Seals for high temperature reactive material devices

Abstract

The disclosure provides seals for devices that operate at elevated temperatures and have reactive metal vapors, such as lithium, sodium or magnesium. In some examples, such devices include energy storage devices that may be used within an electrical power grid or as part of a standalone system. The energy storage devices may be charged from an electricity production source for later discharge, such as when there is a demand for electrical energy consumption.

1 . A high-temperature device, comprising:
 a. a container comprising a reactive metal and/or molten salt; and   b. a seal that seals said container from an environment external to said container, said seal comprising:
 i. a ceramic material exposed to said reactive metal and/or molten salt, wherein the ceramic material is chemically resistant to the reactive metal and/or molten salt at a temperature of at least 100° C.; 
 ii. a metal collar adjacent to said ceramic material; and 
 iii. an active metal braze disposed between the ceramic material and at least one of the metal collar and the container, wherein the active metal braze comprises at least one metal that chemically reduces the ceramic material. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material comprises aluminum nitride (AlN). 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the metal collar is formed from stainless steel or zirconium. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the active metal braze is an alloy and the metal that chemically reduces the ceramic material is titanium (Ti) or zirconium (Zr). 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a liquid metal battery. 
     
     
         6 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive metal is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive metal is a metal vapor or a liquid metal. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the molten salt is a vapor or a liquid. 
     
     
         12 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical conductor adjacent to said seal, wherein said seal electrically isolates said electrical conductor from said container. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the seal is less than 10% different than the CTE of the container and/or the electrical conductor. 
     
     
         17 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
 a. an electrically conductive housing comprising a liquid metal that is liquid at an operating temperature of at least about 200° C., wherein said liquid metal is configured to store/release charge during charge/discharge of the electrochemical cell;   b. a conductor in electrical contact with the liquid metal, wherein the conductor protrudes through the electrically conductive housing through an aperture in the electrically conductive housing; and   c. a seal that electrically isolates the conductor from the electrically conductive housing, wherein the seal comprises a ceramic material, a braze material, and a sleeve.   
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the ceramic material comprises aluminum nitride (AlN), beryllium nitride (Be 3 N 2 ), boron nitride (BN), calcium nitride (Ca 3 N 2 ), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), beryllium oxide (BeO), calcium oxide (CaO), cerium oxide (Ce 2 O 3 ), erbium oxide (Er 2 O 3 ), lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), neodymium oxide (Nd 2 O 3 ), samarium oxide (Sm 2 O 3 ), scandium oxide (Sc 2 O 3 ), ytterbium oxide (Yb 2 O 3 ), yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ), zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ), yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YPSZ), boron carbide (B 4 C), silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), titanium diboride (TiB 2 ), chalcogenides, quartz, glass, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the braze material comprises iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), zirconium (Zr), phosphorus (P), boron (B), carbon (C), silicon (Si), calcium (Ca), beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), vanadium (V) or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the ceramic material comprises aluminum nitride (AlN) and the braze material comprises titanium (Ti). 
     
     
         22 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the seal is joined to the electrically conductive housing and/or the conductor. 
     
     
         32 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the coefficients of thermal expansion of the ceramic material and the braze material match the coefficients of thermal expansion of the electrically conductive housing and/or the conductor to within about 5%. 
     
     
         33 .- 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the liquid metal comprises one or more alkali metals or alkaline earth metals. 
     
     
         38 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the operating temperature is at least 200° C. 
     
     
         41 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the electrochemical cell is capable of storing at least about 50 watt-hours of energy. 
     
     
         42 .- 155 . (canceled) 
     
     
         156 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
 a. a container comprising a reactive material maintained at a temperature of at least about 200° C.; and   b. a seal that seals the container from an environment external to the container, the seal comprising a ceramic material exposed to the reactive material and a metal collar joined to the ceramic material, wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the metal collar is less than 30% different than the CTE of the ceramic material, and wherein the metal collar is a ferrous alloy.   
     
     
         157 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 156 , wherein the ceramic material is stable in air. 
     
     
         158 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 156 , wherein the ceramic material is stable with lithium. 
     
     
         159 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 156 , wherein the ceramic material has a CTE of at least about 9 microns/m/° C. 
     
     
         160 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 156 , wherein the ceramic material comprises neodymium oxide (Nd 2 O 3 ), yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) or lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3 ). 
     
     
         161 .- 165 . (canceled)