1. A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising:
an anode;
a cathode comprising a cathode material comprising:
an amorphous or semi-crystalline copper manganese oxide cathode material; and
fluorinated carbon;
a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode; and
a non-aqueous electrolyte which is in fluid communication with the anode, the cathode, and the separator,
wherein:
the copper manganese oxide cathode material has an average density ranging from about 4.5 to about 5.5 gcm3.
2. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the amorphous or semi-crystalline copper manganese oxide cathode material has the formula CuaMnbOc, wherein:
(i) the copper therein has an oxidation state between about 1 and about 3,
(ii) the manganese therein has an oxidation state between about 2 and about 7,
(iii) a and b each have a value greater than zero,
(iv) the sum of a+b is between about 1 and about 3; and
(v) c has a value that may be experimentally determined and that is consistent with the values of a, b, and the oxidation states of copper and manganese.
3. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the amorphous or semi-crystalline copper manganese oxide cathode material has the formula CuaMnbO.nH20, wherein:
(i) the copper therein has an oxidation state between about 1 and about 3,
(ii) the manganese therein has an oxidation state between about 2 and about 7,
(iii) a and b each have a value greater than zero,
(iv) the sum of a+b is between about 1 and about 3;
(v) x has a value that may be experimentally determined and that is consistent with the values of a, b and the oxidation states of copper and manganese; and
(vi) nH2O represents the surface water, the structural water, or both, present in the copper manganese oxide cathode material.
4. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the copper manganese oxide cathode material has an average BET surface area ranging from about 50 to about 150 m2g.
5. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the copper manganese oxide cathode material has an average BET surface area ranging from about 75 to about 125 m2g.
6. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the copper manganese oxide cathode material has an average particle size ranging from about 10 to about 300 nanometers.
7. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the copper manganese oxide cathode material is amorphous, the copper and manganese being present therein in an average molar ratio of from about 1.5:1 to about 2.5:1 (Cu:Mn).
8. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the copper manganese oxide cathode material is semi-crystalline, the copper and manganese being present therein in an average molar ratio of 3:1 to about 6:1 (Cu:Mn).
9. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the copper manganese oxide cathode material is in a form of agglomerated particles, the agglomerated particles having an average agglomerated particle size of from about 5 to about 45 microns.
10. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the fluorinated carbon has the formula CFx, wherein x is about 0.1 to about 1.9.
11. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 10, wherein:
a concentration of copper manganese oxide in the cathode material is between about 1 wt % and about 99 wt %, and
a concentration of fluorinated carbon in the cathode material is between about 99 wt % and about 1 wt %.
12. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the fluorinated carbon is a mixture of materials having the formulas (CFx1)n and (CFx2)m, wherein:
x1 is about 0.8 to about 1.2,
x2 is about 0.4 to about 0.8,
n is about 1 to about 5
m is about 1 to about 5, and
(CFx1)n and (CFx2)n are not the same.
13. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 12, wherein:
a concentration of copper manganese oxide in the cathode material is between about 1 wt % and about 99 wt %, and
a concentration of fluorinated carbon in the cathode material is between about 99 wt % and about 1 wt %.
14. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte comprises an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate, 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), tetrahydrofuran (THF), methyl acetate (MA), diglyme, trigylme, tetragylme, propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), and N-methyl-pyrrolidinone (NMP), and a mixture of two or more thereof.
15. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 14, wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte comprises a salt having a formula MM\u2032F6 or MM\u2032F4, wherein:
M is an alkali metal that is the same as at least one metal present in the anode, and
M\u2032 is an element selected from the group consisting of phosphorous, arsenic, antimony, and boron.
16. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 15, wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of LiPF6, LiAsF6, LiSbF6, LiBF4, LiClO4, LiAlCl4, LiGaCl4, LiC(SO2CF3)3, LiB(C6H4O2)2, LiN(CF3SO2)2, Li(CF3SO3), and mixtures thereof.
17. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 15, wherein a concentration of the salt in the organic solvent is in a range of between about 0.5 M and about 2.5 M.
18. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises a metal selected from Group IA or Group IIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements.
19. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 18, wherein the anode comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium.
20. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 19, wherein the anode comprises an alloy or an intermetallic compound selected from the group consisting of Li\u2014Mg, Li\u2014Al, Li\u2014Al\u2014Mg, Li\u2014Si, Li\u2014B, and Li\u2014Si\u2014B.
21. The non-aqueous electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein:
the cathode material additionally comprises fluorinated carbon, and
the cell exhibits an end-of-life indication comprising a voltage plateau of about 2 to about 2.4 volts.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A liquid food dispensing apparatus, comprising:
a product manifold adapted to distribute liquid food;
at least one depositor module detachably connected to the product manifold and including at least one chamber therein;
a nozzle detachably connected to the at least one depositor module;
wherein the at least one depositor module is configured and dimensioned to receive different nozzles to enable dispensing of fluids of different viscosities and is also adapted to intake liquid food from the product manifold, temporarily hold the liquid food in the at least one chamber, and to subsequently dispense liquid food through the nozzle.
2. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lift mechanism configured to vertically translate the at least one depositor module.
3. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a rotation mechanism configured to spin or rotate the nozzle about a vertical axis.
4. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a controller configured to control the at least one depositor module to intake a predetermined volume of liquid food and dispense the liquid food at a predetermined pressure.
5. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to control the vertical translation mechanism to vertically translate the depositor module in sync with the dispensing of the liquid food.
6. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to control the rotation mechanism to spin the nozzle in sync with the dispensing of the liquid food.
7. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to control the rotation mechanism to spin the nozzle in sync with the dispensing of the liquid food and the vertical translation of the depositor module.
8. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one depositor module comprises a volumetric flow-by valve.
9. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one depositor includes:
a first chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet; and
a second chamber connected to the first chamber through a passage;
wherein in a first state, the inlet and the passage are open and the outlet is closed, such that a liquid food may flow in from the inlet, through the first chamber, and into the second chamber;
wherein in a second state, the inlet is closed and the passage and outlet are open, such that a liquid food may flow from the second chamber, through the first chamber, and out through the outlet;
with the valve configured to, in the first state, open the inlet and passage and close the outlet, and in the second state, close the inlet and open the passage and outlet.
10. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vertical translation mechanism comprises a programmable linear servo motor.
11. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotation mechanism comprises a worm drive and a programmable servo motor.
12. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is detachably connected to the at least one depositor module by an adapter.
13. The liquid food dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the depositor module is attached to the product manifold by an interface.