The present invention relates to the use of porous structures comprising sulfur in electrochemical cells. Such materials may be useful, for example, in forming one or more electrodes in an electrochemical cell. For example, the systems and methods described herein may comprise the use of an electrode comprising a conductive porous support structure and a plurality of particles comprising sulfur (e.g., as an active species) substantially contained within the pores of the support structure. The inventors have unexpectedly discovered that, in some embodiments, the sizes of the pores within the porous support structure and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can be tailored such that the contact between the electrolyte and the sulfur is enhanced, while the electrical conductivity and structural integrity of the electrode are maintained at sufficiently high levels to allow for effective operation of the cell. Also, the sizes of the pores within the porous support structures and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can be selected such that any suitable ratio of sulfur to support material can be achieved while maintaining mechanical stability in the electrode. The inventors have also unexpectedly discovered that the use of porous support structures comprising certain materials (e.g., metals such as nickel) can lead to relatively large increases in cell performance. In some embodiments, methods for forming sulfur particles within pores of a porous support structure allow for a desired relationship between the particle size and pore size. The sizes of the pores within the porous support structure and/or the sizes of the particles within the pores can also be tailored such that the resulting electrode is able to withstand the application of an anisotropic force, while maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode.

Electrochemical cells comprising porous structures comprising sulfur

A carbon fiber paper characterized in that it comprises an organic polymer compound as a binder and carbon fibers including fine fibers having an average diameter of less than 5 µm and an average fiber length of 3-10 mm, a porous carbon electrode base material for fuel cells having a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 mm, a bulk density of 0.3 to 0.8 g/cm3, a rate of strain of 10 mm/min, a bending strength of more than 10 MPa measured by a three-point bending test under the condition that the distance between the supports is 2 cm and the width of the test piece is 1 cm, and a deflection of the bending is 1.5 mm or more, and a method for producing a porous carbon electrode base material for fuel cells by impregnating the carbon fiber paper with a thermosetting resin, (setting the thermosetting resin by heating under pressure, and carbonize the resin are disclosed. The electrode base material has an excellent softness and an excellent bending strength, can be formed into a roll and produced with high productivity. The carbon fiber paper is preferably used for manufacturing the electrode base material.

Porous carbon electrode material, method for manufacturing the same, and carbon fiber paper

Articles and methods for forming protected electrodes for use in electrochemical cells, including those for use in rechargeable lithium batteries, are provided. In some embodiments, the articles and methods involve an electrode that does not include an electroactive layer, but includes a current collector and a protective structure positioned directly adjacent the current collector, or separated from the current collector by one or more thin layers. Lithium ions may be transported across the protective structure to form an electroactive layer between the current collector and the protective structure. In some embodiments, an anisotropic force may be applied to the electrode to facilitate formation of the electroactive layer.

Plating technique for electrode

Electrode structures, and more specifically, electrode structures for use in electrochemical cells, are provided. The electrode structures described herein may include one or more protective layers. In one set of embodiments, a protective layer may be formed by exposing a lithium metal surface to a plasma comprising ions of a gas to form a ceramic layer on top of the lithium metal. The ceramic layer may be highly conductive to lithium ions and may protect the underlying lithium metal surface from reaction with components in the electrolyte. In some cases, the ions may be nitrogen ions and a lithium nitride layer may be formed on the lithium metal surface. In other embodiments, the protective layer may be formed by converting lithium to lithium nitride at high pressures. Other methods for forming protective layers are also provided.

Electrode structure and method for making the same

A flexible energy storage device comprising a flexible housing; an electrolyte contained within the housing; an anode and cathode comprise a current collector and anode/cathode material supported on the current collector. The current collector comprising a fabric substrate (101) and an electron-conductive material (102). The electron conductive material contains voids to enable penetration of the current collector by the electrolyte.

Flexible energy storage devices

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a porous carbon base material for an electrode with high conductivity and mechanical strength, an excellent handling property, suitable for constructing a gas diffusion electrode of a solid polymer fuel cell, and to provide a manufacturing method of the same with high productivity. SOLUTION: Short carbon fibers are bound by a carbonaceous compound. The porous carbon base material for an electrode having a maximum load at three-point bending test of at least 0.5N, a flexural elastic modulus ranging between 1 to 10 GPa, a thickness ranging between 0.1 to 0.25 mm, and a resistance in a thickness direction of 12 mΩ cm 2 or less, is obtained by baking a strip-shaped sheet containing the short carbon fiber with a basic weight ranging between 15 to 60 g/m 2 , and a thermosetting resin with a weight ranging between 13 to 150 g/m 2 , in a furnace kept in an inert atmosphere, set so as to increase the temperature with an increase rate of 10 to 1,000 °C/minute up to 1,200°C, and winding in a roll-shape after carbonizing the thermosetting resin. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Porous carbon base material for electrode and manufacturing method of the same

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a porous carbon board capable of keeping mechanical strength thereof and changing the diameter of pores without depending on the change in density thereof, high in electroconductivity and heat conductivity in depth direction thereof. SOLUTION: This carbon paper contains two or more kinds of carbon short fibers of different thickness consisting of at least carbon short fibers having 4-9μm and >=4mm length, in which the ratio (D2/D1) of the diameter of the thinnest carbon short fiber (D1) to the diameter of the thickest carbon short fiber (D2) is >=1.3. This porous carbon board contains two or more kinds of carbon short fibers of different thicknesses containing at least carbon short fibers having 4-9μm and >=4mm length, and has 300-850kg/m density ρ. Bending strength F [MPa] and specific resistance in depth direction R [Ωm] thereof satisfies the relationship (1) and (2). (1) F>=ρ/27, (2) R .

Carbon fiber paper and porous carbon board

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a porous carbon base material keeping high electric conductivity even after water repellent treatment is applied, easily made in a roll and suitable for forming a gas diffusing material of a fuel cell. SOLUTION: In the porous carbon base material wherein carbon short fibers are dispersed randomly on substantially two dimensional plane and bound by the carbonized resin, the volume of pores formed in the porous carbon base material and having a pore diameter of 10 μm or less is 0.05 to 0.16 cc/g. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Porous carbon base material, gas-diffusing material using the same, film-electrode jointed article and fuel cell

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce a porous carbon sheet having increased gas permeability in the thickness direction while keeping the mechanical strength relatively high and the specific resistance in the thickness direction relatively high SOLUTION: Short carbon fibers dispersed in random directions in a practically two-dimensional plane are bonded to one another with carbon to obtain the objective porous carbon sheet having >=147MPa bending strength, >=049MPa compressive strength in the thickness direction, =3,000mlmm/cm /hr/mmAq gas permeability in the thickness direction in air

Porous carbon sheet and its production

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gas diffuser which is flexible and comprises excellent mechanical characteristics such as high tensile strength and anti-compression characteristics. SOLUTION: A gas diffuser 4 is provided where a porous carbon base material 1 which is a collection of a plurality of carbon fibers 1a contains granular fluorocarbon resin 2 by 1-40 wt.% while the granular fluorocarbon resin binds carbon fibers together as a binder. The gas diffuser 4 is acquired by a method for manufacturing a gas diffuser which includes at least following processes (1), (2) and (3): a process (1) where the porous carbon base material is dipped in the dispersion liquid having granular fluorocarbon resin by 1-60 wt.%, a process (2) where a superfluous dispersion liquid is removed from the base material acquired through the process (1), and is dried to adjust a dried granular fluorocarbon resin into a range of 1-40 wt.% relative to the entire base material, and a process (3) where the base material provided through the process (2) is hot-pressed within the surface pressure range 1 Pa-10 MPa by batch press, otherwise a process where it is hot-pressed, by roll press, with a line pressure of 1-5000 N/cm, by a clearance of 30-90% of the thickness of base material before pressing. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

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Papers

Porous carbon base material for electrode and manufacturing method of the same

Carbon fiber paper and porous carbon board

Porous carbon base material, gas-diffusing material using the same, film-electrode jointed article and fuel cell

Porous carbon sheet and its production

Gas diffuser and manufacturing method therefor

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Papers

Porous carbon base material for electrode and manufacturing method of the same

Carbon fiber paper and porous carbon board

Porous carbon base material, gas-diffusing material using the same, film-electrode jointed article and fuel cell

Porous carbon sheet and its production

Gas diffuser and manufacturing method therefor

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