Patent ID: 6238821
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: H01B,H01M,Y02E,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A composite cathode for use in an electrochemical cell, wherein said composite cathode comprises:(a) a first coating layer on an electrically conductive substrate, said first coating layer comprising an electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, wherein said electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, in its oxidized state, comprises a polysulfide moiety of the formula --S.sub.m --, wherein m is an integer equal to or greater than 3; and,(b) a second coating layer overlying said first coating layer on the side opposite to said electrically conductive substrate, wherein said second coating layer comprises from 5 to 100 weight % of an electroactive transition metal chalcogenide composition, wherein said electroactive transition metal chalcogenide composition retards the transport of anionic reduction products of said electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material, and, wherein said electroactive transition metal chalcogenide composition comprises an electroactive transition metal chalcogenide having the formula:M.sub.j Y.sub.k (OR).sub.lwherein:M is a transition metal;Y is the same or different at each occurrence and is oxygen, sulfur, or selenium;R is an organic group and is the same or different at each occurrence;j is an integer ranging from 1 to 12;k is a number ranging from 0 to 72; andl is a number ranging from 0 to 72;with the proviso that k and l cannot both be 0.