Gas diffusion layer for metal-air battery, method of manufacturing the same, and metal-air battery including the same

Abstract

A gas diffusion layer for a metal-air battery, the gas diffusion layer including: a porous layer including non-conductive fiber structures, a conductive carbon layer including a carbon material that is disposed on a surface of a non-conductive fiber structure of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas diffusion layer for a metal-air battery, the gas diffusion layer comprising:
 a porous layer comprising a plurality of non-conductive fiber structures, and   a conductive carbon layer comprising a carbon material that is disposed on a surface of a non-conductive fiber structure of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures.   
     
     
         2 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures comprise a non-conductive fiber structure having a curvilinear shape, a rectilinear shape, or a combination thereof, and
 wherein an air gap is defined by non-conductive fiber structures of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures.   
     
     
         3 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , wherein a non-conductive fiber structure of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures comprises a polymer fiber, cellulose, a glass fiber, or a combination thereof, and
 the porous layer is in a form of a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a mesh, or a combination thereof comprising the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures.   
     
     
         4 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material comprises a carbon fiber, a carbon nanotube, a graphene nano plate, or a carbon-polymer complex. 
     
     
         5 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the conductive carbon layer is equal to or greater than about 1% and less than or equal to about 10% of an average thickness of the non-conductive fiber structure. 
     
     
         6 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon material comprised in the conductive carbon layer is uniformly disposed along a surface of a non-conductive fiber structure of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures. 
     
     
         7 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 6 , wherein the conductive carbon layer further comprises a dispersant configured to disperse the carbon material. 
     
     
         8 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 7 , wherein the dispersant comprises polystyrene sulfonate, poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid), polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol), polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), polyoxyethylene isooctylcyclohexyl ether, octylphenol ethoxylate, cetylpyridinium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between non-conductive fiber structures of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures and the conductive carbon layer, wherein the adhesive layer bonds the conductive carbon layer to the surfaces of the non-conductive fiber structure. 
     
     
         10 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , further comprising a metal layer disposed along a surface of the conductive carbon layer. 
     
     
         11 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 1 , further comprising a conductive polymer layer disposed along a surface of the conductive carbon layer. 
     
     
         12 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 9 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyaniline, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(ethylene imine), poly(allylamine hydrochloride), poly(acrylic acid), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octenesulfonic acid copolymer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The gas diffusion layer of  claim 9 , comprising a plurality of adhesive layers and a plurality of conductive carbon layers, and
 wherein the plurality of adhesive layers and the plurality of conductive carbon layers are alternately arranged.   
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a gas diffusion layer for a metal-air battery, the method comprising:
 disposing an adhesive layer on a surface of a non-conductive fiber structure; and   contacting the adhesive layer with a carbon material to form a conductive carbon layer comprising the carbon material on the non-conductive fiber structure to manufacture the gas diffusion layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising combining the carbon material, a dispersant, and a solvent to uniformly disperse the carbon material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises polyvinyl alcohol, poly(vinylpyrrolidone), polyaniline, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(ethylene imine), poly(allylamine hydrochloride), poly(acrylic acid), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octenesulfonic acid copolymer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dispersant comprises polystyrene sulfonate, poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol), polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), polyoxyethylene isooctylcyclohexyl ether, octylphenol ethoxylate, cetylpyridinium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the disposing of the adhesive layer and the contacting of adhesive layer with the carbon material are repeatedly performed to provide plurality of adhesive layers and a plurality of conductive carbon layers that are alternately arranged. 
     
     
         19 . A metal-air battery comprising:
 a negative electrode comprising a metal;   a positive electrode comprising a positive electrode layer comprising a catalyst and a gas diffusion layer for the metal-air battery, wherein the gas diffusion layer contacts the positive electrode electrolyte layer; and   an electrolyte between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, wherein the gas diffusion layer comprises   a porous layer comprising a plurality of non-conductive fiber structures, and   a conductive carbon layer comprising a carbon material that is disposed on a surface of a non-conductive fiber structure of the plurality of non-conductive fiber structures.   
     
     
         20 . The metal-air battery of  claim 19 , wherein porosity of the gas diffusion layer is equal to or greater than about 70 vol %. 
     
     
         21 . The metal-air battery of  claim 19 , wherein a weight per unit area of the gas diffusion layer is less than or equal to about 2 mg/cm 2 . 
     
     
         22 . The metal-air battery of  claim 19 , wherein electrical conductivity of the gas diffusion layer is equal to or greater than about 200 S/m. 
     
     
         23 . The metal-air battery of  claim 19 , wherein the conductive carbon layer comprises a conformal layer along a contour of the non-conductive) fiber structure.