Secondary Zinc-Manganese Dioxide Batteries for High Power Applications

Abstract

In an embodiment, a secondary Zn—MnO 2 battery comprises a battery housing, a MnO 2 cathode, a Zn anode, and an electrolyte solution. The MnO 2 cathode, the Zn anode, and the electrolyte solution are disposed within the battery housing, and the MnO 2 cathode comprises a MnO 2 cathode mixture and a current collector. The MnO 2 cathode mixture is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the current collector, and the MnO 2 cathode has a porosity of from about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. %, based on the total volume of the MnO 2 cathode mixture of the MnO 2 cathode.

1 . A secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery comprising:
 a battery housing; 
 a MnO 2  cathode; 
 a Zn anode; and 
 an electrolyte solution, 
 wherein the MnO 2  cathode, the Zn anode, and the electrolyte solution are disposed within the battery housing, 
 wherein the MnO 2  cathode comprises a MnO 2  cathode mixture and a current collector, 
 wherein the MnO 2  cathode mixture is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the current collector, and 
 wherein the MnO 2  cathode has a porosity of from about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. %, based on the total volume of the MnO 2  cathode mixture of the MnO 2  cathode. 
 
     
     
         2 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the Zn anode and the MnO 2  cathode capacities are balanced. 
     
     
         3 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the Zn anode or the MnO 2  cathode comprises a pasted configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the MnO 2  cathode or the Zn anode have a thickness of from about 100 microns to about 1,000 microns. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the MnO 2  cathode or the Zn anode are further wrapped in an electrode separator membrane. 
     
     
         7 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 6 , wherein the electrode separator membrane comprises a polymeric membrane, a sintered polymer film membrane, a polyolefin membrane, a polyolefin nonwoven membrane, a cellulose membrane, a cellophane, a battery-grade cellophane, a sintered polyolefin film membrane, a hydrophilically modified polyolefin membrane, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the MnO 2  cathode mixture comprises MnO 2  in an amount of from about 45 wt. % to about 80 wt. %, an electronically conductive material in an amount of from about 10 wt. % to about 45 wt. %, and a binder in an amount of from about 2 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, based on a total weight of the MnO 2  cathode mixture. 
     
     
         9 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 8 , wherein the MnO 2  comprises electrolytic manganese dioxide; wherein the electronically conductive material comprises carbon, graphite, graphite powder, graphite powder flakes, graphite powder spheroids, carbon black, activated carbon, conductive carbon, amorphous carbon, glassy carbon, or any combination thereof; and wherein the binder comprises a polymer; a fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and propylene; polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a copolymer of styrene and butadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR); a conducting polymer, polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene) (PEDOT), copolymers of 3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene with various co-monomers (e.g., PEDOT with various dopants), a copolymer of 3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene and styrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), hydroxymethyl cellulose (HMC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the MnO 2  cathode mixture further comprises a metal, Bi, Sr, Ca, Ba, an oxide thereof, a hydroxides thereof, a nitrate thereof, a chlorides thereof, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the MnO 2  cathode comprises a pasted MnO 2  cathode. 
     
     
         12 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the MnO 2  cathode comprises a first MnO 2  cathode dried sheet, a second MnO 2  cathode dried sheet, and the current collector, wherein the first MnO 2  cathode dried sheet is pressed onto a first side of the current collector, wherein the second MnO 2  cathode dried sheet is pressed onto a second side of the current collector, wherein the first and the second MnO 2  cathode dried sheets are pressed onto their respective sides of the current collector at a pressure of from about 3,000 psi to about 10,000 psi, and wherein the MnO 2  cathode mixture is in electrical contact with both the first side and the second side of the current collector. 
     
     
         13 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a porous metal collector, a metal conductive mesh, a metal conductive interwoven mesh, a metal conductive expanded mesh, a metal conductive screen, a metal conductive plate, a metal conductive foil, a metal conductive perforated plate, a metal conductive perforated foil, a metal conductive perforated sheet, a sintered porous metal conductive sheet, a sintered metal conductive foam, an expanded conductive metal, a perforated conductive metal, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a metal collector pocketed assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a current collector substrate comprising graphite, carbon, a metal, an alloy, steel, copper, nickel, silver, platinum, brass, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 15 , wherein the current collector comprises a metal, nickel, silver, cadmium, tin, lead, bismuth, or any combinations thereof deposited on the current collector substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the current collector comprises a current collector tab, wherein the current collector tab is in electrical contact with an outer surface of the MnO 2  cathode. 
     
     
         18 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery comprises a non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery, wherein the battery housing comprises a non-flow battery housing, wherein the Zn anode comprises a non-flow cell Zn anode, and wherein the electrolyte solution comprises a non-flow cell electrolyte solution. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 18 , wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode comprises a non-flow cell Zn anode mixture and a current collector, wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the current collector; and wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode has a porosity of from about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. % based on the total volume of the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture of the non-flow cell Zn anode. 
     
     
         21 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 20 , wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture comprises Zn in an amount of from about 50 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, ZnO in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, an electronically conductive material in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, and a binder in an amount of from about 2 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture. 
     
     
         22 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 18 , wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode comprises a pasted non-flow cell Zn anode. 
     
     
         23 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 18 , wherein the non-flow cell electrolyte solution comprises a hydroxide, a potassium hydroxide, a sodium hydroxide, a lithium hydroxide, or any combination thereof in a concentration of from about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % based on the total weight of the non-flow cell electrolyte solution. 
     
     
         24 . The secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery of  claim 18 , wherein the non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery is characterized by a cycle life of equal to or greater than about 5,000 cycles. 
     
     
         25 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method for producing energy comprising:
 discharging a non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery to a discharge voltage to produce energy, wherein the non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery comprises:
 a non-flow battery housing, 
 a MnO 2  cathode, 
 a non-flow cell Zn anode, and 
 a non-flow cell electrolyte solution, wherein the MnO 2  cathode, the non-flow cell Zn anode, and the non-flow cell electrolyte solution are supported within the non-flow battery housing, and wherein at least a portion of the Zn of the non-flow cell Zn anode is oxidized during the discharging; 
   charging the non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery to a charge voltage, wherein at least a portion of the ZnO from the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture is reduced to Zn during the charging; and   repeating the discharging and the charging of the flow-assisted secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery at least once, wherein the non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery is characterized by a cycle life of equal to or greater than about 5,000 cycles.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the MnO 2  cathode comprises a MnO 2  cathode mixture and a current collector, wherein the MnO 2  cathode mixture is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the current collector, and wherein the MnO 2  cathode has a porosity of from about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. % based on the total volume of the MnO 2  cathode mixture of the MnO 2  cathode. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode comprises a non-flow cell Zn anode mixture and a current collector, wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the current collector; and wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode has a porosity of from about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. % based on the total volume of the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture of the non-flow cell Zn anode. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture comprises Zn in an amount of from about 50 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, ZnO in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, an electronically conductive material in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, and a binder in an amount of from about 2 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the non-flow cell Zn anode mixture. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the non-flow cell electrolyte solution comprises a hydroxide, a potassium hydroxide, a sodium hydroxide, a lithium hydroxide, or any combination thereof in a concentration of from about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % based on the total weight of the non-flow cell electrolyte solution. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the non-flow secondary Zn—MnO 2  battery is charged when assembled. 
     
     
         36 .- 40 . (canceled)