Abstract: A deposition process for coating a substrate with an ultrasonically generated aerosol spray of a pseudocapacitive material, or a precursor thereof, contacted to a substrate heated to a temperature to instantaneously solidify the pseudocapacitive material or convert the precursor to a solidified pseudocapacitive metal compound, is described. The ultrasonic aerosol droplets are much smaller in size than those produced by conventional processes and the heated substrate minimizes the possibility of contamination, thereby providing the present coating having an increased surface area. When the coated substrate is an electrode in a capacitor, a greater surface area results in an increased electrode capacitance.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an unexpected benefit in a lithium cell derived from using a combination of silver vanadium oxide prepared in a temperature range of about 450° C. to about 500° C. activated with a nonaqueous electrolyte having a passivation inhibitor additive selected from a nitrite, a nitrate, a carbonate, a dicarbonate, a phosphonate, a phosphate, a sulfate and hydrogen fluoride, and mixtures thereof. The benefits include additional battery life resulting from a reduction in voltage delay and RDC build-up. A preferred electrolyte is 1M LiAsF6 in a 50:50 mixture, by volume, of PC and DME having dibenzyl carbonate added therein.

Abstract: An electrolyte for activating an electrolytic or electrochemical capacitor is described. The electrolyte preferably includes a mixed solvent of water and ethylene glycol having an ammonium salt dissolved therein. An acid such as phosphoric or acetic acid is used to provide a pH of about 3 to 6. The electrolyte is particularly useful for activating a ruthenium oxide/tantalum capacitor having an anode breakdown voltage in the range of 175 to 300 volts.

Abstract: A lithium ion electrochemical cell having high charge/discharge capacity, long cycle life and exhibiting a reduced first cycle irreversible capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by the addition of at least one nitrite additive to an electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a solvent mixture that includes ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The preferred additive is an alkyl nitrite compound.

Abstract: A lithium ion electrochemical cell having high charge/discharge capacity, long cycle life and exhibiting a reduced first cycle irreversible capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by the addition of at least one phosphate additive to an electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a solvent mixture that includes ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The preferred additive is an alkyl phosphate compound.

Abstract: A protection device and a method for protecting an electrical component. The protection device has a protective housing and a terminal cap. The protective housing has a base with a contact hole therethrough for receiving an electrical terminal pin, and has a projecting shoulder extending from the base to a first distance from the base. The protective housing also has a retaining clip extending from the base to a second distance from the base, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The terminal cap has a first side and a second side, and in use, at least part of the first side of the terminal cap contacts the projecting shoulder and at least part of the second side of the terminal cap contacts the retaining clip. A method according to the present invention includes steps for assembling a battery and an electrical component housed within the protection device described above.

Abstract: A lithium ion electrochemical cell having high charge/discharge capacity, long cycle life and exhibiting a reduced first cycle irreversible capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by the addition of at least one phosphonate additive to an electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a solvent mixture that includes ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The preferred additive is an alkyl phosphonate compound.

Abstract: All electromagnetic pump comprising a housing having fluid receiving and pumping chambers in communication with an inlet and outlet, respectively, an electromagnet carried by the housing external to the fluid chambers thereof, and an armature movable in the housing having a pole portion magnetically attracted by the electromagnet and a piston portion to force fluid out of the chambers and through the pump outlet. A path provides controlled bypass for bubbles in the fluid around the armature piston portion between the fluid pumping chamber and the fluid receiving chamber only during the return stroke of the armature. Fluid inertial effect is reduced by an outlet orifice provided in the fluid path from the pump outlet and by a bypass orifice in the fluid bypass path, the outlet and bypass orifices being provided either individually or in combination depending upon the fluid flow characteristics of the system of which the pump is a part.

Abstract: An alkali metal, solid cathode, nonaqueous 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 the addition of at least one organic sulfate additive to an electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a mixture of a low viscosity solvent and a high permittivity solvent. A preferred solvent mixture includes propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane and a sulfate additive having at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon containing a C(sp2 or sp3 )—C(sp3) bond unit having the C(sp3) carbon directly connected to the —OSO3— functional group, or a silyl sulfate or a tin sulfate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the realization that the dimensions and basis weight of an electrode active admixture such as a transition metal oxide, and particularly silver vanadium oxide, formed into an electrode structure from an admixture paste subjected to a calendering process are influenced by the calender direction. To obtain electrode structures of a desired low basis weight requires a secondary calendering step performed in a direction reverse or orthogonal to that used to form the initial sheet tape. Orthogonal or reverse feed of the electrode active admixture provides for fibrillation of the fluoro-polymeric binder in other than the initial direction. This lets the binder spread in directions transverse to the initial direction to form the low basis weight electrode active structure.

Abstract: A lithium ion electrochemical cell having high charge/discharge capacity, long cycle life and exhibiting a reduced first cycle irreversible capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by the addition of at least one dicarbonate additive to an electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a solvent mixture that includes ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The preferred additive is an alkyl dicarbonate compound.

Abstract: An alkali metal/solid cathode electrochemical cell, particularly a Li/SVO cell, having an anode-to-cathode (A/C) capacity ratio of about 0.68 to about 0.96, is described. This provides the cell with negligible, if any, cell swelling during discharge.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell comprising a medium rate electrode region intended to be discharged under a substantially constant drain and a high rate electrode region disposed in a jellyroll wound configuration intended to be pulse discharged, is described. Both electrode regions share a common anode and are activated with the same electrolyte.

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 autoclavable elctrochemical cell which may be used in an implantable medical device. The anode active material is lithium or other material from groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table and having a melting point greater than about 150 degrees C. The cathode active material is silver vanadium oxide or other metal oxide or carbon monoflouride. The solvent for the electrolyte has a boiling point greater than about 100 degrees C. and a dielectric constant greater than about 5 so that the cell may be dimensionally and chemically stable during repeated exposures of about one hour each to the autoclaving temperatures.

Abstract: A lithium ion electrochemical cell having high charge/discharge capacity, long cycle life and exhibiting a reduced first cycle irreversible capacity, is described. The stated benefits are realized by the addition of at least one nitrate additive to an electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a solvent mixture that includes ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The preferred additive is an organic alkyl nitrate compound.

Abstract: A solid cathode liquid organic electrolyte alkali metal high rate cell wherein a combination of an elongated alkali metal anode and elongated solid cathode with separator therebetween is wound to form an anode-cathode subassembly having a jellyroll type configuration and wherein the combination is shaped so that the resulting sub-assembly has a substantially rectangular cross-section, the shaping of the combination being done either simultaneously with or subsequent to the winding thereof. The anode-cathode sub-assembly is placed in a conductive cell casing of prismatic shape having opposed flat faces, a lead of either the anode or cathode is attached to the cell casing depending upon whether case positive or case negative electrical configuration is desired and a lead of the other of the anode or cathode is connected to an electrical connector means extending through the casing in an insulated manner.

Abstract: A method of making a multi-plate wound cell assembly constructed similar to a conventional jellyroll electrode assembly except that each electrode comprises a series of plates spaced along a continuous current collector, and the plates are flat-folded rather than wound into a cylinder, is described. The length of the current collector between adjacent plates of the anode and cathode electrodes increases as the folding progresses to allow for the increase as the electrode assembly is flat-folded.

Abstract: An alkali metal, solid cathode, nonaqueous 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 the addition of hydrogen fluoride to the nonaqueous electrolyte comprising an alkali metal salt dissolved in a mixture of a low viscosity solvent and a high permittivity solvent. A preferred solvent mixture includes propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane and hydrogen fluoride having LiAsF.sub.6 or LiPF.sub.6 dissolved therein.