Battery including separator and electronic device including the same

Abstract

A battery according to an embodiment includes: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; and a separator disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and comprising a fiber, the fiber comprising a core and a sheath at least partially surrounding the core. The core includes a phase change material and the sheath includes a polymeric material. Various other embodiments may be possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery including a separator and an electronic device including the battery. Background Art

[0002] An electronic device may include various electronic components. The electronic device may include a battery for supplying power to the electronic components. The battery may include a separator disposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The separator may include pores for allowing ions (e.g., lithium ions) to pass through.

[0003] The above information may be provided as related art to assist in understanding the present disclosure. No requirement or determination is made as to whether any of the above information may be used as prior art relevant to the present disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical Solution

[0005] A battery according to an embodiment may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator. The second electrode may be spaced apart from the first electrode. The separator may be disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The separator may include fibers. The fibers may include a core and a sheath. The sheath may at least partially surround the core. The core may include a phase change material. The sheath may include a polymer material.

[0006] An electronic device according to an embodiment may include a battery and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC). The battery may be configured to supply power to at least one component of the electronic device. The PMIC may be configured to manage power supplied from the battery to at least one component. The battery may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator. The second electrode may be spaced apart from the first electrode. The separator may be disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The separator may include fibers. The fibers may include a core and a sheath. The sheath may at least partially surround the core. The core may include a phase change material. The sheath may include a polymer material. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment.

[0008] Figure 2a is a block diagram of a power management module and a battery according to an embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2b is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device.

[0010] Figure 3a Schematically shows an exemplary battery.

[0011] Figure 3b is Figure 3a an enlarged view of the X region of the exemplary battery of

[0012] Figure 3cIt is a schematic exploded perspective view of an exemplary battery.

[0013] Figure 4a Schematically shows an electrospinning device for manufacturing an exemplary separator.

[0014] Figure 4b Schematically shows through Figure 4a the separator manufactured by the manufacturing method.

[0015] Figure 5a Is Figure 4b a cross-sectional view of an exemplary separator taken along line A-A'.

[0016] Figure 5b Is Figure 4b a cross-sectional view of an exemplary separator taken along line B-B'.

[0017] Figure 6a Schematically shows the state where the separator absorbs thermal energy.

[0018] Figure 6b Schematically shows the separator that has absorbed thermal energy.

[0019] Figure 7 Shows the state where an external object penetrates the exemplary battery. Detailed Description

[0020] Figure 1 Is a block diagram showing an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments.

[0021] Refer to Figure 1, in a network environment 100, an electronic device 101 can communicate with an electronic device 102 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or communicate with at least one of an electronic device 104 or a server 108 via a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 can communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, a sound output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a connection end 178, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a subscriber identity module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of the above components (e.g., the connection end 178) may be omitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of the above components (e.g., the sensor module 176, the camera module 180, or the antenna module 197) may be implemented as a single integrated component (e.g., the display module 160).

[0022] The processor 120 can run software (e.g., a program 140), for example, to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware component or a software component) connected to the processor 120 of the electronic device 101, and can perform various data processing or calculations. According to an embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 120 can store a command or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190) in the volatile memory 132, process the command or data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store the resulting data in the non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)), or an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operationally independent of or combined with the main processor 121. For example, when the electronic device 101 includes the main processor 121 and the auxiliary processor 123, the auxiliary processor 123 may be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or be adapted to be dedicated to a specific function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121, or as part of the main processor 121.

[0023] When the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, the auxiliary processor 123 (instead of the main processor 121) may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190), or when the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., running an application), the auxiliary processor 123 may control, together with the main processor 121, at least some of the functions or states related to at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190). According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., the camera module 180 or the communication module 190) that is functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a neural processing unit) may include a hardware structure dedicated to artificial intelligence model processing. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed by the electronic device 101 where the artificial intelligence is executed or via a separate server (e.g., the server 108). The learning algorithms may include, but are not limited to, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning. The artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. The artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), or a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of them, but is not limited thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure in addition to the hardware structure.

[0024] The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 140) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 130 may include a volatile memory 132 or a non-volatile memory 134.

[0025] The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130, and the program 140 may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 142, middleware 144, or an application 146.

[0026] The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used by other components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus).

[0027] The sound output module 155 may output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or playing a record. The receiver may be used for receiving an incoming call. According to an embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0028] The display module 160 may visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., to a user). The display device 160 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor adapted to detect a touch or a pressure sensor adapted to measure the intensity of a force caused by the touch.

[0029] The audio module 170 may convert sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtain sound via the input module 150, or output sound via the sound output module 155 or headphones of an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101.

[0030] The sensor module 176 may detect an operating state of the electronic device 101 (e.g., power or temperature) or an environmental state outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a state of a user), and then generate an electrical signal or a data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0031] The interface 177 may support one or more specific protocols for directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly connecting the electronic device 101 to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0032] The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0033] The haptic module 179 may convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or motion) or an electrical stimulus that can be recognized by the user via his sense of touch or kinesthesia. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0034] The camera module 180 may capture a still image or a moving image. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, or a flash.

[0035] The power management module 188 may manage power supply to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0036] The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0037] The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108), and perform communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors capable of operating independently of the processor 120 (e.g., an application processor (AP)), and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). Each of these communication modules may communicate with an external electronic device via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, or Infrared Data Association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network, such as a traditional cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or wide area network (WAN))). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip), or these various types of communication modules may be implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 may identify and authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) using user information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 196.

[0038] The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies (e.g., New Radio (NR) access technologies). The NR access technology may support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), or ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (e.g., millimeter wave bands) to achieve, for example, high data transfer rates. The wireless communication module 192 may support various technologies for ensuring performance on high frequency bands, such as, for example, beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (massive MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, or massive antennas. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., the second network 199). According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 may support a peak data rate for achieving eMBB (e.g., 20 Gbps or greater), a loss coverage for achieving mMTC (e.g., 164 dB or less), or a U-plane latency for achieving URLLC (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for each of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or a round trip of 1 ms or less).

[0039] The antenna module 197 may transmit a signal or power to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device) or receive a signal or power from the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiation element formed of a conductive material or a conductive pattern formed in a substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)) or formed on the substrate. According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme to be used in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190 (e.g., the wireless communication module 192). Subsequently, a signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. According to an embodiment, additional components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) other than the radiation element may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

[0040] According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a millimeter-wave antenna module. According to an embodiment, the millimeter-wave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna), wherein the RFIC is disposed on a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the first surface and capable of supporting a specified high-frequency band (e.g., a millimeter-wave band), and the plurality of antennas are disposed on a second surface (e.g., a top surface or a side surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the second surface and capable of transmitting or receiving signals of the specified high-frequency band.

[0041] At least some of the above components may be interconnected via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, general-purpose input / output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and communicatively transmit signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween.

[0042] According to an embodiment, commands or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the electronic devices 102 or 104 may be a device of the same type as the electronic device 101 or a device of a different type from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some of the operations running on the electronic device 101 may be run on one or more of the external electronic device 102, the external electronic device 104, or the server 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 is to automatically execute a function or service or is to execute a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may request one or more of the external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service instead of running the function or service, or in addition to running the function or service, the electronic device 101 may also request one or more of the external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute the requested at least part of the function or service, or execute additional functions or additional services related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may provide the result as at least part of a reply to the request with or without further processing of the result. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, mobile edge computing (MEC) technology, or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device 101 may use, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing to provide ultra-low latency services. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or the server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology or IoT-related technology.

[0043] Figure 2a is a block diagram of a power management module and a battery according to an embodiment. Figure 2b is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device.

[0044] FIG. 2 is a block diagram 200 of a power management module 188 and a battery 189 according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 2, the power management module 188 may include a charging circuit 210, a power regulator 220, or a power meter 230. The charging circuit 210 may charge the battery 189 by using power supplied from an external power source outside the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the charging circuit 210 may select a charging scheme (e.g., normal charging or fast charging) at least in part based on the type of the external power source (e.g., a power outlet, USB, or wireless charging), the magnitude of the power that may be supplied from the external power source (e.g., about 20 watts or greater), or an attribute of the battery 189, and may charge the battery 189 by using the selected charging scheme. The external power source may be connected to the electronic device 101 directly via a connection terminal 178 or wirelessly via an antenna module 197, for example.

[0045] The power regulator 220 may generate various powers having different voltage levels or different current levels by adjusting a voltage level or a current level of the power supplied from the external power source or the battery 189. The power regulator 220 may adjust the voltage level or the current level of the power supplied from the external power source or the battery 189 to different voltage levels or different current levels suitable for each of some of the components included in the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power regulator 220 may be implemented in the form of a low dropout (LDO) regulator or a switching regulator. The power meter 230 may measure usage state information about the battery 189 (e.g., the capacity of the battery 189, the number of charge or discharge cycles, voltage, or temperature).

[0046] The power management module 188 may determine charging state information (e.g., life, overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent, overcharge, overdischarge, overheat, short circuit, or swelling) related to the charging of the battery 189 by using, for example, the charging circuit 210, the power regulator 220, or the power meter 230, at least in part based on the measured usage state information about the battery 189. The power management module 188 may determine whether the state of the battery 189 is normal or abnormal at least in part based on the determined charging state information. If the state of the battery 189 is determined to be abnormal, the power management module 188 may adjust the charging of the battery 189 (e.g., reduce the charging current or voltage, or stop charging). According to an embodiment, at least some of the functions of the power management module 188 may be performed by an external control device (e.g., the processor 120).

[0047] According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include a protection circuit module (PCM) 240. The PCM 240 may perform one or more of various functions (e.g., a pre-disconnection function) to prevent deterioration or damage of the performance of the battery 189. The PCM 240 may additionally or alternatively be configured as at least a part of a battery management system (BMS) capable of performing various functions including cell balancing, measurement of battery capacity, counting of charge or discharge cycles, measurement of temperature, or measurement of voltage.

[0048] According to an embodiment, at least part of the state-of-charge information or state-of-use information regarding the battery 189 may be measured using a corresponding sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor) of the sensor module 176, the power meter 230, or the power management module 188. According to an embodiment, the corresponding sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor) of the sensor module 176 may be included as a part of the PCM 240, or may be disposed near the battery 189 as a separate device.

[0049] Refer to Figure 2b , the electronic device 101 may include a battery 189 and a PMIC 360 (e.g., Figure 2a the power management module 188). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include components for various functions (e.g., a camera, a printed circuit board). According to an embodiment, the battery 189 used in the electronic device 101 may be configured to supply power to the components of the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) 360 to manage the power supplied from the battery 189 to the components. The PMIC 360 may be configured to convert the power supplied by the battery 189 into the power required for each component and distribute the converted power to each component.

[0050] Figure 3a An exemplary battery is schematically shown. Figure 3b is Figure 3a an enlarged view of the X region of the exemplary battery. Figure 3c is a schematic exploded perspective view of the exemplary battery.

[0051] Refer to Figure 3a and Figure 3b, according to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include a first electrode 310, a second electrode 320, and a separator 330. The battery 189 may include an electrolyte 350 and / or a housing 340 forming the exterior of the battery (189), and the electrolyte 350 enables ions (e.g., lithium cations) to move between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. The first electrode 310, the second electrode 320, and the separator 330 may be accommodated within the housing 340. The electrolyte 350 may enable the movement of ions for the electrochemical reaction of the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. For example, the separator 330 may include pores (e.g., Figure 3b pores 330a) through which ions can pass. The housing 340 may accommodate the first electrode 310, the second electrode 320, the separator 330, and the electrolyte 350. Depending on the shape of the housing 340, the type of the battery 189 may be distinguished. For example, as Figure 3a shown, the battery 189 may be a wound-type battery, in which the components of the battery 189 are wound within a cylindrical housing, but is not limited thereto. For example, the battery 189 may include a square, cylindrical, or pouch-shaped housing 340. The battery 189 may be a stacked-type battery 189, in which the components within the housing 340 are alternately stacked.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 may be electrically different. For example, the first electrode 310 may be referred to as a positive electrode, where cations (e.g., lithium ions) receive electrons and are reduced during discharge. The first electrode 310 may include a positive electrode substrate 310a coated with a positive electrode active material 310b. For example, the second electrode 320 may be referred to as a negative electrode, where cations (e.g., lithium ions) release electrons and are oxidized during discharge. The second electrode 320 may include a negative electrode substrate 320a coated with a negative electrode active material 320b. According to an embodiment, the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 may be spaced apart from each other. For example, the second electrode 320 may be spaced apart from the first electrode 310.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may be disposed between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 such that the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 do not contact each other. By physically separating the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, the separator 330 may be configured to prevent a short circuit due to the contact between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. For example, when the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 are in direct physical contact, a short-circuit current may flow along the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. Since the short-circuit current may generate local heat inside the battery 189, the temperature of the battery 189 may rapidly increase, which may cause the battery 189 to catch fire.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the separator 330 can be configured to allow ions of the electrolyte 350 to pass through. For example, the separator 330 can be a porous separator 330 including fine pores 330a for allowing ions to pass through. For example, the separator 330 can include fine pores 330a formed between fibers 331. For example, lithium ions in the electrolyte 350 can move between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 through the pores 330a of the separator 330.

[0055] Referring to Figure 3b and Figure 3c , the separator 330 can include fibers having a core-sheath structure (e.g., Figure 3c fibers 331). According to an embodiment, the separator 330 can be composed of fibers 331 having a core-sheath structure manufactured by an electrospinning method. The separator 330 can be formed of a web formed by fibers 331 having a core-sheath structure. Electrospinning can apply a high voltage to a solution having a viscosity and reduce the surface tension of the solution by utilizing the repulsive force of the solution formed by the high voltage. The solution having a reduced surface tension can be discharged in a jet form to form fibers 331. In the separator 330 manufactured by electrospinning, the core 332 can be disposed at the center. The separator 330 can include fibers 331 including a sheath 333 at least partially surrounding the core 332. A method of manufacturing the separator 330 by electrospinning according to an embodiment will be illustrated with reference to Figure 6a and Figure 6b .

[0056] According to an embodiment, referring to Figure 3c , the separator 330 can be a porous separator. For example, fibers 331 having a core-sheath structure can be formed by electrospinning. The fibers 331 having a core-sheath structure can be arranged in a grid pattern to form the separator 330. The fibers 331 forming the separator 330 can include a phase change material in the core 332. The fibers 331 forming the separator 330 can include a polymer material in the sheath 333. The space between the fibers 331 forming the separator 330 can be the pores 330a through which the electrolyte 350 passes. The porosity of the separator 330 can be about 30% to 80%, but is not limited thereto. For example, the porosity of the separator 330 can represent the volume ratio of the pores 330a to the total volume of the separator 330.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the core 332 may include a phase change material. The phase change material may be a material capable of controlling the temperature of the battery 189 by storing a large amount of thermal energy or releasing the stored thermal energy via a phase change process. For example, when the temperature inside the battery 189 changes from a temperature lower than the melting point of the phase change material to a temperature higher than the melting point, the phase change material may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase. When the phase change material changes from a solid phase to a liquid phase, the phase change material may absorb thermal energy. According to an embodiment, the phase change material included in the core 332 may include at least one of paraffin wax, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium hydroxide monohydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, myristic acid, stearic acid, and xylitol. However, the above phase change materials are merely exemplary and are not limited thereto. For example, the phase change material may include inorganic hydrates (e.g., Na2HPO4·12H2O, Na2SO4·10H2O, or Zn(NO3)2·6H2O), inorganic salts, and / or salt hydrates.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the sheath 333 may include a polymer material. According to an embodiment, the polymer material may include at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). However, the above polymer materials are merely examples and are not limited thereto.

[0059] According to an embodiment, since the sheath 333 is disposed to at least partially surround the core 332, the sheath 333 may form at least a part of the outer surface of the fiber 331. In order to prevent foreign substances inside the battery 189 from passing through the separator 330, the separator 330 may be made of a material having high mechanical strength. Since the sheath 333 forming the outer surface of the fiber 331 includes a polymer material, the mechanical strength of the separator 330 may be determined by the polymer material. The polymer material may include metal oxides to provide high mechanical strength to the separator 330. For example, the polymer material may include Al2O3, AlOOH, or Mg(OH)2.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the separator 330 including the fiber 331 having a core-sheath structure may reduce the temperature rise of the battery 189. According to an embodiment, when the temperature of the battery 189 rises due to a short circuit, the phase change material in the core 332 may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing ambient thermal energy. When the phase change material undergoes a phase change, the phase change material may absorb thermal energy corresponding to the enthalpy of fusion. The absorption of thermal energy due to the phase change of the phase change material may reduce the temperature rise of the battery 189. By forming a separating membrane through the core-sheath structure, the separator 330 may have a relatively thin thickness without a separate coating. For example, the sheath 333 forming the outer surface of the separator 330 may be in contact with the electrolyte 350 inside the housing 340.

[0061] According to an embodiment, a separator 330 including a fiber 331 having a core-sheath structure may be configured to compensate for shrinkage of the separator 330 due to a temperature increase. When the temperature of the battery 189 increases, the separator 330 may shrink as the size of the pores 330a decreases. When the separator 330 shrinks, an internal short circuit may occur due to contact between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. According to an embodiment, when the temperature increases, the core-sheath of the separator 330 may expand. This expansion may reduce the amount of shrinkage of the shrunk portion of the separator 330 by compensating for the shrinkage of the separator 330. According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may prevent an internal short circuit due to shrinkage.

[0062] Figure 4a An electrospinning apparatus for manufacturing an exemplary separator is schematically shown. Figure 4b An exemplary separator manufactured by a manufacturing method through Figure 4a is schematically shown. Figure 5a is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary separator taken along line A-A' of Figure 4b . Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary separator taken along line B-B' of Figure 4b .

[0063] Referring to Figure 4a , a separator (e.g., the separator 330 of Figure 3c ) may be manufactured by electrospinning. Electrospinning is a method of manufacturing continuous fibers 331 having a width in the range of microns to nanometers by using an electric field. When manufacturing the separator 330 by electrospinning, the separator 330 may have a high porosity. The separator 330 may have a large surface area. The structure and size of the separator 330 may be easily controlled.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may be manufactured by an electrospinning apparatus 400. For example, the electrospinning apparatus 400 may include a first container 410 and a second container 430. The first container 410 provides a first solution in which a phase change material is dissolved in a solvent, and the second container 430 provides a second solution in which a polymer material is dissolved in a solvent. The electrospinning apparatus 400 may include a nozzle tip 450 connected to a first conduit 420 extending from the first container 410 and a second conduit 440 extending from the second container 430. The first solution and the second nozzle may be discharged through the nozzle tip 450. When discharged through the nozzle tip 450, the first solution and the second solution may be discharged independently without mixing.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the flow rates of the first solution and the second solution can be controlled by a first pump connected to the first container 410 and a second pump connected to the second container 430. The power supply 460 can apply a high voltage (e.g., about 30 kV) to the nozzle tip 450. The first solution and the second solution can be charged by the power supply 460 when passing through the nozzle tip 450. Due to the electrostatic repulsion between the charges applied to the solution and the Coulomb force applied to the external electric field, the solution can form a jet at the nozzle tip 450. The jet can be stretched into a conical shape (Taylor cone). When the jet of the molten material including the polymer material and the phase change material reaches the collector (or collection screen) 470 provided below the nozzle tip 450, the solvent volatilizes, and fibers 331 having a core-sheath structure can be obtained on the collector 470. The phase change material and the polymer material can have the property of not mixing with each other to form a core-sheath structure.

[0066] Referring to Figure 4b , the separator 330 fabricated by electrospinning can be porous. Ions (e.g., lithium ions) in the electrolyte (e.g., Figure 3a electrolyte 350) can pass through the separator 330 through the pores 330a between the fibers 331 forming the separator 330. However, it is not limited thereto. For example, the fibers 331 can be arranged in a grid pattern. For example, the pores 330a can be formed between the fibers 331. According to an embodiment, the porosity of the separator 330 can be about 30% to 80%, but it is not limited thereto. When the separator 330 is fabricated by electrospinning, a separator 330 including fibers 331 having a core-sheath structure can be fabricated. The fibers 331 forming the separator 330 can include a phase change material within the core 332. The fibers 331 forming the separator 330 can include a polymer material within the sheath 333.

[0067] Referring to Figure 5a and Figure 5b , the separator (e.g., Figure 3c separator 330) can include fibers 331 having a core-sheath. According to an embodiment, the separator 330 can be fabricated by electrospinning, but it is not limited thereto. The core 332 can include a phase change material. The sheath 333 surrounding at least a part of the core 332 can include a polymer material. When the temperature of the battery 189 increases, the phase change material in the core 332 can change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing the thermal energy of the system. Because the phase change material absorbs the thermal energy of the system during the phase change, the temperature increase of the battery 189 can be reduced. The sheath 333 including the polymer material can reduce the outflow of the phase change material that has become a liquid phase from the core 332 by surrounding at least a part of the core 332.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the width w2 of the core 332 may be about 50% or more of the width w1 of the fiber 331. For example, the width w1 of the fiber 331 may be about 1 nm to about 1000 nm. The width w2 of the core 332 may be about 0.5 nm to about 500 nm or more. Subtracting the width w2 of the core 332 from the width w1 of the fiber 331, the width of the sheath 333 may be about 0.5 nm to about 500 nm, but is not limited thereto. For example, the width w1 of the fiber 331 may be referred to as a nanofiber of about 100 nm or less, but is not limited thereto. The width w1 of the fiber 331 may vary based on the design of the battery 189. According to an embodiment, based on the weight of the core 332, the core 332 may include 10 weight percent (wt%) to 90 wt% of a phase change material, but is not limited thereto. The phase change material may be 10 wt% to 90 wt% of the core 332.

[0069] According to an embodiment, since the separator 330 includes a phase change material within the fiber 331, it may have a relatively thin thickness. For example, when a phase change material for controlling the temperature of the battery 189 is coated on the surface of the fiber 331, the width of the fiber 331 constituting the separator 330 may increase by the thickness of the coating including the phase change material. According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may not include a separate coating containing a phase change material because it has a core - sheath structure with the phase change material included in the core 332, rather than a structure for coating a phase change material on the surface of the fiber 331. When the thickness of the separator 330 is thick, the amount of the positive electrode active material and / or the negative electrode active material included in the battery 189 may decrease, and thus the energy density of the battery 189 may be reduced. According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may be relatively thin because it does not include a coating containing a phase change material. As the thickness of the separator 330 becomes thinner, the amount of the positive electrode active material and / or the negative electrode active material included in the battery 189 may increase, and thus the battery 189 according to the embodiment may have a relatively high energy density.

[0070] According to an embodiment, for the mechanical strength of the separator 330, the sheath 333 may include a polymer material. The polymer material may provide mechanical strength to the separator 330. The polymer material may protect the core 332 surrounded by the sheath 333. According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may provide stability to the battery 189 while controlling the temperature of the battery 189 by having a thin thickness without reducing the energy density of the battery 189.

[0071] Figure 6a The state in which the separator absorbs thermal energy is schematically shown. Figure 6b The separator that has absorbed thermal energy is schematically shown.

[0072] Refer to Figure 6a, the separator 330 may be disposed between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. By separating the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 from each other, the separator 330 can prevent a short circuit from occurring due to the contact between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may be configured to reduce the temperature rise of the battery 189. For various reasons, the temperature of the battery 189 may rise abnormally. For example, a short circuit caused by the contact between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, overcharging of the battery 189, an impact from outside the battery 189, and / or a failure of the battery protection circuit (e.g., Figure 2a the battery protection circuit 240) may cause the battery 189 to overheat. When the battery 189 continuously overheats, the battery 189 may catch fire.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the separator 330 may include fibers 331 including a core - sheath. The core 332 may include a phase - change material. The sheath 333 may include a polymer material. The phase - change material included in the core 332 may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing thermal energy E. For example, the melting point of the phase - change material may be about 28°C to about 90°C, but is not limited thereto. For example, the phase - change material may be in a solid phase at a temperature below the melting point. When the temperature of the system rises above the melting - point temperature of the phase - change material, the phase - change material may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing the thermal energy E of the system. When the phase - change material melts from a solid phase to a liquid phase, the phase - change material may absorb the thermal energy E corresponding to the enthalpy of fusion.

[0075] According to an embodiment, as the temperature of the battery 189 rises, the phase - change material may undergo a phase change. For example, when a short circuit occurs due to the contact between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, a short - circuit current may flow inside the battery 189. When the short - circuit current generates heat, the temperature of the battery 189 may rise. When the temperature of the battery 189 rises, the phase - change material in the core 332 may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing the thermal energy E inside the battery 189. The thermal energy E absorbed when the phase - change material undergoes a phase change may be stored as latent heat in the phase - change material. Since the thermal energy E can be stored as latent heat in the phase - change material, the temperature rise of the battery 189 can be reduced. Even in the case of a short circuit, the battery 189 according to an embodiment can reduce the temperature rise through the phase - change material included in the core 332 of the separator 330. By controlling the rapid temperature rise of the battery 189 through the phase - change material, the ignition of the battery 189 can be reduced.

[0076] For example, an electronic device including the battery 189 (e.g., Figure 2bThe electronic device 101 may be subject to external shocks. For example, the electronic device 101 may fall from a high position to a low position, or may collide with a physical external object O. When the electronic device 101 is subject to an external shock, the shock may be transmitted to the battery 189 included inside the electronic device 101. The shock applied to the battery 189 may cause a short circuit inside the battery 189. The short circuit inside the battery 189 may cause the temperature of the battery 189 to rise, resulting in the battery 189 catching fire. When the battery 189 catches fire, other components inside the electronic device 101 may be damaged, which may cause unexpected harm to the user. According to an embodiment, when the temperature of the battery 189 rises, the phase change material in the separator 330 may absorb the thermal energy E and undergo a phase change, thereby reducing the temperature of the battery 189. Since the rise in the temperature of the battery 189 is suppressed, the occurrence of the battery 189 catching fire can be reduced.

[0077] According to an embodiment, in addition to the short circuit of the battery 189, the temperature rise of the battery 189 caused by various reasons can also be reduced. For example, when the battery 189 is being charged, the temperature of the battery 189 may rise. As the temperature of the battery 189 rises, the conductivity decreases, which may deteriorate the charging performance. According to an embodiment, the phase change material in the separator 330 can reduce the temperature rise of the battery 189 by absorbing the thermal energy E. Since the temperature rise of the battery 189 during charging can be suppressed, the charging efficiency of the battery 189 can be improved.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the phase change material may include a material that can repeatedly undergo a melting and solidification process and has a high latent heat. For example, paraffin wax may be suitable as the phase change material because it has a relatively high latent heat, can easily control the phase change temperature according to the molecular weight, and is inexpensive.

[0079] Referring to Figure 6b , when the phase change material in the separator 330 absorbs the thermal energy E of the battery 189, the separator 330 may expand. For example, when the temperature of the battery 189 rises, the size of the holes 330a in the separator 330 may decrease. The separator 330 may have a closing function, in which when the battery 189 overheats, the holes 330a close to reduce the phenomenon of thermal runaway. Since the holes 330a may be thermally dissolved, the movement of ions may decrease. Since the holes 330a are closed, the movement of ions in the electrolyte 350 may decrease, but the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 may come into contact with each other due to the contraction of the separator 330. When the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 come into contact with each other, an internal short circuit may occur, causing the temperature of the battery 189 to rise rapidly.

[0080] According to an embodiment, as the temperature of the battery 189 increases, the phase change material in the core 332 can change from a solid phase to a liquid phase. As the phase change material changes to the liquid phase, the volume of the phase change material can increase. For example, as the phase change material in the core 332 changes to the liquid phase, the volume of the core 332 can increase by about 10%, but is not limited thereto.

[0081] According to an embodiment, when the phase change material included in the core 332 changes from a solid phase to a liquid phase, the phase change material in the liquid phase can be surrounded by the sheath 333. According to an embodiment, the melting point of the polymer material can be higher than the melting point of the phase change material. Even when the phase change material undergoes a phase change, the polymer material does not melt, so the sheath 333 can surround at least a part of the core 332. The sheath 333 can elongate based on the phase change of the phase change material. Since the sheath 333 surrounds at least a part of the core 332, the sheath 333 can expand due to the increase in the volume of the core 332. The sheath 333 can elongate while maintaining the core-sheath structure. As the volume of the core 332 increases, the fibers 331 forming the separator 330 can expand as the sheath 333 surrounding the core 332 elongates. As the fibers 331 forming the separator 330 expand, the separator 330 can expand. As the separator 330 expands, the separator 330 can compensate for the shrinkage of the separator 330 due to the increase in temperature. The polymer material included in the sheath 333 can include a material capable of providing mechanical strength so that the sheath 333 is not damaged when it elongates. For example, the polymer material can include metal oxides, but is not limited thereto.

[0082] For example, when an internal short circuit occurs due to the contact between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, the temperature of the battery 189 may increase. The phase change material in the core 332 of the separator 330 can change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing thermal energy E. As the phase change material undergoes a phase change, the volume of the core 332 can increase, and the sheath 333 surrounding the core 332 can elongate, thereby increasing the width of the fibers 331. As the width of the fibers 331 increases, the separator 330 can expand. The expansion of the separator 330 can compensate for the shrinkage of the separator 330 due to the increase in temperature to reduce the shrinkage of the separator 330. According to an embodiment, since the shrinkage of the separator 330 is compensated, the separator 330 can physically separate the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 and prevent an internal short circuit. The exemplary battery 189 according to the example can suppress the increase in the temperature of the battery 189 and prevent a short circuit by compensating for the shrinkage of the separator 330. The exemplary battery 189 according to the example can provide thermal stability.

[0083] Figure 7 The state in which an external object penetrates an exemplary battery is shown.

[0084] Refer to Figure 7, the battery 189 may be damaged by an external object O. For example, a rigid and conductive external object O (e.g., a nail or a screw) may penetrate the battery 189. The external object O may electrically connect the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 by penetrating from the first electrode 310 to the second electrode 320. For example, when the external object O includes a conductive material (e.g., metal), the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 may be electrically connected by the external object O penetrating the battery 189. When the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 are electrically connected, a short circuit may be formed in the battery 189. When a short circuit is formed, the short-circuit current may flow along the first electrode 310, the external object O, and the second electrode 320. The short-circuit current may generate heat. Due to the generated heat, the temperature of the damaged part of the battery 189 may rapidly increase, which may cause the battery 189 to catch fire.

[0085] According to an embodiment, when the external object O penetrates the battery 189, the external object O may penetrate the separator 330. A short circuit of the battery 189 may occur due to the external object O, and the short circuit may cause the temperature of the battery 189 to increase. As the temperature of the battery 189 increases, the phase change material in the core 332 may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing heat energy. Since the phase change material absorbs heat energy, the increase in the temperature of the battery 189 due to the short circuit can be reduced.

[0086] According to an embodiment, when the external object O penetrates the battery 189, the phase change material in the core 332 may surround the external object O that penetrates the separator 330. Refer to Figure 7 , the external object O (e.g., a nail) may be inserted from the first electrode 310 to the second electrode 320 by penetrating the separator 330. When the external object O penetrates the separator 330, the core-sheath structure at the penetration point may be damaged. Since the sheath 333 at the penetration point is damaged, the phase change material in the core 332 may move to the outside of the separator 330. The phase change material may move around the external object O inserted into the second electrode 320 at the penetration point, so as to surround the external object O. In a state of surrounding the external object O, the phase change material may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing heat energy. Since the phase change material can absorb heat energy in a state of surrounding the external object O, the formation of a short-circuit current can be suppressed. For example, a short-circuit current may be formed along the external object O from the first electrode 310 to the second electrode 320. Since the phase change material surrounds the external object O at the penetration point, the flow of the short-circuit current flowing from the first electrode 310 to the second electrode 320 through the external object O can be suppressed. According to an embodiment, even when the external object O penetrates the battery 189, the phase change material in the separator 330 can suppress the increase in the temperature of the battery 189 and the flow of the short-circuit current. According to an embodiment, since the battery 189 catching fire can be suppressed, the stability of the battery 189 can be ensured.

[0087] A battery according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 3c battery 189) may include a first electrode (e.g., Figure 3c first electrode 310), a second electrode (e.g., Figure 3c second electrode 320), and a separator (e.g., Figure 3c separator 330). The second electrode may be spaced apart from the first electrode. The separator may be disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The separator may include fibers (e.g., Figure 4b fibers 331). The fibers may include a core (e.g., Figure 5a core 332) and a sheath (e.g., Figure 5a sheath 333). The sheath may at least partially surround the core. The core may include a phase change material. The sheath may include a polymeric material. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the separator may be configured to reduce the temperature rise of the battery. For example, when the temperature of the battery rises due to an internal short circuit, the phase change material in the core may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing heat energy. Since the phase change material reduces the temperature rise of the battery, overheating and / or ignition in the battery can be reduced. The battery according to an embodiment may provide stability during use and supply power effectively because it is not easily overheated. According to an embodiment, since the separator does not include a separate coating and may include a phase change material through a core-sheath structure, the separator may be relatively thin. Since the separator is thin, the battery may have a relatively high energy density.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the phase change material may be configured to reduce the temperature rise of the battery by a phase change from a solid phase to a liquid phase when the temperature of the battery rises. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the phase change material becomes a liquid phase, the phase change material may absorb heat energy corresponding to the enthalpy of fusion. Since the phase change material can reduce the temperature rise of the battery, stability can be ensured when using the battery.

[0089] According to an embodiment, when the temperature of the battery rises, the phase change material in the core changes from a solid phase to a liquid phase, and the separator may expand. The separator may compensate for the shrinkage of the separator by the expansion of the separator. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the temperature of the battery rises, the pores in the separator may close. When the pores close, the separator may shrink. The shrinkage of the separator may cause a short circuit in the battery. According to an embodiment, when changing from a solid phase to a liquid phase, the volume of the phase change material in the core may increase. Due to the increase in the volume of the phase change material, the fibers including the core and the sheath may expand. Since the fibers forming the separator expand, the separator may expand. The expansion of the separator may compensate for the shrinkage of the separator caused by the temperature rise of the battery. According to an embodiment, since the separator can compensate for the shrinkage of the part that shrinks when the temperature of the battery rises, a short circuit caused by the contact between the positive electrode and the negative electrode can be prevented.

[0090] According to an embodiment, the sheath can elongate based on the phase change of the phase change material. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sheath can elongate based on the expansion of the core. Since the sheath surrounds at least a portion of the core, it elongates according to the expansion of the core, thereby reducing the movement of the polymer material in the core to the outside of the fiber.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the melting point of the polymer material can be higher than the melting point of the phase change material. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the melting point of the polymer material in the sheath is higher than the melting point of the phase change material in the core, it can remain in a solid state even when the phase change material is melted. By maintaining the solid state of the polymer material, the core-sheath structure can be maintained.

[0092] According to an embodiment, the phase change material can include at least one of paraffin wax, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium hydroxide monohydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, myristic acid, stearic acid, and xylitol. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase change material can include a material having a relatively high latent heat and capable of repeatedly performing a melting and solidification process. Since the high latent heat of the phase change material can absorb and store a relatively large amount of thermal energy, the separator can suppress the temperature rise of the battery.

[0093] According to an embodiment, the polymer material can include at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).

[0094] According to an embodiment, the polymer material can include a metal oxide. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the polymer material in the sheath can include a material that provides the stability of the separator by providing the mechanical strength of the separator.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the melting point of the phase change material can be 28 to 90 °C. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase change material can be melted at a temperature higher than the melting point. When the phase change material is melted, the temperature rise of the battery can be reduced by absorbing thermal energy.

[0096] According to an embodiment, the porosity of the separator can be 30% to 80%. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the separator can include pores for enabling ions to pass through. Since ions (e.g., lithium cations) can move through the pores, charging and / or discharging of the battery is possible.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the width of the core (e.g., Figure 5a the width w2) can be greater than or equal to 50% of the width of the fiber (e.g., Figure 5a the width w1).

[0098] According to an embodiment, the width of the fiber may be from 1 nm to 1000 nm. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of the fiber may vary according to the type, size, and use of the battery.

[0099] According to an embodiment, the core may include from 10 weight percent (wt%) to 90 wt% of a phase change material.

[0100] According to an embodiment, the battery may further include a housing (e.g., Figure 3a housing 340) for accommodating the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator. The sheath may be in contact with an electrolyte in the housing (e.g., Figure 3a electrolyte 350). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the separator may include a phase change material in the core and not include a coating formed of the phase change material. The separator including the core-sheath structure of the fiber may be relatively thin because it does not include a separate coating. According to an embodiment, the battery may have a relatively high energy density.

[0101] According to an embodiment, the phase change material may be configured to reduce a temperature rise of the battery by surrounding an external object (e.g., Figure 7 external object O) when the external object penetrates the separator. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the external object penetrates the battery, the phase change material may surround the external object at the penetration portion. When the external object penetrates the battery, a short circuit may be formed inside the battery. Due to the short circuit, the temperature of the battery may rise, and the phase change material may change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing heat energy. The phase change material in the liquid phase may block the flow of the short-circuit current formed through the external object by surrounding the external object. According to an embodiment, in a state where the external object penetrates the battery, the separator may suppress a temperature rise of the battery and reduce ignition.

[0102] An electronic device according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 2b electronic device 101) may include a battery (e.g., Figure 3a battery 189) and a PMIC (e.g., Figure 2bThe PMIC 360). The battery can be configured to power at least one component of the electronic device. The PMIC can be configured to manage the power supplied from the battery to at least one component. The battery may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator. The second electrode may be spaced apart from the first electrode. The separator may be disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The separator may include fibers. The fibers may include a core and a sheath. The sheath may at least partially surround the core. The core may include a phase change material. The sheath may include a polymer material. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the separator can be configured to reduce the temperature rise of the battery. For example, when the temperature of the battery rises due to an internal short circuit, the phase change material in the core can change from a solid phase to a liquid phase by absorbing heat energy. Since the phase change material reduces the temperature rise of the battery, overheating and / or ignition of the battery can be reduced. Because the battery according to the embodiment is not easily overheated, it can provide stability during use and effectively provide power. According to an embodiment, since the separator can include a phase change material through a core-sheath structure without including a separate coating, the thickness of the separator can be relatively thin. Due to the thin thickness of the separator, the battery can have a relatively high energy density.

[0103] According to an embodiment, the phase change material may include at least one of paraffin wax, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium hydroxide monohydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, myristic acid, stearic acid, and xylitol. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase change material may include a material having a relatively high latent heat and capable of repeatedly performing a melting and solidification process. Since the high latent heat of the phase change material can absorb and store a relatively large amount of heat energy, the separator can suppress the temperature rise of the battery.

[0104] According to an embodiment, the polymer material may include at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).

[0105] According to an embodiment, the polymer material may include a metal oxide. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the polymer material in the sheath may include a material capable of providing the stability of the separator by providing the mechanical strength of the separator.

[0106] According to an embodiment, the melting point of the phase change material may be 28 to 90 °C. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase change material may melt at a temperature higher than the melting point. When the phase change material melts, the temperature rise of the battery can be reduced by absorbing heat energy.

[0107] The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a household appliance. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device is not limited to the above-described electronic devices.

[0108] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to specific embodiments, but include various changes, equivalent forms or alternative forms corresponding to the respective embodiments. For the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used to refer to like or related elements. It will be understood that a singular noun corresponding to a term may include one or more things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of the phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", and "at least one of A, B or C" may include any one or all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding one of the plurality of phrases. As used herein, terms such as "first" and "second" or "1st" and "2nd" may be used to simply distinguish the corresponding components from another component, and do not limit the components in other respects (e.g., importance or order). It will be understood that in the case where the term "operably" or "communicatively" is used or where the term "operably" or "communicatively" is not used, if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as "coupled to" or "connected to" another element (e.g., a second element), it means that the one element may be directly (e.g., wired) connected to the other element, wirelessly connected to the other element, or connected to the other element via a third element.

[0109] As used in connection with the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "module" may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic", "logic block", "portion", or "circuit"). A module may be a single integrated component adapted to perform one or more functions or the smallest unit or portion of the single integrated component. For example, according to an embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0110] The various embodiments described herein can be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including one or more instructions readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101) stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory 138). For example, under the control of a processor, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of the machine (e.g., electronic device 101) can call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and run the at least one instruction with or without using one or more other components. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions can include code generated by a compiler or code that can be run by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium can be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Herein, the term "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), but this term does not distinguish between the case where data is stored semi-permanently in the storage medium and the case where data is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0111] According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded between a seller and a purchaser as a product. The computer program product can be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) online via an application store (e.g., Play Store TM ) in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or can be directly distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). If it is distributed online, at least part of the computer program product can be temporarily generated, or at least part of the computer program product can be at least temporarily stored in a machine-readable storage medium (such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a forwarding server).

[0112] According to various embodiments, each of the above components (e.g., a module or a program) may include a single entity or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separately provided in different components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the above components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Optionally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform the one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as the corresponding one of the multiple components performed the one or more functions before integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, a program, or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or in a heuristic manner, or one or more of the operations may be run in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode; and a separator comprising fibers disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the fibers comprising a core and a sheath at least partially surrounding the core, wherein the core of the fibers comprises a phase change material, and wherein the sheath of the fibers comprises a polymer material.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the phase change material is configured to reduce an increase in temperature of the battery by undergoing a phase change from a solid phase to a liquid phase when the temperature of the battery increases.

3. The battery according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the separator is configured to expand as the phase change material in the core changes from a solid phase to a liquid phase when the temperature of the battery increases, and wherein shrinkage of the separator is compensated for by the expansion of the separator.

4. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sheath of the fibers is configured to elongate based on a phase change of the phase change material.

5. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the melting point of the polymer material is higher than the melting point of the phase change material.

6. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the phase change material comprises at least one of paraffin wax, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium hydroxide monohydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, myristic acid, stearic acid, and xylitol.

7. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the polymer material comprises at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).

8. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the polymer material comprises a metal oxide.

9. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the melting point of the phase change material is 28 °C to 90 °C.

10. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the porosity of the separator is 30% to 80%.

11. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the width of the core is 50% or more of the width of the fiber.

12. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the width of the fiber is 1 nm to 1000 nm.

13. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the phase change material is 10 weight percent (wt%) to 90 wt% of the core of the fiber.

14. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a housing containing the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator, wherein the sheath of the fibers is in contact with an electrolyte in the housing.

15. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the phase change material is configured to reduce an increase in temperature of the battery by surrounding an external object when the external object penetrates the separator.

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