Water solvated glass/amorphous solid ionic conductors

Abstract

The disclosure provides a water-solvated glass/amorphous solid that is an ionic conductor-an electronic insulator, and a dielectric as well as electrochemical devices and processes that use this material, such as batteries, including rechargeable batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, electrolysis cells, and electronic devices. The electrochemical devices and products use a combination of ionic and electronic conduction as well as internal electric dipoles.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of forming an H + -conductive water-solvated electrolyte the method comprising transforming a crystalline material comprising at least one alkali and/or alkaline-earth cation bonded to at least one acidic polyanion into a glass/amorphous solid by adding water in an amount less than or equal to its solvation limit in the crystalline material such that water dissociates into hydroixide (OH − ) anions that coordinate to the cations to form polyanions and the water also dissociates into protons (H + ) that are mobile in a framework of an acidic oxide and the polyanions. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the acidic polyanion comprises (SO 4 ) 2−  and/or (PO 4 ) 3− . 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the alkaline-earth cation comprises lithium ion (Li + ) and/or sodium ion (Na + ). 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a water-solvated glass/amorphous solid, the method comprising transforming a crystalline electronic insulator comprising at least one acidic polyanion and at least one cation into a water-solvated glass/amorphous proton (H + )-conducting solid by adding water in an amount less than or equal to the water solvation limit of the crystalline electronic insulator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one cation is stabilized in the form of at least one stable hydroxide polyanion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one acidic polyanion comprises a phosphate (PO 4 ) 3−  polyanion and/or a sulfate (SO 4 ) 2−  polyanion and/or (SiO 4 ) 4−  polyanion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one cation comprises a barium (Ba 2+ ) ion, a potassium (K + ) ion, a rubidium (Rb + ) ion, and/or a cesium (Cs + ) ion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the stable hydroxide polyanion comprises (Ba(OH) x ) 2-x ,(K(OH) x ) 1-x ,(Rb(OH) x ) 1-x  and/or (Cs(OH) x ) 1-x .