Flexible Thin Printed Battery and Device and Method of Manufacturing Same

Abstract

A flat, flexible electrochemical cell is provided. The within invention describes various aspects of the flat, flexible electrochemical cell. A printed anode is provided that obviates the need for a discrete anode current collector, thereby reducing the size of the battery. An advantageous electrolyte is provided that enables the use of a metallic cathode current collector, thereby improving the performance of the battery. Printable gelled electrolytes and separators are provided, enabling the construction of both co-facial and co-planar batteries. Cell contacts are provided that reduce the potential for electrolyte creepage in the flat, flexible electrochemical cells of the within invention.

1 . A thin, flexible battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator and an electrolyte contained within a sealed housing, wherein:
 the housing comprises a flexible, electrically nonconductive substrate;   at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is a printed electrode on a portion of the substrate;   the positive electrode being in physical contact with a positive electrode current collector; and   the positive electrode current collector comprises an electrically conductive metal coated with an electrically conductive film comprising a carbon.   
   
   
       2 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive metal comprises silver or aluminum. 
   
   
       3 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the film further comprises a binder. 
   
   
       4 . The battery according to  claim 3 , wherein the positive electrode current collector is disposed on the substrate and the film comprises an ink and is printed onto the positive electrode current collector. 
   
   
       5 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode current collector is a metal current collector. 
   
   
       6 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode current collector is a printed metallic current collector comprising a metallic ink. 
   
   
       7 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is an acidic electrolyte. 
   
   
       8 . The battery according to  claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises at least one of zinc chloride, ammonium chloride, zinc acetate and ammonium acetate. 
   
   
       9 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is an alkaline electrolyte. 
   
   
       10 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a paper. 
   
   
       11 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a gelled electrolyte. 
   
   
       12 . The battery according to  claim 11 , wherein the gelled electrolyte comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene glycol based polymer, nonionic or anionic derivatives with natural guar gum, polyethylene oxide, a copolymer comprising acrylic or methacrylic acid and styrene sulphonate, and a non-polymeric thixotropic gelant. 
   
   
       13 . The battery according to  claim 12 , wherein the gelant comprises a fumed silica. 
   
   
       14 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the battery comprises a gas inhibiting material comprising
 a member of the group consisting of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide; a polymer having a phosphate group and chains comprising polyethylene oxide; and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       15 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode comprises zinc and the positive electrode comprises manganese dioxide. 
   
   
       16 . The battery according to  claim 15 , wherein the negative electrode comprises a zinc foil or zinc mesh. 
   
   
       17 . The battery according to  claim 15 , wherein the negative electrode comprises a zinc ink, the zinc ink comprises a mixture of a zinc powder and a binder. 
   
   
       18 . The battery according to  claim 17 , wherein the zinc ink binder comprises a member of the group consisting of polyethylene oxide and polyvinylpyrrolidone. 
   
   
       19 . The battery according to  claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative electrodes are coplanar electrodes. 
   
   
       20 . A carbon zinc battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator and a positive electrode current collector, wherein the positive electrode current collector comprises a metallic substrate or a metallic ink and a protective carbon coating on the metallic substrate or metallic ink.