Polymeric enclosures for non-aqueous active metal cells

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention contemplates forming the container or housing for an active metal electrochemical cell of a polymeric material.
The container or "cup" is strong and impact resistant, electrochemically and chemically inert to the reactive species of the active metal cell environment.
It also possesses a moldability which significantly simplifies the complexities of fabrication of intricate designs involved when such enclosures are made of metal such as stainless steel.
In addition, the electrical leads for this cell or for any necessary cell-to-cell interconnections can be molded in the housings with the proper protruding sections thereby eliminating the necessity for the use of glass-to-metal or ceramic-to-metal seals, long a problem with metal cells; and any required safety vent device can be molded integrally into the cup structure.
The polymer or plastic material from which the container or housing is fabricated is characterized by a variety of properties which enable it to accomplish the improvement of the present invention.
It is a moldable, or otherwise workable material which can readily be formed into the desired shapes, is chemically inert both to the external environment and also to the chemical species within the cell.
It must be a non-conductor of electricity and a material which can readily be sealed as by heat sealing or the like.
The preferred embodiment contemplates a cell housing structure of molded ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) copolymer in which necessary electrical leads for cell-to-cell or external connection, heat/pressure vents, electrolyte passage for reserve cells and other functional design features are integrated in a single, simple and inexpensive molding fabrication step.
It is believed that other modified halogenated polymers and copolymers also might provide the requisite property parameters, but ETFE has held the most promise to date.