Current collector for bipolar stacked batteries

Abstract

To provide a current collector for a bipolar battery with a reduced risk of electrical short circuits.SOLUTION: A current collector for a bipolar battery includes a conductive region and an insulating region formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region. The thickness of the current collector may be 1 μm to 50 μm. The conductive region is formed from one of a metal foil or a metal mesh, and the metal foil and the metal mesh may be formed from one of Cu, Ni, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Au, Al, Fe, Ti, Zn, Co, or stainless steel.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related Applications This patent application is related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 612,495, entitled "Current Collector for Bipolar Stacked Batteries," filed on December 20, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C § 119(e) of the prior provisional application.

[0002] Technical Field This disclosure generally relates to batteries, and more specifically to current collectors for bipolar stacked batteries.

Background Art

[0003] Background of the Invention Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly popular in the market as an alternative to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, mainly due to their environmentally friendly nature and advanced technical features. The operation of an electric vehicle highly depends on its battery system that provides the electrical energy necessary to power the motor.

[0004] Conventionally, to generate a voltage sufficient to operate a high-torque motor in a vehicle, a large number of batteries are connected in series. However, this design has several inherent drawbacks. One drawback is that, for example, a significant number of junction components are required for the series stacking of the batteries. Junction components not only contribute to the loss of energy density and power density due to volume loss but also introduce additional resistance, leading to a decrease in power density. Furthermore, junction components tend to concentrate current around the junction area, resulting in a non-uniform temperature and current distribution across the entire battery. This can ultimately contribute to the premature degradation of the battery system.

[0005] To address these issues, bipolar batteries have been developed. In these bipolar batteries, the positive and negative electrodes are arranged on both sides of the current collector, significantly reducing the need for joining components. However, these bipolar batteries have their own problems. Specifically, bipolar batteries exhibit a risk of short circuit. When current collectors of different layers come into contact, the battery cell cannot achieve the required voltage, and the overall voltage decreases. Similarly, when electrolytes of different battery layers come into contact, the cell cannot generate the required voltage either.

[0006] U.S. Patent No. 9,373,869 B2 outlines the use of a separator made of an inorganic solid electrolyte to avoid electrical short circuits. This particular method involves covering the current collector with an insulating polymer to prevent electrical short circuits. The problem with U.S. Patent No. 9,373,869 B2 is that it is necessary to stack a reinforcing material and electrodes (cathode and anode) and the separator. In this configuration, air bubbles can be trapped between the layers, and the layers may peel off. Furthermore, in such a configuration, the pressure distribution may become non-uniform during the process. Such non-uniform pressure can cause cracks in the electrodes and / or the separator.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a system and method that overcome the above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Summary of the Invention This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, a selected set of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify the key features of the subject matter recited in the claims, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the subject matter recited in the claims.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the invention, a current collector for a bipolar battery is disclosed. The current collector for a bipolar battery has a conductive region. An insulating region is formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a current collector for a bipolar battery is disclosed. The current collector for a bipolar battery has a conductive region with a thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm. The conductive region is formed from a composite material made from a mixture of a conductive and a non-conductive material. The conductive material has a shape that provides anisotropic conductivity in order to enhance the conductivity in the thickness direction of the current collector while suppressing the in-plane conductivity. An insulating region is formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region. The conductive region and the insulating region are formed so as to prevent ion conduction.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a current collector for a bipolar battery is disclosed. The current collector for a bipolar battery has a conductive region with a thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm. The conductive region is formed from a composite material made from a mixture of a conductive and a non-conductive material. The conductive material has a shape that provides anisotropic conductivity in order to enhance the conductivity in the thickness direction of the current collector while suppressing the in-plane conductivity. An insulating region is formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region, and the electrical conductivity of the insulating region is less than 10 -8 S / cm. The height difference between the conductive region and the insulating region is defined by a difference Δh, and the difference Δh is in the range of 0 to 20 μm.

[0012] Brief Description of the Drawings This application will be described in further detail with reference to the following drawings. These drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this application, but rather to illustrate its specific attributes. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar components.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1A

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Figure 1B

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Figure 2A

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Figure 2B

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Figure 2C

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Figure 3

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Figure 4A

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Figure 4B

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Figure 5

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Figure 6

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following description is intended to describe the presently preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present disclosure can be constructed and / or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the order of steps for constructing and operating the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the same or equivalent functions and orders can be achieved by different embodiments that are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0024] This patent application proposes a system and method for forming a current collector having a conductive region incorporated in an insulating region, and a bipolar laminated battery using such a current collector.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, a current collector 1 can be seen. The current collector 1 can be composed of two main regions: a conductive region 2 and an insulating region 3. The current collector 1 can be a physical connection between the conductive region and the insulating region. This connection can be designed to ensure structural integrity while maintaining the distinct functional characteristics of each region. The conductive region 2 can be seamlessly integrated with the insulating region, creating a robust and reliable monolithic structure.

[0026] Furthermore, it is important to note that both the conductive region 2 and the insulating region 3 are designed not to conduct ions. This feature is essential in applications such as bipolar laminated batteries where ion conduction can interfere with the function of the device or system in which the current collector is used. By preventing ion conduction, the current collector enhances the stability and reliability of the entire electrical system.

[0027] The thickness of the current collector 1 is not particularly limited. According to embodiments, the thickness of the current collector 1 may be from 0.1 μm to 1 mm, or may be from 1 μm to 50 μm.

[0028] The conductive region 2 can be made of materials known for their high electrical conductivity. This region is the main path of the current and enables efficient transmission of electrons across the current collector. The conductive region 2 can be composed of a metal foil, a metal mesh, etc. Examples of the metal constituting the current collector 1 can include, but are not limited to, Cu, Ni, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Au, Al, Fe, Ti, Zn, Co, and stainless steel. It can be a pure metal element, doped, an alloy, or clad. The surface of the metal may be covered with carbon or other materials.

[0029] The conductive region 2 can also be a composite material made from a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials and can offer unique electrical properties and structural advantages. The conductive materials can include, but are not limited to, Cu, Ni, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Au, Al, Fe, Ti, Zn, Co, stainless steel, or carbon. The non-conductive materials can include plastic materials such as polyacrylic acid (PAA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA); acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); polyamide (PA); polyimide (PI); polyamideimide (PAI); polycarbonate (PC); polyoxymethylene (POM); polyetheretherketone (PEEK); polyetherimide (PEI); polyethylene (PE); polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyphenylene oxide (PPO); polyphenylene sulfide (PPS); polypropylene (PP); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), etc., but are not limited to these. These materials can be characterized by side chains modified with functional groups for improved performance. Furthermore, the non-conductive materials can consist of inorganic materials such as SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3, Na2CO3, Na2SO4, MgCO3, MgSO4, CaCO3, CaSO4, S, P2S5, TiS2, and ZnS.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 2A - 2C, the composition of the conductive and non - conductive mixture within the conductive region 2 may be variable. As can be shown in FIG. 2A, it may include voids of non - conductive material filled with conductive material, or the conductive material may be randomly dispersed within the non - conductive matrix. This flexibility in design may allow for customization according to the requirements of a particular application. The conductive material may take various shapes such as spherical or needle - like as can be shown in FIG. 2B. These shapes may be selected to provide anisotropic conductivity, thereby enhancing the conductivity in the thickness direction of the current collector 1 while suppressing the in - plane conductivity. This property may be particularly beneficial for applications that require a directional current flow. To further improve the conductivity in both the in - plane direction and the thickness direction of the current collector 1, conductive fibers such as carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers may be incorporated as can be shown in FIG. 2C. Incorporating these fibers creates a network within the non - conductive matrix and may facilitate excellent electrical connectivity throughout the conductive region 2.

[0031] Returning to FIGS. 1A - 1B, the insulating region 3 may be created to add insulation around the conductive region 2. The insulating region 3 is made of a material that is electrically insulating and may prevent any unwanted current flow outside the designated conductive path. The insulating region 3 may be essential in enhancing the safety and efficiency of the current collector 1 by preventing short - circuits and other electrical hazards. It may be intricately formed around the conductive region 2, carefully wrapping both its long and short sides. The presence of the insulating region 3 is to ensure that any end of the conductive region 2 can be completely shielded.

[0032] From the perspective of its electrical properties, the insulating region 3 may be constructed to be an excellent insulator. The electrical conductivity of the insulating region 3 should be less than 10 -8 S / cm, and a more stringent and desirable threshold is less than 10 -10 S / cm. This can ensure that the insulator functions in its optimal state and provides maximum protection against any unwanted current.

[0033] The material used for the insulating region 3 may not be limited to a specific material as long as the material has the performance required for insulation. The insulating region 3 may include, but is not limited to, acrylics such as polyacrylic acid (PAA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA); acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); polyamide (PA); polyimide (PI); polyamideimide (PAI); polycarbonate (PC); polyoxymethylene (POM); polyetheretherketone (PEEK); polyetherimide (PEI); polyethylene (PE); polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyphenylene oxide (PPO); polyphenylene sulfide (PPS); polypropylene (PP); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Also, it may be an inorganic material such as SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3, Na2CO3, Na2SO4, MgCO3, MgSO4, CaCO3, CaSO4, S, P2S5, TiS2, and ZnS.

[0034] The insulating region 3 may be composed of a plurality of different materials. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a top view of the current collector 1 may be shown. In this embodiment, the vertical end 3a does not have to be made of the same material as the horizontal end 3b.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 4A - 4B, the position of the insulating region 3 does not have to be bound by strict limitations. The guiding principle is that the conductive region 2 should be comprehensively shielded. What is important is to electronically insulate the ends of the conductive region 2. However, it is essential to avoid forming an excessive height difference between the two regions. The height difference between the two regions can pose problems during the bonding process when creating devices such as bipolar stacked batteries. The height difference can create areas of non-uniform pressure. Such pressure imbalances can even damage the current collector 1 or the separator layer. The height difference can be defined as Δh. This distance, shown as the distance of the exposed surface of the conductive region 2, should be carefully adjusted to ensure the insulation between the layers. Although not limited by strict parameters, the difference Δh should ideally range from 0 to 500 μm, more specifically from 0 to 100 μm, and preferably from 0 to 20 μm. This can provide optimal insulation while ensuring a balanced design and maintaining the structural integrity and performance of the application.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 5, a bipolar stacked battery 4 using the above-described current collector 1 can be shown. The bipolar stacked battery 4 can consist of a repetition (i.e., 1, 5, 7, 6, 1, 5, 7, 6, 1,... 1, 5, 7, 6, 1) in order from the high-voltage side to the low-voltage side of the current collector 1, the cathode layer 5, the separator 7, the anode layer 6, and another current collector 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the very surface of the end of the bipolar stacked battery 4 can consist of the insulating region 3. All of the other elements, namely the cathode layer 5, the separator 7, and the anode layer 6, can be held inside the region defined by the ends of the current collector 1 (in other words, the outer ends of the insulating region 3). That is, within / between the electrical laminations, no layer is in contact with another layer. The upper and lower parts of the bipolar stacked battery 4 can have the current collector 1, and the conductive region 2 is exposed for electrical connection to an external circuit or device.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 6, the dimensional hierarchy of the elements of the bipolar stacked battery 4 can be extremely important for its operation and is defined as follows: S1 > S7 > S2 > S6 ≧ S5, where: S1 represents the area of the current collector 1, S2 represents the area of the conductive region 2 in the current collector 1, S5 represents the area of the cathode layer 5, S6 represents the area of the anode layer 6, S7 represents the area of the separator 7.

[0038] The area S1 of the current collector 1 can be maximized in order to protect against any formation of a short circuit that could compromise the integrity of the bipolar stacked battery 4. A larger S1 can ensure that the conductive region 2 fits entirely within the insulating region 3 and thus prevent the mutual transfer of electrons and ions.

[0039] The separator 7 having the area S7 may be larger than the area S2 of the conductive region 2. This can be achieved by a design that avoids any possible electronic short circuit between adjacent current collectors 1 within the configuration of the bipolar stacked battery 4.

[0040] The conductive region 2 should have an area S2 that is larger than both the area S6 of the anode layer 6 and the area S5 of the cathode layer 5 in order to ensure comprehensive contact with both electrode layers and facilitate efficient electron transfer and uniform current distribution.

[0041] Finally, the area S6 of the anode layer 6 can be greater than or equal to the area S5 of the cathode layer 5. This design can ensure that the ion flux maintains a consistent flow across the cathode layer 5, which is extremely important for the charge and discharge cycles of the bipolar stacked battery 4.

[0042] The cathode layer 5 can be a layer containing at least a cathode active material (CAM). Examples of CAMs are layered lithium-containing oxide materials (LiCoO2, LiMnO2, LiNiO2, LiNi x Mn y Co1-x-y O2, LiNi x Co y Al 1-x-y O2, etc.), lithium-containing phosphates having an olivine structure (LiFePO4, LiFe x Mn 1-x PO4, LiMnPO4, LiFe x Co 1-x PO4, LiCoPO4, etc.), lithium-containing oxide materials having a spinel structure (LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O4, LiMn2O4, etc.), lithium-excess layered structure oxides (Li2MnO3, Li2RuO3, Li2Ru x Ti 1-x O3, Li2Ru x Sn 1-x O3, Li2Mn x Ti 1-x O3, Li2Mn x Sn 1-x O3, etc.), layered lithium-containing sulfide materials (TiS2, MoS2, NbS2, TaS2, sulfur, etc.), or lithium-containing sulfides having a Chevrel structure (LiCu x MoS 1-z etc.), but are not limited thereto.

[0043] The surface of the CAM can be coated by a thin layer of material (i.e., a coating). Examples of coatings can include, but are not limited to, crystalline phases (Li2ZrO3, LiNbO3, LiPO3, Li3PO4, LiTi2(PO4)3, LiZr(PO4)3, ZrO2, Al2O3, EtOLi, MtOLi, LiOH, Li2CO3, etc.) and / or amorphous phases (metal alkoxides, metal phosphates, etc.).

[0044] In addition to the CAM, the cathode layer 5 may further include a solid electrolyte, a binder, and an electron conduction additive. Examples of the electrolyte may include, but are not limited to, organic liquids, organic polymers, and inorganic solids. Ideally, the electrolyte is an inorganic solid because it has a higher lithium transport rate compared to liquids and higher ionic conductivity than organic polymers. This is also because inorganic solids are usually hard and do not show fluidity, which is preferable for constructing the bipolar laminated battery 4 without ionic short circuits.

[0045] Examples of the electrolyte include materials having compositions of Li-P-O-N, Li-Si-O, Li-B-Si-O, Li-B-O, Li-C-B-O, Li-Al-Si-O, Li-Ti-Al-P-O, Li-Zr-Al-P-O, Li-La-Zr-O, Li-La-Ta-Zr-O, Li-La-Nb-Zr-O, Li-M-S (where M is B, Al, Si, P, Zn, Ge, Zr, Sn, or a combination thereof), Li-M'-S-O (where M' is B, Al, Si, P, Zn, Ge, Zr, Sn, or a combination thereof), Li-P-S-X (where X is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof), Li-P-S-O-X' (where X' is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof), Li-B-H, Li-B-N-H, Li-B-H-O, Li-B-N-H-O, Li-M''-X'' (where M'' is In, Zr, Sc, Ga, Nb, Ta, or a combination thereof; X'' is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof), Li-M''-X''-O (where M'' is In, Zr, Sc, Ga, Nb, Ta, or a combination thereof; X'' is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof).

[0046] Examples of the binder that may be included in the cathode layer 5 may include, but are not limited to, butadiene rubber (BR), butyl rubber (IIR), acrylate butadiene rubber (ABR), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The side chains of the binder may be modified by functional groups.

[0047] In addition, the cathode layer 5 may contain an electron conduction additive. For example, various types of carbon may include, but are not limited to, acetylene black (AB), ketjen black (KB), VGCF, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, and fullerenes.

[0048] The thickness of the cathode layer 5 is not particularly limited, but a thicker layer may be preferred when higher capacity is required. For example, the thickness of the cathode layer 5 can be about 0.1 μm to 1 mm, and more preferably, 60 μm to 500 μm.

[0049] The anode layer 6 is a layer that may contain at least an anode active material (AAM). Examples of AAM include layered lithium-containing sulfide materials (such as TiS2, MoS2, NbS2, TaS2, etc.), titanium-containing oxides (such as Li4Ti5O 12 , Ti x Nb y O z , Li x Ti2(PO4)3, etc.), tungsten-containing oxides (such as Nb 16 W5O 55 , Nb 18 W 16 O 93 , etc.), vanadium-containing oxides (such as LiVO2, etc.), artificial carbon (or hard carbon), graphite, Li-metal alloys (such as Li x In, Li x Sn, Li x Si, Li x Ge, Li x Al, etc.), or metallic lithium, but are not limited thereto.

[0050] In addition to AAM, the anode layer 6 may further include a solid electrolyte, a binder, and an electron conduction additive. Examples of the electrolyte may include, but are not limited to, organic liquids, organic polymers, and inorganic solids. Generally, since the electrolyte may be an inorganic solid because it has a higher lithium transport rate compared to liquids and higher ionic conductivity than organic polymers, and since inorganic solids are usually hard and do not exhibit fluidity, this is preferable for constructing the bipolar laminated battery 4 without ionic short circuits.

[0051] Some examples of the electrolyte may include, but are not limited to, materials having compositions of Li-P-O-N, Li-Si-O, Li-B-Si-O, Li-B-O, Li-C-B-O, Li-Al-Si-O, Li-Ti-Al-P-O, Li-Zr-Al-P-O, Li-La-Zr-O, Li-La-Ta-Zr-O, Li-La-Nb-Zr-O, Li-M-S (where M is B, Al, Si, P, Zn, Ge, Zr, Sn, or a combination thereof), Li-M'-S-O (where M' is B, Al, Si, P, Zn, Ge, Zr, Sn, or a combination thereof), Li-P-S-X (where X is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof), Li-P-S-O-X' (where X' is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof), Li-B-H, Li-B-N-H, Li-B-H-O, Li-B-N-H-O, Li-M''-X'' (where M'' is In, Zr, Sc, Ga, Nb, Ta, or a combination thereof; X'' is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof), Li-M''-X''-O (where M'' is In, Zr, Sc, Ga, Nb, Ta, or a combination thereof; X'' is F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof).

[0052] Examples of the binder that may be included in the anode layer 3 may include, but are not limited to, butadiene rubber (BR), butyl rubber (IIR), acrylate butadiene rubber (ABR), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The side chains of the binder may be modified by functional groups.

[0053] In addition, the anode layer 6 may contain an electron-conducting additive. For example, various types of carbon may include, but are not limited to, acetylene black (AB), ketjen black (KB), VGCF, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, and fullerenes.

[0054] The thickness of the anode layer 6 may not be particularly limited. However, when higher capacity is required, a thicker layer may be needed. For example, the thickness of the anode layer 6 can be about 0.1 μm to 1 mm, more preferably 60 μm to 800 μm.

[0055] The separator 7 is an electron insulator but can be an ion conductor. The electrolyte can be any of an organic liquid, an organic polymer, or an inorganic solid. When an organic-based electrolyte (liquid or polymer) is selected, the separator 7 can be a porous membrane having polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and combinations thereof. The membrane can be immersed in the organic-based electrolyte.

[0056] Since the lithium transport rate is high compared to liquids and the ionic conductivity is higher than that of organic polymers, the separator 7 can be made of an inorganic solid. This is also because inorganic solids are usually hard and do not show fluidity, which is preferable for constructing the bipolar laminated battery 4 without ionic short circuit.

[0057] Examples of electrolytes can include, but are not limited to, organic liquids, organic polymers, and inorganic solids. Generally, since the lithium transport rate is high compared to liquids and the ionic conductivity is higher than that of organic polymers, inorganic solids can be used as the electrolyte. This is also because inorganic solids are usually hard and do not show fluidity, which is preferable for constructing the bipolar laminated battery (4) without ionic short circuit.

[0058] Some examples of electrolytes include, but are not limited to, materials having compositions of Li-P-O-N, Li-Si-O, Li-B-Si-O, Li-B-O, Li-C-B-O, Li-Al-Si-O, Li-Ti-Al-P-O, Li-Zr-Al-P-O, Li-La-Zr-O, Li-La-Ta-Zr-O, Li-La-Nb-Zr-O, Li-M-S (where M is B, Al, Si, P, Zn, Ge, Zr, Sn or a combination thereof), Li-M'-S-O (where M' is B, Al, Si, P, Zn, Ge, Zr, Sn or a combination thereof), Li-P-S-X (where X is F, Cl, Br or a combination thereof), Li-P-S-O-X' (where X' is F, Cl, Br or a combination thereof), Li-B-H, Li-B-N-H, Li-B-H-O, Li-B-N-H-O, Li-M''-X'' (where M'' is In, Zr, Sc, Ga, Nb, Ta or a combination thereof; X'' is F, Cl, Br or a combination thereof), Li-M''-X''-O (where M'' is In, Zr, Sc, Ga, Nb, Ta or a combination thereof; X'' is F, Cl, Br or a combination thereof).

[0059] In addition to the above solid electrolyte materials, the solid electrolyte layer may include a binder. Examples of binders can include, but are not limited to, butadiene rubber (BR), butyl rubber (IIR), acrylate butadiene rubber (ABR), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The side chains of the binder can be modified by functional groups.

[0060] The thickness of the separator 7 may not be particularly limited, but when higher capacity is required, a thinner layer can be used. For example, the thickness of the separator 7 can be about 0.1 μm to 1 mm, and more preferably 0.1 μm to 50 μm.

[0061] The foregoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the relevant art to practice the various embodiments described herein. Various changes to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the relevant art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Accordingly, the claims are not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown and described herein, but should be accorded the full scope consistent with the claim language, and references to singular elements are not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically stated otherwise, but rather "one or more." All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later become known to those skilled in the relevant art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be included in the claims. Further, what is disclosed herein is not intended to be dedicated to the public.

Claims

1. A conductive region; and An insulating region formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region A current collector for a bipolar battery, comprising:

2. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive region and the insulating region are formed to prevent ion conduction.

3. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the current collector is 1 μm to 50 μm.

4. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive region is formed from one of a metal foil or a metal mesh, and the metal foil and the metal mesh are formed from one of Cu, Ni, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Au, Al, Fe, Ti, Zn, Co, or stainless steel.

5. The current collector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive region is formed from a composite material made from a mixture of a conductive and a non-conductive material.

6. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the conductive material is formed from at least one of Cu, Ni, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Au, Al, Fe, Ti, Zn, Co, and stainless steel, and carbon.

7. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the non-conductive material is formed from at least one of polyacrylic acid (PAA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA); acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); polyamide (PA); polyimide (PI); polyamideimide (PAI); polycarbonate (PC); polyoxymethylene (POM); polyetheretherketone (PEEK); polyetherimide (PEI); polyethylene (PE); polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyphenylene oxide (PPO); polyphenylene sulfide (PPS); polypropylene (PP); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

8. The current collector according to claim 7, wherein the non-conductive material includes an inorganic material.

9. The inorganic material is SiO ２ , Al ２ O ３ , ZrO ２ , ZnO, TiO ２ , Fe ２ O ３ , Na ２ CO ３ , Na ２ SO ４ , MgCO ３ , MgSO ４ , CaCO ３ , CaSO ４ , S, P ２ S ５ , TiS ２ , and at least one of ZnS, the current collector according to claim 8.

10. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the composite material made from the mixture of the conductive and non-conductive materials includes a non-conductive material having voids, and the voids are filled with a conductive material.

11. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the composite material made from the mixture of the conductive and non-conductive materials includes a non-conductive material in which a conductive material is randomly dispersed in the non-conductive material.

12. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the conductive material has a shape that provides anisotropic conductivity in order to increase the conductivity in the thickness direction of the current collector while suppressing the in-plane conductivity.

13. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the conductive material has at least one of a spherical or needle-like shape.

14. The current collector according to claim 5, wherein the conductive material is a carbon nanotube or a carbon nanofiber.

15. The electrical conductivity of the insulating region is 10 －８ The current collector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, which is less than S / cm.

16. The current collector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the insulating region is formed from at least one of polyacrylic acid (PAA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA); acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); polyamide (PA); polyimide (PI); polyamideimide (PAI); polycarbonate (PC); polyoxymethylene (POM); polyetheretherketone (PEEK); polyetherimide (PEI); polyethylene (PE); polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyphenylene oxide (PPO); polyphenylene sulfide (PPS); polypropylene (PP); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

17. The insulating region is formed of an inorganic material, and the inorganic material is SiO ２ , Al ２ O ３ , ZrO ２ , ZnO, TiO ２ , Fe ２ O ３ , Na ２ CO ３ , Na ２ SO ４ , MgCO ３ , MgSO ４ , CaCO ３ , CaSO ４ , S, P ２ S ５ , TiS ２ , and at least one of ZnS. The current collector according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

18. The current collector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the height difference between the conductive region and the insulating region is defined by a difference Δh, and the difference Δh is in the range of 0 to 20 μm.

19. A current collector for a bipolar battery, comprising: a conductive region having a thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm, wherein the conductive region is formed from a composite material made from a mixture of a conductive and a non-conductive material, and the conductive material has a shape that provides anisotropic conductivity in order to increase the conductivity in the thickness direction of the current collector while suppressing the in-plane conductivity; and an insulating region formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region, wherein the conductive region and the insulating region are formed to prevent ion conduction. A current collector for a bipolar battery, comprising the above.

20. A current collector for a bipolar battery, comprising: a conductive region having a thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm, wherein the conductive region is formed from a composite material made from a mixture of a conductive and a non-conductive material, and the conductive material has a shape that provides anisotropic conductivity in order to increase the conductivity in the thickness direction of the current collector while suppressing the in-plane conductivity; and An insulating region formed around the conductive region to shield the conductive region, wherein the electrical conductivity of the insulating region is less than 10 －８ S / cm, Here, the height difference between the conductive region and the insulating region is defined by a difference Δh, and the difference Δh is in the range of 0 to 20 μm. A current collector for a bipolar battery, including the above.

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