POROUS MATERIALS FOR BATTERY ELECTRODES

Claims

1. A battery containing: positive electrode; electrolyte; and a negative electrode containing an iron-containing precursor material and a volatile blowing agent, wherein the volatile blowing agent is dispersed in the iron-containing precursor material, the iron-containing precursor material is electrochemically reducible to iron in the electrolyte, and the volatile blowing agent is soluble in the electrolyte.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the volatile blowing agent and the iron-containing precursor material have the same average particle size.

3. The battery of claim 1, wherein the volatile blowing agent is equiaxed.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the volatile blowing agent is fiber-like.

5. The battery of claim 1, wherein the iron-containing precursor material comprises iron ore.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the iron-containing precursor material is from 8 microns to 45 microns.

7. The battery of claim 1, wherein the volatile blowing agent has a volume fraction of more than 5 vol.% and less than 45 vol.% in the negative electrode.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein the iron-containing precursor material comprises powders.

9. The battery of claim 1, wherein the iron-containing precursor material comprises iron oxide pellets.

10. The battery of claim 1, wherein the volatile blowing agent is a salt component of the electrolyte.

11. The battery of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is an alkali.

12. The battery of claim 11, wherein the electrolyte has a pH greater than 12.

13. The battery of claim 11, wherein the volatile blowing agent comprises at least potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.

14. The battery of claim 1, wherein the volatile blowing agent is inert during the time the iron-containing precursor material is electrochemically reduced to iron in the negative electrode.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein the volatile blowing agent comprises one or more of ammonium nitrate or potassium sulfate.

16. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the positive electrode is a cathode that consumes air for its operation.

17. The battery of claim 1, also comprising a current collector, wherein the negative electrode is in electrical connection with the current collector by means of mechanical pressure.

18. The battery of claim 17, wherein the current collector covers the entire area of ​​the negative electrode.