Abstract:
A "fuel gauge" for a pulse dischargeable alkali metal/solid cathode cell is described. The rate of voltage recovery is used to determine the state of charge of the cell. Voltage recovery includes recovery from one load to a second, lighter load, or a loaded condition to OCV. The present invention is particularly useful as an end-of-life indicator for a Li/CF.sub.x cell powering an implantable medical device.
Abstract:
An alkali metal secondary electrochemical cell, and preferably a lithium ion cell, activated with a quaternary solvent system, is described. The solvent system comprises a quaternary mixture of dialkyl carbonates and cyclic carbonates, and preferably dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and ethylene carbonate. Lithium ion cells activated with this electrolyte have good room temperature cycling characteristics and excellent low temperature discharge behavior.
Abstract:
An electrode comprising acetylene black or carbon black carbonaceous diluent having a surface area less than about 100 m.sup.2 /gram mixed with graphite and a charge transfer active material to provide an electrode active admixture, is described. The carbonaceous diluent/graphite blend increases the charge transfer capability within the electrode while exhibiting diminished cell swelling in comparison to high surface area carbonaceous diluents. A preferred carbonaceous diluent is SHAWINIGAN BLACK.RTM. carbon.
Abstract translation:描述了包含与石墨混合的表面积小于约100m 2 / g的乙炔黑或碳黑碳质稀释剂的电极和电荷转移活性材料以提供电极活性混合物。 与高表面积的碳质稀释剂相比,碳质稀释剂/石墨混合物增加了电极内的电荷转移能力,同时表现出减少的细胞溶胀。 优选的碳质稀释剂是SHAWINIGAN BLACK TM碳。
Abstract:
A nonaqueous electrolyte comprising a ternary solvent system preferably including a linear ether mixed with a high permittivity solvent and a low viscosity solvent, is described. This electrolyte is useful for activating an alkali metal/solid cathode electrochemical cell of the kind that typically powers implantable medical devices. The new electrolyte provides improved cell capacity under high current pulse discharge applications while decreasing cell swelling by about 20% in comparison to conventional nonaqueous organic electrolytes consisting of propylene carbonate and dimethoxyethane as the solvents.
Abstract:
An improved alkali metal/mixed metal oxide electrochemical cell capable of delivering high current pulses, rapidly recovering its open circuit voltage and having high current capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by dissolving a carbon oxide such as CO.sub.2 in the electrolyte.
Abstract:
A cell construction that makes use of unbalanced electrode components or portions comprising one of the electrodes of an electrochemical cell to provide an end-of-life indication, is described. The unbalanced electrode components can have dissimilar physical dimensions or dissimilar percent loading of electrode active material. This renders the one dissimilar electrode component having the lesser physical dimension, i.e., lesser surface area or thickness, or lesser quantity of electrode active material electrochemically unreactive prior to the other electrode component during the course of cell discharge. Upon the early exhaustion or unreactiveness of the one dissimilar electrode component, the total cell interelectrode working capacity is reduced by a predetermined factor. The remaining functional electrode component provides the cell with sufficient capacity for electrical discharge at a predetermined lower energy level.
Abstract:
A method for preparing an electrode component comprises mixing an electrode active material in a water-based environment with the aid of surfactants. A preferred embodiment of this process comprises combining a high surface area carbonaceous cathode active material with a water/surfactant mixture, and then adding a fluoro-polymer as the binder material to the slurry. The resulting paste is processed and formed into the cathode material. This process replaces the use of isopropyl alcohol with the water/surfactant mixture as the solvent. Preferred surfactants include those of the polyglycol family.
Abstract:
The current invention describes a lithium/carbon monofluoride (Li/CFx) cell capable of delivering sufficient power to supply an ICD or similar demanding device. The cell exhibits the typical excellent long-term stability and predictability of the CFx system, as well as its high energy density (greater than about 300 Ah/cc, greater than about 600 Wh/cc). Additionally, the cell is capable of delivering about 0.5 W/cc of cathode volume for greater than 5 seconds with a voltage above 1.70 V (FIG. 1). The following invention embodiments can be applied individually or in conjunction with each other.
Abstract:
The current invention relates to the preparation of an improved cathode active material for non-aqueous lithium electrochemical cell. In particular, the cathode active material comprised ε-phase silver vanadium oxide prepared by using silver- and vanadium-containing starting materials in a stoichiometric molar proportion to give a Ag:V ratio of about 1:2. The reactants are homogenized and then added to an aqueous solution followed by heating in a pressurized vessel. The resulting ε-phase SVO possesses a higher surface area than ε-phase SVO produced by other prior art techniques. Consequently, the ε-phase SVO material provides an advantage in greater discharge capacity in pulse dischargeable cells.
Abstract:
Increased Rdc in electrochemical cells is detrimental because under high rate discharge regimes, such as used in powering an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD), the amount of energy delivered by the cell over a given period of time is lower as Rdc increases. This reduction in delivered energy results in a longer period of time needed to fully charge the ICD capacitors so that it takes longer to deliver the necessary therapy. Further, an industry recognized standard is to pulse discharge cell about every 90 days to charge the capacitors in the ICD to or near their maximum energy breakdown voltage to heal microfractures that can occur in the capacitor dielectric oxide. However, the present invention requires initiation of more frequent current pulsing upon the detection of an increase in Rdc or charge time. This is even though the Rdc measurement may be below some threshold reading. More frequent pulsing is beneficial for reducing irreversible Rdc growth in the cell, which typically occurs in middle-of-life from about 25% to 70% depth-of-discharge.