Systems, devices, and methods for electroplated zinc negative electrodes for zinc metal cells and batteries

Abstract

A method of fabricating and using a zinc negative electrode and systems thereof are described. A zinc electroplated electrode including a layer of zinc metal bonded to a surface of an electrically conductive current collector is fabricated by an electroplating process using a zinc electroplating system. The zinc electroplating system includes: a zinc metal anode, a cathode including the current collector for plating zinc thereon, and an electrolyte bath comprising zinc ions. The electroplating process bonds the zinc metal to the surface of the current collector to create the electroplated zinc electrode. The electroplated zinc electrode is used as a negative electrode in a zinc metal cell. The zinc metal cell may be a primary cell or a secondary cell.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of fabricating a zinc metal electrode for use in a zinc metal cell, the method comprising:
 providing a zinc electroplating system comprising:
 an anode comprising zinc metal; 
 a cathode comprising a current collector for electroplating a zinc metal layer thereon; and 
 an electrolyte bath comprising Zn2+ cations or [Zn(OH)4]2− ions; 
   applying a current or voltage between the anode and the cathode; and   depositing the zinc metal layer onto the current collector, wherein the deposited zinc metal layer is bonded to the current collector.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the zinc metal layer has a density greater than 5 g/cc. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the zinc metal layer has a density greater than 6 g/cc. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the zinc metal layer has a thickness between 0.05 μm to 50 mm. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the cathode is electroplated using a batch process wherein the batch process is one or more of rack electroplating and barrel electroplating. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the cathode is electroplated using a continuous process wherein the continuous process is one or more of roll-to-roll electroplating or reel-to-reel electroplating. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the zinc metal of the anode is in the form of one or more of balls, foil, rod, sheet, wire, plate, foam, sponge, mesh, and bar. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the anode comprises an anode basket or bag containing zinc metal and wherein the anode basket or bag is composed of one or more of titanium, stainless steel, tantalum, zirconium, or other corrosion resistant material. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the current collector comprises an electrically conductive surface. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the current collector comprises one or more of a foil, wire, sheet, plate, foam, sponge, mesh, rod, bar, can, and lid. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the electrolyte bath is an alkaline non-cyanide zinc bath. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the alkaline non-cyanide zinc bath contains an excess of hydroxide ions (OH—), an excess of zincate ions ([Zn(OH)4]2−), or an excess of hydroxide ions and an excess of zincate ions, and wherein the pH of the electrolyte bath is >7. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the electrolyte bath is a cyanide zinc bath and wherein the cyanide zinc bath contains dissolved zinc cyanide (Zn(CN)2). 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the electrolyte bath is an acid sulfate zinc bath and wherein the acid sulfate zinc bath contains dissolved zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), and wherein the pH of the electrolyte bath is <7. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the electrolyte bath is an acid chloride zinc bath wherein the acid chloride zinc bath contains dissolved zinc chloride (ZnCl2), and wherein the pH of the electrolyte bath is <7. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the electrolyte bath is one of maintained at room temperature in the absence of a temperature controller for the electrolyte bath and heated and maintained at a constant temperature between 20° C. and 60° C. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the zinc metal from the anode is plated onto the current collector by applying a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode and wherein the voltage difference is applied using a constant voltage. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the zinc metal from the anode is plated onto the current collector by applying a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode and wherein the voltage difference is applied using a voltage pulse. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the zinc from the anode is plated onto the current collector by applying a current between the anode and the cathode and wherein the current is applied using a constant current. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the zinc from the anode is plated onto the current collector by applying a current between the anode and the cathode and wherein the current is applied using a current pulse.