide, sulfone, and sulfolane, and wherein said salt comprises one or more anions selected from the group consisting of perfluoro borates, perfluoro phosphates, perfluoro sulfonates, and organic sulfonates, and further comprises one or more cations selected from the group consisting of the group consisting of tetraalkyl ammonium and pyridinium. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said salt is selected from the group consisting of tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate, methyltriethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethyl ammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethyl ammonium hexafluoroarsenate, and imidazolium salts. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, glutaronitrile, sulfolane, gammabutyrolactone, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and dimethyl carbonate. 
     
     
         8 . A leak detection system for an electrical power circuit comprising:
 adding an odorously detectable amount of an odiferous indicator to an electrolyte, wherein said electrolyte is in an electrochemical cell of electrical power circuit of an automobile prior to said adding, or is loaded into said electrochemical cell subsequent to said adding; and   olfactorily detecting the presence or absence of said odiferous indicator in an environment ambient to said automobile.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein said automobile is an electric automobile. 
     
     
         10 . A method for detecting electrolyte leakage from a electrochemical device comprising:
 adding an visually detectable amount of a dye, selected from the group consisting of 1,8-Naphthalimide dye and an organic europium chelate, to an electrolyte, wherein said electrolyte is in an electrochemical cell prior to said adding, or is loaded into said electrochemical cell subsequent to said adding; and   visually detecting the presence or absence of at least a portion of said dye that leaked from said electrochemical cell.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said dye is present in said electrolyte in a concentration of about 5 parts per million (ppm) to about 300 ppm by weight of the electrolyte. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the concentration of the dye is about 10 to about 50 ppm by weight of the electrolyte.