Rechargeable high energy density magnesium / magnesium sulfide battery

Abstract

Novel, rechargeable magnesium/magnesium sulfide batteries are disclosed therein, having energy density competitive with lithium batteries, high cycle life, and lower cost. Production method of stabilized MgS is also described, as well as various cells constructions.

Claims

1. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery comprising at least one magnesium metal anode electrode; at least one magnesium sulfide based cathode electrode; and at least one porous electrically non-conductive separator between said anodes and cathodes; and said battery is enclosed in a moisture proof enclosure with sealed and insulated nickel terminals exiting from said electrodes; and said battery is activated by a sulfolane based electrolyte with at least one magnesium based salt, in contact with said electrodes.

2. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery comprising at least one carbon based anode electrode; at least one magnesium sulfide based cathode electrode; and at least one porous electrically non-conductive separator between said anodes and cathodes; and said battery is enclosed in a moisture proof enclosure with sealed and insulated nickel terminals exiting from said electrodes; and said battery is activated by a sulfolane based electrolyte with at least one magnesium based salt, in contact with said electrodes.

3. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, in which said magnesium sulfide is stabilized by carbon nanotubes, bonded to said magnesium sulfide by a carbonized polymer.

4. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, in which said magnesium sulfide is stabilized by carbon nanotubes, bonded to said magnesium sulfide by a carbonized polymer.

5. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, in which said magnesium metal anode is replaced by a metal foil current collector onto which is magnesium plated from said magnesium sulfide cathode upon charging.

6. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 5, in which said metal foil current collector is a lithium foil.

7. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, in which said magnesium sulfide (MgS) is made from MgO+C+S powders mixed and heated to 950 C in an inert atmosphere.

8. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, in which said magnesium sulfide (MgS) is made from MgO+C+S powders mixed and heated to 950 C in an inert atmosphere.

9. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, which is made as a prismatic bi-cell.

10. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, which is made as a prismatic bi-cell.

11. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, which is made as a rolled bi-cell in a cylindrical metal can.

12. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, which is made as a rolled bi-cell in a cylindrical metal can.

13. A method of stabilized magnesium sulfide cathode preparation as follows: Providing MgS, PAN, PEO, sugar and carbon nanotubes powders; Mixing together said powders; Grinding said mixture in a ball mill to create granules; Heating said granules in a furnace in inert atmosphere 8 hours at 450 C, which carbonizes the polymers and binds said MgS to carbon nanotubes; Mixing carbonized MgS into a solvent with a high surface carbon and a polymeric binder to create a slurry; Providing a metal current collector; Coating said slurry onto said current collector and drying said coating; Providing a roller press; Pressing said coating by roller press to create cathode electrodes for Mg/MgS battery.

14. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, in which said sulfolane based electrolyte comprising sulfolane and GBL is non-flammable.

15. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, in which said sulfolane based electrolyte comprising sulfolane and GBL is non-flammable.

16. A rechargeable magnesium/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, in which said sulfolane based electrolyte comprises a mixture of sulfolane with DME and a magnesium based salt.

17. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, in which said sulfolane based electrolyte comprises a mixture of sulfolane with DME and a magnesium based salt.

18. A rechargeable magnesium/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, in which said sulfolane based electrolyte comprises a mixture of sulfolane with THF and a magnesium based salt.

19. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, in which said sulfolane based electrolyte comprises a mixture of sulfolane with THF; and a magnesium based salt.

20. A rechargeable magnesium metal/magnesium sulfide battery as described in claim 1, which is made as a prismatic multicell.

21. A rechargeable magnesium-ion battery as described in claim 2, which is made as a prismatic multicell.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part thereof in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a battery constructed in accordance with the invention, and

[0018] FIG. 2 is a top sectional view of a battery constructed in accordance with the invention.

[0019] It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are merely illustrative, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structures disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] When referring to the preferred embodiments, certain terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Use of such terminology is intended to encompass not only the described embodiments, but also technical equivalents, which operate and function in substantially the same way to bring about the same result.

[0021] Referring now to the drawings FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a preferred rechargeable cell or battery 10 is therein illustrated, which is shown as a prismatic bi-cell. The cell 10 has a cathode 11 in the middle and comprises preferably aluminum grid or foil collector 11A coated with porous carbon particles, such as Super-P, Ketjen Black and carbon nanotubes attached or held together by a binder, preferably PEO, 4M m.w. or PVOH; and this carbon is then loaded by soaking a mixture 11B of MgS (magnesium sulfide) stabilized by carbon nanotubes in preferably anhydrous solvents such as mixture of sulfolane and DME and or THF, containing also at least one Mg salt, like Mg-triflate (magnesium trifluoromethane-sulfonate) and or MgPF6 (magnesium hexafluorophosphate). Two porous insulating separators 12 are placed on both sides of the cathode 11, and soaked by electrolyte 13 comprising at least one solvent, preferably sulfolane mixed with GBL (gamabutyrolactone) and/or DME (dimethoxyethane), and/or THF(tetrahydrofuran), and at least one magnesium salt, such as Mg-triflate, Mg-perchlorate, and Mg-hexafluorophosphate.

[0022] The high boiling point electrolyte having mixture of sulfolane and GBL is non-flammable, because the shorted cell temperature does not reach the boiling point of the electrolyte.

[0023] A small amount

[0024] of MgS and S may be also added optionally into the electrolyte. The separators are preferably of PP (polypropelene), or Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene). Two anodes 14 of magnesium foils or plates are placed on and in contact with the separators 12; and the electrolyte 13, and have preferably nickel grid tabs terminals 15 electro-conductively attached to the magnesium foils. This cell or battery 10 is enclosed in a moisture proof enclosure 16 with the terminals 15 exiting in a sealed and insulated manner. The terminals 15 are preferably full width of the magnesium electrode, as shown. The cathode aluminum current collector 11A also exits from the enclosure 16 in a sealed and insulated manner, or optionally may have electrical conductively attached another full width terminal tab 17 of nickel grid or foil, exiting in sealed and insulated manner. The cell 10 maybe sealed in flexible enclosure 16 under vacuum, which provides atmospheric pressure for the outside and thus for good contacts of all components, or the enclosure is made from a tight and hard structure to hold the cells together. The anodes 14 of magnesium may be also replaced with a metal foil, serving only as a current collector 18, on which magnesium is plated during charge. The source of the magnesium is MgS in the cathode. Only magnesium is cycled during charge and discharge, due to the presence of the magnesium salt only in the electrolyte. It should be noted, that the bi-cell shown, could also be reversed, with anode in the middle and two cathodes on the outside; or it can be a well-known single cell structure (not shown). Upon assembly of the cell with magnesium anodes, the cell is discharged first. Upon assembly of the cell with metal anode current collectors only, or with carbon anode, the cell is charged first, and then discharged. Preferred voltage span in both cases is 2.2V-1.5V, but may be up to 3.0V-1.0V. The battery or cell of the invention has double capacity over batteries with other metals, due to 2 valences of magnesium. It was also found, that these cells or batteries can be discharged and charged many thousands of times with minimal loss of capacity, and that 500 Wh/kg energy density can be achieved. End of the cycle life is magnesium by-product MgS, which is very stable and safe. When the cells are discharged to “0” volts, or shorted, they are still rechargeable without damage. Due to immediate availability of magnesium on the anode surface, the cells are also high rate capable. Cathodes of the invention may be also made by replacing the sulfur (S) with magnesium sulfide (MgS), stabilized by addition of carbon nanotubes and made electrically conductive by bonding and carbonizing by heat polyacrylonitrile (PAN), or polyethylene oxide (PEO), or sugar to the MgS. (Low cost MgS is first synthesized from MgO+C+S by mixing and heating to 950C in inert atmosphere).

[0025] Resulting carbon material, loaded with MgS is useable in construction of cathode electrodes, in combination with a binder (such as PVDF or PEO) and a carbon, to provide a cathode slurry in a solvent , coated on a metal current collector, such as aluminum foil or grid, and dried.

[0026] Preparation of the stabilized cathode is as follows: [0027] 1. Powders of MgS, PAN, or PEO, or sugar, or their mixtures), and carbon nanotubes are mixed for non-binding example only, in mass ratio 50:10:0.9. [0028] 2. This mixture is ground to create granules in a ball mill. [0029] 3. The granules are heated in a furnace, in inert atmosphere for 8 hours, at approx. 450 C. [0030] 4. The heat carbonizes the polymer, which binds the MgS to the carbon and nanotubes, which stabilizes the MgS. [0031] 5. The stabilized MgS is admixed into a solvent with a binder dissolved therein, and a high surface carbon is admixed to create a coating slurry. [0032] 6. The slurry is coated on a metal foil or grid electric collector, and is dried to produce stabilized porous cathode electrode. The active material (stabilized MgS) may be approx. 95% by weight. [0033] 7. This cathode is pressed by rollers to densify the coating, and is used in Mg/MgS cells. This cathode does not dissolve into the electrolytes, even when Mg is partially or fully removed from the MgS by charging.

[0034] Said prismatic battery may be also made multi-celled, with the cells connected in parallel and sealed in a similar enclosure with terminals.

[0035] It will thus be seen that safe, high energy density batteries with long cycle life are herein described, with which the objects of the invention are achieved.