High Capacity Alkali/Oxidant Battery

Abstract

An alkali/oxidant battery is provided with an associated method of creating battery capacity. The battery is made from an anode including a reduced first alkali metal such as lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K), when the battery is charged. The battery's catholyte includes an element, in the battery charged state, such as nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), magnesium(IV) (oxide Mn (4+) O 2 ), or iron(III) oxyhydroxide (Fe (3+) (OH) 3 ), with the alkali metal hydroxide. An alkali metal ion permeable separator is interposed between the anolyte and the catholyte. For example, if the catholyte includes nickel(II) hydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ) in a battery discharged state, then it includes NiOOH in a battery charged state. To continue the example, the anolyte may include dissolved lithium ions (Li + ) in a discharged state, with solid phase reduced Li formed on the anode in the battery charged state.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An alkali/oxidant battery comprising:
 an anode including a reduced first alkali metal in a battery charged state;   an anolyte;   a cathode including an element, in the battery charged state, selected from a group consisting of nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), magnesium(IV) oxide (Mn (4+) O 2 ), and iron(III) oxyhydroxide (Fe (3+) (OH) 3 );   a catholyte including a first alkali metal hydroxide; and,   a first alkali metal ion permeable separator interposed between the anolyte and the catholyte.   
     
     
         2 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the cathode includes nickel(II) hydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ) in a battery discharged state and NiOOH in the battery charged state. 
     
     
         3 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 2  wherein the anolyte includes lithium ions (Li + ) in the battery discharged state. 
     
     
         4 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the catholyte and cathode are the same element, comprising a cathode slurry; and,
 the cathode further comprising a cathode current collector submerged in the cathode slurry. 
 
     
     
         5 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a cell comprising the anode, the anolyte, the first alkali metal ion permeable separator, an input port and an output port; 
 a cathode slurry reservoir connected to the cell input and output ports to supply an oxidized cathode slurry when the battery is electrically discharging under load and a reduced cathode slurry when the battery is being electrically charged. 
 
     
     
         6 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a plurality of cells connected in a configuration selected from a group consisting of series and parallel electrical connections. 
 
     
     
         7 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 6  wherein the cathode slurry reservoir and the plurality of cells are connected in parallel to transport the cathode slurry. 
     
     
         8 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the anolyte in the battery discharged state includes alkali metal ions selected from a group consisting of lithium ions (Li + ), sodium ions (Na + ), and potassium ions (K + ); and,
 wherein the anode, in the battery charged state, includes a solid phase reduced alkali metal respectively selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, and K, overlying a current collector. 
 
     
     
         9 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the cathode includes Mn (4+) O 2  in the battery charged state and magnesium (III) oxyhydroxide (Mn (+3) OOH) in the battery discharged state. 
     
     
         10 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the cathode includes (Fe (3+) (OH) 3 ) in the battery charged state and iron(II) oxyhydroxide (Fe (2+) (OH) 2 ) in the battery discharged state. 
     
     
         11 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the cathode in the battery charged state is NiOOH, and progresses from the battery charged state to the battery discharged state with the following reaction:
   NiOOH+H 2 O+ e   − =Ni(OH) 2 +OH—.
 
 
     
     
         12 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the cathode in the battery charged state is Mn (4+) O 2 , and progresses from the battery charged state to the battery discharged state with the following reaction:
   Mn (4+) O 2 +H 2 O+ e   − →Mn (3+) OOH+OH—.
 
 
     
     
         13 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the cathode in the battery charged state is Fe (3+) (OH) 3 , and progresses from the battery charged state to the battery discharged state with the following reaction:
   Fe (3+) (OH) 3   +e   − →Fe (2+) (OH) 2 +OH—.
 
 
     
     
         14 . The alkali/oxidant battery of  claim 1  wherein the anode in the battery charged state is selected from a group consisting of a solid phase reduced first alkali metal and a solid phase reduced first alkali metal overlying a current collector. 
     
     
         15 . A method for creating alkali/oxidant battery capacity, the method comprising:
 forming a battery in a charged state having a first alkali metal anode, an anolyte, a first alkali metal ion permeable separator, and a cathode including an oxidized element selected from a group consisting of nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), magnesium(IV) oxide (Mn (4+) O 2 ), and iron(III) oxyhydroxide (Fe (3+) (OH) 3 ), and a catholyte including a first alkali metal hydroxide;   creating a first battery capacity, where the first battery capacity is responsive to an amount of oxidized element in the cathode and reduced first alkali metal at the anode.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming the battery includes forming, in the charged battery state, a NiOOH cathode, and a reduced first alkali metal (X) anode, where X is selected from a group consisting of lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K); and,
 the method further comprising: 
 discharging the battery by performing the following reactions:
   anode: X═X +   +e   −  and,
 
   cathode: NiOOH+H 2 O+ e   − =Ni(OH) 2 +OH—.
 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming the battery includes forming, in the charged state, a Mn (4+) O 2  cathode, and a reduced first alkali metal (X) anode, where X is selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, and K; and,
 the method further comprising: 
 discharging the battery by performing the following reactions:
   anode: X═X +   +e   −  and,
 
   cathode: Mn (4+) O 2 +H 2 O+ e   − →Mn (3+) OOH+OH—.
 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming the battery includes forming, in the charged state, a Fe (3+) (OH) 3  cathode, and a reduced first alkali metal (X) anode, where X is selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, and K; and,
 the method further comprising: 
 discharging the battery by performing the following reactions:
   anode: X═X +   +e   −  and,
 
   cathode: Fe (3+) (OH) 3   +e   − →Fe (2+) (OH) 2 +OH—.
 
 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 discharging the battery by forming the anolyte including ions selected from a group of first alkali metals consisting of lithium ions (Li + ), sodium ions (Na + ), and potassium ion (K + ) dissolved in the anolyte. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming the battery includes the cathode and catholyte being a cathode slurry. 
     
     
         21 . A lithium (Li)/nickel (Ni) battery comprising:
 an anode including reduced Li in a battery charged state;   an anolyte;   a cathode including Ni oxyhydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ) in the battery discharged state and nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH) in a battery charged state;   a catholyte including LiOH; and,   a lithium ion (Li + ) permeable separator interposed between the anolyte and the catholyte.