초록

Energy devices such as batteries and methods for fabricating the energy devices. The devices are small, thin and lightweight, yet provide sufficient power for many handheld electronics.

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1. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:a) a gas diffusion layer;b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;c) a carbon conductor layer disposed on said current collector wherein said carbon conductor layer comprises carbon particles dispersed

1. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:a) a gas diffusion layer;b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;c) a carbon conductor layer disposed on said current collector wherein said carbon conductor layer comprises carbon particles dispersed in hydrophobic matrix; andd) an electrocatalyst layer comprising electrocatalyst particles dispersed throughout a matrix having a lower hydrophobicity than said hydrophobic matrix,wherein said current collector, said carbon conductor layer and said electrocatalyst layer have a total average thickness of not greater than about 100 μm. 2. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery is a metal-air battery. 3. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery. 4. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises a porous tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer. 5. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal. 6. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal having an average width of not greater than about 100 μm. 7. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said carbon particles have an average size of not greater than about 10 μm and a substantially spherical morphology. 8. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said hydrophobic matrix comprises a tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer. 9. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise Ni—Co—O particles. 10. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise carbon composite particles. 11. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average particle size of not greater than about 10 μm and a substantially spherical morphology. 12. A battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average size of not greater than about 5 μm. 13. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:a) a gas diffusion layer;b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;c) a gradient functional layer disposed over said current collector; andd) a separator;wherein said gradient functional layer comprises carbon particles and electrocatalyst particles, wherein the concentration of carbon particles relative to electrocatalyst particles through said gradient functional layer decreases from said current collector to said separator. 14. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said battery is a metal-air battery. 15. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery. 16. A battery as recited in clai 13 , wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises a porous tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer. 17. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal. 18. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal having an average width of not greater than about 100 μm. 19. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said carbon particles have an average size of not greater than about 10 μm and a substantially spherical morphology. 20. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said gradient layer comprises a tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer. 21. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise Ni—Co—O particles. 22. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise carbon composite particles. 23. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average particle size of not greater than about 10 μm and a substantially spherical morphology. 24. A battery as recited in claim 13, wherein said current collector and said gradient layer have a total average thickness of not greate r than about 50 μm. 25. A battery comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein said cathode comprises:a) a gas diffusion layer;b) a current collector disposed on said gas diffusion layer;c) an electrocatalyst layer disposed over said current collector; andd) a separator;wherein said electrocatalyst layer comprises electrocatalyst particles in intimate electrical contact with said current collector and wherein said current collector and said electrocatalyst layer have a total average thickness of not greater than about 30 μm. 26. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said battery is a metal-air battery. 27. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery. 28. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises a porous tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer. 29. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal. 30. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said current collector comprises elongated strips of a metal wherein said elongated strips have an average width of not greater than about 100 μm. 31. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrocatalyst layer comprise a tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer matrix. 32. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrocatalyst particles comprise Ni—Co—O particles. 33. A battery as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrocatalyst particles have an average particle size of not greater than about 10 μm and a substantially spherical morphology.