GB2042013A - A process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells - Google Patents

A process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2042013A
GB2042013A GB8002211A GB8002211A GB2042013A GB 2042013 A GB2042013 A GB 2042013A GB 8002211 A GB8002211 A GB 8002211A GB 8002211 A GB8002211 A GB 8002211A GB 2042013 A GB2042013 A GB 2042013A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
solvent
separator
binder
fibres
sheet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8002211A
Other versions
GB2042013B (en
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Deutsche Automobil GmbH
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Deutsche Automobil GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Deutsche Automobil GmbH filed Critical Deutsche Automobil GmbH
Publication of GB2042013A publication Critical patent/GB2042013A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2042013B publication Critical patent/GB2042013B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21HPULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D21H13/00Pulp or paper, comprising synthetic cellulose or non-cellulose fibres or web-forming material
    • D21H13/36Inorganic fibres or flakes
    • D21H13/38Inorganic fibres or flakes siliceous
    • D21H13/42Asbestos
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21HPULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D21H25/00After-treatment of paper not provided for in groups D21H17/00 - D21H23/00
    • D21H25/02Chemical or biochemical treatment
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/10Energy storage using batteries

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Cell Separators (AREA)
  • Paper (AREA)

Abstract

The process includes suspending the fibres e.g. of asbestos, in an aqueous suspension and applying an organic binder such as polyisobutylene, polyvinylchloride or acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene. The major part of the water is then removed to form a moist sheet which is pressed and dried to form a separator. The separator is then wetted with a solvent such trichloroethane, cyclohexane or dichloroethylene, although many hydrocarbon based solvents may be used. The solvent is removed, usually by allowing it to evaporate.

Description

SPECIFICATION A process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of separators, having improved mechanical strength, from fibre materials and an organic binder, for galvanic cells, particularly but not exclusively for alkaline batteries.
The use of inorganic fibre materials, such as asbestos or glass fibres, or organic fibre materials as the base material for separators in fuel cells and storage cells is known, asbestos being preferred as the fibre material.
To achieve the smallest possible electrical resistance, the separator sheet must have the highest possible porosity; for a good barrier action against electrode slime, the pores must be as small as possible and, furthermore, the separator sheet must possess the highest possible mechanical stability. These demands can only be met by an additional strengthening or bonding of the fibre materials.
In a known process for this purpose, a binder is applied to the fibres present in an aqueous suspension, the major part of the water is then removed by suction or decantation with the simultaneous formation of a crude separator sheet which is still moist. The crude separator sheet is calibrated, if appropriate, by pressing in order to obtain a desired thickness or porosity and is subsequently dried.
A disadvantage of the said process is the inadequate mechanical strength of the separators, in particular of separators consisting of asbestos, in the state wet with alkali or after swelling in the electrolyte. Even with high binder contents of 25% by weight and more, the strength i.e. tear resistance of asbestos separators is too low to enable them to withstand mechanical stresses, such as can occur in electrolysis cells or accumulator cells, for a prolonged period. In the case of a high binder content, it is usually difficult to wet the separators with the electrolyte, and this manifests itself by a higher resistance and reduced gas tightness; furthermore, gas bubbles can become lodged in the interior of the separator, and this leads to an additional increase in the resistance.For this reason, acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymers have already been employed as binders, the nitrile groups of these copolymers being saponified in alkali, the copolymers thus possessing less hydrophobic properties in spite of the high content of plastics. However, even these separators are not adequately tear-resistant in strong alkali.
It is therefore the object of the invention to produce separators which, in particular in strong alkali, have an increased mechanical strength.
According to the present invention there is provided a process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells, from fibres, the process including the steps of placing the fibres in an aqueous suspension, applying an organic binder to the fibres present in the aqueous suspension, removing the major part of the water so as to form a sheet which is still moist, subsequently drying the sheet to form a separator, wetting the separator thus obtained with a solvent for the binder and then removing the solvent.
It is extremely surprising that separators manufactured in a manner which is in itself known can be considerably improved, with respect to their mechanical properties, in a simple manner by wetting them with a solvent for the binder and drying them again.
Wetting can be effected in a very simple manner by immersing the separator sheet into the solvent for the binder. The residence time of the separator sheet in the solvent depends on the dissolving and wetting properties of the solvent and can therefore be varied within wide limits. Even a single brief immersion results, after drying, in a noticeable increase in the wet strength of the separator sheet.
With increasing duration of wetting, the strength of the sheet increases initially, passes through a maximum after a certain period and then starts to decrease again. In view of the large number of possible solvents having different properties, it is not possible to indicate a precise length of time for the treatment of the separator sheet with the solvent; the most favourable duration of the treatment for each case, however, can readily be determined experimentally by a few preliminary tests. It has been found that a treatment of time of from 1 to 10 minutes in general gives us satisfactory results.
The wetting of the separator sheet can be effected not only by immersion in the solution but, for example, also by spraying with the solvent, by sucking solvents through or by condensing solvent vapour on the separator sheet. The temperature at which the wetting takes place depends on the binder used and on the solvent, but it is not critical by itself; however, a treatment temperature above 1 00 C should be avoided since handling of hot solvents is not without hazards. Treatment at room temperature is to be preferred.
After the treatment time has elapsed, the solvent is removed from the separator sheet, usually by evaporation, if appropriate with supply of heat. In the case of a high-boiling solvent, it is sometimes more advantageous to displace the solvent from the separator sheet by means of a lower boiling solvent ur by a fluid which is inert towards the binder and the fibre and then to dry the sheet. The selection of the solvent depends on its chemical, physical and toxicological properties. Solvents having a good solubility for the binder, good wettability of the separator sheet and a boiling point below 1 00 C are preferred because of their good application properties.
The number of suitable solvents is extremely large. Depending on the binder used, suitable solvents are, inter alia, hydrocarbons, for example petroleum fractions, preferably in a boiling range from 40 C to 60' C, saturated.
or unsaturated halogenated hydrocarbons, such as di-, tri- or tetra-chioroethylene, chloroform, tri- and tetra-chloroethane, monofluoro- trichloroethane, aromatic compounds, such as benzene or alkyl-substituted benzenes, low- boiling esters, ketones and ethers After wetting and drying have been carried out, the separator can be subjected to further treatment steps which are in themselves known and customary. A few possibilities. may be enumerated by way of examples: crosslinking of the binder by chemical or physical treatment, grafting of hydrophilic groups onto the binder, saponification of saponifiable groups of the binder or lamination #of the separator sheet to membranes.
The crude separator sheet which is subsequently subjected to the treatment according to the invention is manufactured in the conventional manner. Initially, an organic binder is applied to the fibres, present in an aqueous suspension, of the separator base material and, with removal of the major part of the water, a separator sheet is then produced which is still moist and which is also then calibrated, if appropriate, by pressing and is subsequently dried.
Suitable organic binders are all materials which are inert towards the electrolytes, at least after drying, have adhesive properties towards the fibre material, can be converted into a form which makes it possible to use them in an aqueous suspension of the fibre material, and are, even after drying, still soluble in a solvent or incipiently dissolvable by a solvent. Examples of suitable binders are polymethacrylic acid esters, polysulphones, polyam ides, polyolefines, in particular polyisobutylene, polyacrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymers, polyphenylene oxide, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl idene fluoride, butadiene polymers and butadiene/styrene polymers. In general, the binders are used in the form of suspensionsior emulsions in water.Customarily, the aqueous fibre suspension and the binder dispersion are combined, the binder particles being absorbed by the fibres. The preferred process for applying the binder is, however, the precipitation of the binder on the fibre from a common suspension.
The type of asbestos material is in general matched to the particular intended purpose and, under certain circumstances, fibre mixtures are particularly advantageous Chrysotile asbestos can preferably be used for separators in alkaline cells. Those fibre mixtures are also suitable which, in addition to asbestos, also contain proportions of inorganic fibres or plastic fibres. An admixture of plastic fibre materials can influence the strength, and an addition of ion exchangers can produce a selective separating action, for certain types of ion Likewise admixtures of inorganic oxides, hydroxides or other substances which are insoluble or sparingly soluble in the electrolyte can lead to desired effects in galvanic cells.
Finally,. it has been found that the treatment according to the invention also leads to an increased strength of separators consisting of purely organic fibre materials and of those consisting of glass fibre materials.
The advantage which can be achieved by the process according to the invention are not only that it is possible considerably to increase the wet tear resistance of the separator sheet; this increase in strength has also made it possible to keep the proportion of binder in the separator tower than that previously required, and this represents not only a saving of#materiai but is also a great advantage when hydrophobic binders are used.
Example 1 Loosened chrysotile asbestos was suspended in water and homogenised by means of a dispersion agitator. Subsequently, such a quantity of aluminium chloride was dissolved in the suspension that the AICI3 concentration was about 5%, and the suspension was stirred again. By dropwise addition of a polyisobutylene latex, such a quantity of binder was applied to the asbestos fibres that the proportion of binder was T 15% by weight of dry solids. The water was drawn off and an asbestos sheet formed. A sheet, tear-resistant in the dry state, was produced by pressing and drying.
One part of the sheet was stored for 24 hours in 6 M KOH. Afterwards, it was greatly swollen and easily torn.
The other part of the sheet was placed for 5 minutes into trichloroethane and the solvent was allowed to evaporate. The tear resistance was substantially higher and was still satisfactory after several weeks' storage in 6 M KOH at 50 C.
Example 2 An aqueous suspension of chrysotile fibres was prepared as in Example 1 and KAI (SO4# . 12 H20 was dissolved as the precipi, tating agent. Polyvinyl chloride in the form of an emulsion was added and precipitated on the fibre. After the water was removed by suction, the asbestos sheet was pressed and dried. Subsequently, it was held for 3 minutes in the vapour of boiling cyclohexane, the solvent condensing in the surface of the sheet and in the pores. Subsequently, residual solvent was allowed to evaporate. The high tear resistance fully persisted even after 2 months' storage in alkali at 50'C.
Example 3 Loosened chrysotile fibres were dispersed in water together with an acrylonitrile/ butadiene/styrene latex. The plastic was precipitated on the fibre by the addition of NH4AI(SO4)2 . 12 H20; the water was drawn off and the asbestos sheet pressed to the desired thickness. After removal of the residual water, the separator, which had a binder content of 15% was immersed for 10 minutes in dichloroethylene and the solvent was subsequently evaporated at room temperature.
Afterwards, the nitrile groups present in the binder were saponified in 5% by weight strength KOH. Even after 3 months' storage in 6 M KOH, it was not possible to detect any deterioration in tear resistance.

Claims (6)

1. A process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells from fibres, the process including the steps of placing the fibres in an aqueous suspension, applying an organic binder to the fibres present in the aqueous suspension, removing the major part of the water so as to form a sheet which is still moist, subsequently drying the sheet to form a separator, wetting the separator thus obtained with a solvent for the binder and then removing the solvent.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator is wetted with the solvent for a period of 1 to 10 minutes.
3. A process according to claim 1 or 2 including the step of pressing the still-moist sheet to obtain a predetermined thickness or porosity.
4. A process according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein sufficient binder is applied to provide a a separator with a binder content of 15% by weight.
5. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the fibres are asbestos.
6. A process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells from asbestos fibres substantially as described herein with reference to any one of the examples.
GB8002211A 1979-01-26 1980-01-23 Process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells Expired GB2042013B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2902957A DE2902957C2 (en) 1979-01-26 1979-01-26 Process for the production of separators for galvanic cells

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2042013A true GB2042013A (en) 1980-09-17
GB2042013B GB2042013B (en) 1983-04-13

Family

ID=6061425

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8002211A Expired GB2042013B (en) 1979-01-26 1980-01-23 Process for the manufacture of separators for galvanic cells

Country Status (4)

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DE (1) DE2902957C2 (en)
FR (1) FR2447613A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2042013B (en)
IT (1) IT1145653B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4522902A (en) * 1984-05-14 1985-06-11 The B. F. Goodrich Company Polymeric battery separators

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1829585A (en) * 1927-11-29 1931-10-27 Celanese Corp Method of preparing impregnated paper products
GB775520A (en) * 1954-06-11 1957-05-22 Permacel Tape Corp Impregnated fibrous webs
FR1245092A (en) * 1958-11-26 1960-11-04 United Shoe Machinery Ab Reinforcement material for toe caps
CA845032A (en) * 1966-12-03 1970-06-23 Hacker Heinz Gas-tight diaphragms for electrochemical cells
DE2104333C3 (en) * 1971-01-29 1978-04-13 Siemens Ag, 1000 Berlin Und 8000 Muenchen Process for the production of latex-bound asbestos cover layers
JPS5536648B2 (en) * 1972-06-14 1980-09-22
GB1453951A (en) * 1973-03-26 1976-10-27 Ici Ltd Flexible decorative sheet material

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4522902A (en) * 1984-05-14 1985-06-11 The B. F. Goodrich Company Polymeric battery separators

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2447613B1 (en) 1983-11-18
IT1145653B (en) 1986-11-05
DE2902957A1 (en) 1980-08-07
IT8047707A0 (en) 1980-01-25
FR2447613A1 (en) 1980-08-22
DE2902957C2 (en) 1983-11-24
GB2042013B (en) 1983-04-13

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