US4833046A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Metal-hydrogen secondary battery
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp
•
Filing: 1987-11-25
•
Granted: 1989-05-23
•
Expires: 2007-11-25
Abstract
Abstract A secondary electrochemical cell includes a source of hydrogen as the hydrogen-providing reactant and an alkali or alkaline earth metal as the metal reactant. Hydrogen may be from H 2 gas or a metal hydride. By separating the two reactants by a barrier selective for the passage of hydrogen ions, current flow may be induced in an external circuit connected across the barrier. The barrier is typically an electrolytic salt enclosed between a pair of solid metal electrodes. Electrons are gained by the hydrogen as it enters the electrolyte and lost by the hydrogen as it leaves the electrolyte. By connecting the metal electrodes, a circuit is established.
Inventors
- 👤 Prodyot Roy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:06
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M10/00; H01M10/34; H01M10/345; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
A battery cell comprising: a casing; a barrier dividing the casing into two compartments, said barrier being capable of selectively passing ionized hydrogen; a source of hydrogen in one compartment; a metal capable of forming a metal hydride in the other compartment; and means for connecting an external circuit across the barrier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
A battery cell comprising: a casing; a barrier dividing the casing into two compartments, said barrier being capable of selectively passing ionized hydrogen; a source of hydrogen in one compartment; a metal capable of forming a metal hydride in the other compartment; and means for connecting an external circuit across the barrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A cell as in claim 1, wherein said source of hydrogen includes a metal hydride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cell as in claim 2, wherein said metal hydride is selected from the group consisting of LiH, NaH, KH, RbH, CsH, MgH 2 , CaH 2 , SrH 2 , and BaH 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cell as in claim 3, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A cell as in claim 1, wherein the means for connecting an external circuit across the barrier includes a first terminal electrically connected to one side of the barrier and a second terminal electrically connected to the other side of the barrier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A cell as in claim 1, wherein said source of hydrogen includes H 2 gas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cell as in claim 1, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A cell as in claim 1, wherein said barrier includes an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of alkali metal halides, alkaline earth metal halides, alkali metal hydrides, and alkaline earth metal hydrides, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cell as in claim 8, wherein the electrolyte is a eutectic mixture selected from the group consisting of LiCl and KCl, LiI and KI, CaCl 2 and KCl, LiBr and KBr, and LiH, and CaH 2 , and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
97 words
A cell comprising: a casing; a pair of spaced-apart solid electrodes having an electrolyte therebetween chosen to selectively pass ionized hydrogen atoms, said electrodes defining two isolated compartments within the casing; a reactant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas and an alkali metal hydride or alkaline earth metal hydride in one of the compartments; an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal capable of forming a metal hydride in the other of the compartments; a first terminal electrically connected to one of said electrodes; and a second terminal electrically connected to the other of said electrodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
A cell comprising: a casing; a pair of spaced-apart solid electrodes having an electrolyte therebetween chosen to selectively pass ionized hydrogen atoms, said electrodes defining two isolated compartments within the casing; a reactant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas and an alkali metal hydride or alkaline earth metal hydride in one of the compartments; an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal capable of forming a metal hydride in the other of the compartments; a first terminal electrically connected to one of said electrodes; and a second terminal electrically connected to the other of said electrodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cell as in claim 10, wherein the electrodes are composed of a solid metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, vanadium, zirconium, and niobium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cell as in claim 10, wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal halides, alkaline earth metal halides, alkali metal hydrides, and alkaline earth metal hydrides, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cell as in claim 12, wherein the electrolyte is a eutectic mixture selected from the group consisting of LiCl and KCl, LiI and KI, CaCl 2 and KCl, LiBr and KBr, and LiH, and CaH 2 , and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cell as in claim 10, wherein the metal hydride is selected from the group consisting of LiH, NaH, KH, RdH, CsH, MgH 2 , CaH 2 , SrH 2 , and BaH 2 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cell as in claim 10, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rd, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
89 words
An improved battery cell of the type wherein a first reactant and a second reactant are separated by a barrier capable of passing a reacting species only when said species is ionized, wherein current is produced by said species losing electrons on one side of said barrier and gaining electrons on the other side of said barrier, said improvement comprising use of a metal and a metal hydride as said reactants and hydrogen as said reacting species, and of a pair of spaced-apart solid electrodes included in said barrier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
89 words
An improved battery cell of the type wherein a first reactant and a second reactant are separated by a barrier capable of passing a reacting species only when said species is ionized, wherein current is produced by said species losing electrons on one side of said barrier and gaining electrons on the other side of said barrier, said improvement comprising use of a metal and a metal hydride as said reactants and hydrogen as said reacting species, and of a pair of spaced-apart solid electrodes included in said barrier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
An improved cell as in claim 16, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
An improved cell as in claim 16, wherein the metal hydride is selected from the group consisting of LiH, NaH, KH, RbH, CsH, MgH 2 , CaH 2 , SrH 2 , and BaH 2 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved cell as in claim 16, wherein said hydrogen is provided by a metal capable of forming a metal hydride.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for producing electricity, said method comprising heating the cell of claim 1 to a temperature in the range from less than 250° to about 450° C. to melt the metal hydride and allow passage of hydrogen across the barrier.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
A battery cell comprising: a casing; a barrier dividing the casing into two compartments, said barrier being capable of selectively passing ionized hydrogen; a metal hydride in one compartment; a metal capable of forming a metal hydride in the other compartment; and means for connecting an external circuit across the barrier.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
A battery cell comprising: a casing; a barrier dividing the casing into two compartments, said barrier being capable of selectively passing ionized hydrogen; a metal hydride in one compartment; a metal capable of forming a metal hydride in the other compartment; and means for connecting an external circuit across the barrier.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cell as in claim 21, wherein said metal hydride is selected from the group consisting of LiH, NaH, KH, RbH, CsH, MgH 2 , CaH 2 , SrH 2 , and BaH 2 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cell as in 21 claim 3, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
A cell as in claim 21, wherein the means for connecting an external circuit across the barrier includes a first terminal electrically connected to one side of the barrier and a secnd terminal electrically connected to the other side of the barrier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A cell as in claim 21, wherein said barrier includes an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of alkali metal halides, alkaline earth metal halides, alkali metal hydrides, and alkaline earth metal hydrides, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cell as in claim 25, wherein the electrolyte is a eutectic mixture selected from the group consisting of LiCl and KCl, LiI and KI, CaCl 2 and CaH 2 , and LiH, and CaH 2 , and mixtures thereof.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cell as in claim 21, wherein said barrier includes a solid electrode composed of a solid metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, vanadium, zirconium, and niobium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4123597A
Cited
US4065604A
Cited
US3345214A
Cited
US3031518A
Cited
US3014084A
Cited
US3245836A
Cited
US3119723A
Cited
US3338749A
Cited
US3404035A
Cited
US3809578A
Cited
US3935024A
Cited
US3849200A
Cited
US3817791A
Cited
US3960596A
Cited
US3946751A
Cited
US4049877A
Cited
US3993502A
Cited
US4178418A
Cited
US4156758A
Cited
US4692390A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-05-22 | 1992-11-21 | 1993-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-05-22 | 1996-11-21 | 1997-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-05-22 | 2000-11-21 | 2001-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |