All-solid-state batteries and vehicles

Abstract

To provide an all-solid-state battery and a vehicle that can reduce the possibility of damage due to external forces when installed in vehicles such as electric vehicles. [Solution] The all-solid-state battery comprises a plurality of electrode bodies, each having a plate-shaped positive electrode, a plate-shaped negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer formed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and all of which are bound together by a coating agent with their straight edges aligned, and the cell comprises a plurality of cells in which the positions of the end faces of the coating agent in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the plurality of edges are aligned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to all-solid-state batteries and vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in order to enable more people to access affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy, research and development have been carried out on secondary batteries that contribute to energy efficiency. Secondary batteries are essential for vehicles such as electric vehicles. As a document disclosing the technology related to secondary batteries, for example, Patent Document 1 can be cited. The secondary battery manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is manufactured by arranging fuel cell cells in a state of being suspended from an alignment opening rail.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the secondary battery manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when there are variations in the dimensions of each part of the fuel cell cell, the edges of each part may not be aligned. And in such a case, an external force may concentrate on the edge that protrudes more than the other edges, and the secondary battery may be damaged. Further, when the secondary battery is mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, it may receive an external force due to a collision with a curb or a collision with a stone that bounces when the vehicle is running.

[0005] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an all-solid-state battery and vehicle that can reduce the possibility of damage due to external forces when installed in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle. Furthermore, this invention contributes to safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 1 includes a plurality of electrode bodies, each having a plate-shaped positive electrode, a plate-shaped negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer formed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and which are bound together by a coating agent with their straight edges aligned, and the position of the end faces of the coating agent in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the plurality of edges is aligned.

[0007] As a result, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 1 can be positioned with the end face of the coating agent facing the direction in which it is most frequently subjected to external forces such as collisions with curbs or stones kicked up by a moving vehicle. Therefore, unlike all-solid-state batteries in which the edges of the electrode body or the end face of the coating agent of the cell are not aligned, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 1 can receive external forces over a surface area, thereby reducing the possibility of damage due to external forces. Furthermore, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 1 can avoid the increase in manufacturing costs that would result from providing separate components to ensure strength against external forces.

[0008] In the all-solid-state battery according to claim 2, the coating agent and the plurality of electrode bodies are covered with an outer casing formed by lamination.

[0009] As a result, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 2 can suppress the movement of the coating agent and the multiple electrode bodies, ensure that the positions of the end faces of the coating agent are aligned, and maintain a structure in which external force is not excessively concentrated in a particular area.

[0010] The all-solid-state battery according to claim 3 further comprises a cushion sandwiched between the cells, an end plate sandwiching the cells and the cushion in a direction perpendicular to the widest surface of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or the solid electrolyte layer, and a bind bar sandwiching a plurality of the cells in a direction parallel to the widest surface of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or the solid electrolyte layer.

[0011] As a result, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 3 has aligned end faces of the coating agent and is arranged in a way that prevents excessive concentration of external force on specific locations, while still firmly holding the cells together. Therefore, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 3 can further reduce the possibility of damage due to external force while preventing external force from being directly applied to the end faces of the coating agent of each cell.

[0012] In the all-solid-state battery according to claim 4, the coating agent is an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin.

[0013] As a result, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 4 has aligned end faces of the coating agent, and the areas where external force is not concentrated too much can be reinforced with acrylic resin or epoxy resin, further reducing the possibility of damage caused by external force applied to those areas.

[0014] In the all-solid-state battery according to claim 5, the coating agent has a Young's modulus of 40 MPa or less at a temperature of 0 degrees to 40 degrees after curing.

[0015] As a result, the all-solid-state battery according to claim 5 has aligned end faces of the coating agent, and the portion where external force is not concentrated too much is reinforced with a material having a suitable Young's modulus, further reducing the possibility of damage caused by external force applied to that portion.

[0016] To achieve the above objective, the vehicle according to claim 6 is equipped with an all-solid-state battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, with its end face facing the road surface.

[0017] This reduces the possibility that the vehicle according to claim 6 may be damaged by external forces resulting from a curb colliding with the underside of the vehicle or from stones kicked up while driving colliding with the underside of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of an all-solid-state battery according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the arrangement of an all-solid-state battery according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of an all-solid-state battery according to an embodiment. The all-solid-state battery 1 shown in Figure 1 is mounted on a vehicle, for example, an electric vehicle, to rotate the tires of the vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle on which the all-solid-state battery 1 is mounted is not limited to four-wheeled vehicles, but may also be two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or the like.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the all-solid-state battery 1 comprises a cell 10, a cushion 20, an end plate 30, and a bind bar 40. Furthermore, for example, 48 cells 10 are included in the all-solid-state battery 1, and as shown in Figure 1, each cell 10 comprises multiple electrode bodies 11, a coating agent 12, a coating agent 13, and an outer casing 14. In the following description, a right-handed three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system including the X, Y, and Z axes shown in Figure 1 will be used.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode body 11 includes a positive electrode 111, a negative electrode 112, and a solid electrolyte layer 113. The positive electrode 111 is a plate-shaped electrode formed in a rectangular shape. The positive electrode 111 includes a plate-shaped current collector foil and a positive electrode active material coated on the current collector foil, and receives Li ions from the solid electrolyte layer 113. The negative electrode 112 is a plate-shaped electrode disposed in a parallel or substantially parallel state to the positive electrode 111 at two positions on the +Z direction side and the -Z direction side of the positive electrode 111, and is formed in a rectangular shape. The negative electrode 112 includes a plate-shaped current collector foil and a negative electrode active material coated on the current collector foil, and releases Li ions to the solid electrolyte layer 113. The solid electrolyte layer 113 is formed between the positive electrode 111 and the negative electrode 112 disposed on the +Z direction side of the positive electrode 111 and between the positive electrode 111 and the negative electrode 112 disposed on the -Z direction side of the positive electrode 111.

[0022] Note that the negative electrode 112 may be disposed only on one of the +Z direction side and the -Z direction side of the positive electrode 111. Further, when the negative electrode 112 is disposed only on one of the +Z direction side and the -Z direction side of the positive electrode 111, the solid electrolyte layer 113 is formed only on the side where the negative electrode 112 is disposed.

[0023] Also, the electrode bodies 11 included in the cell 10 are stacked in the Z direction in a state where the positions in the X direction of the linear edges parallel to the Y axis on the +X direction side are not aligned, and the positions in the X direction of the linear edges parallel to the Y axis on the -X direction side are aligned. This is because there are variations in the dimensions in the X direction of each of the electrode bodies 11. Note that the method of stacking the electrode bodies 11 included in the cell 10 as shown in FIG. 1 is not particularly limited. Also, the electrode bodies 11 are included, for example, 27 in one cell 10. Further, the electrode bodies 11 may be included, for example, 30, 50, or 100 in one cell 10.

[0024] The coating agent 12 adheres to the linear edges parallel to the Y-axis on the -X direction side of each of the electrode bodies 11 and the periphery of the edges, thereby integrating the electrode bodies 11 included in the cell 10 into one. Also, the coating agent 12 included in the cell 10 has the positions of the end faces E in the direction perpendicular to the plane including the edges of the plurality of electrode bodies 11, that is, in the X direction, aligned. That is, the end faces E of the coating agent 12 included in the cell 10 are all arranged on a plane P parallel to the YZ plane. The coating agent 13 adheres to the linear edges parallel to the Y-axis on the +X direction side of each of the electrode bodies 11 and the periphery of the edges, thereby integrating the electrode bodies 11 included in the cell 10 into one. Note that the cell 10 may not include the coating agent 13.

[0025] At least one of the coating agent 12 and the coating agent 13 is preferably an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin. Also, at least one of the coating agent 12 and the coating agent 13 preferably has a Young's modulus of 40 MPa or less at a temperature of 10 degrees or more and 25 degrees or less after curing. Further, at least one of the coating agent 12 and the coating agent 13 preferably has a viscosity of 1 Pa·s or more and 150 Pa·s or less before curing.

[0026] The exterior 14 covers the surface on the +X direction side of the coating agent 13, the surface on the -X direction side of the coating agent 12, and the electrode bodies 11, the +Y direction side surfaces, the -Y direction side surfaces, the +Z direction side surfaces, and the -Z direction side surfaces of the coating agent 12 and the coating agent 13 included in the cell 10. The exterior 14 is formed, for example, by lamination processing and vacuum-seals the electrode bodies 11, the coating agent 12, and the coating agent 13. Thereby, the exterior 14 applies a pressure of 0.1 MPa to the electrode bodies 11, the coating agent 12, and the coating agent 13 to prevent the electrode bodies 11, the coating agent 12, and the coating agent from moving.

[0027] The cushion 20 is sandwiched between the cells 10. The end plate 30 sandwiches multiple cells 10 and multiple cushions 20 in a direction perpendicular to the widest surface of the positive electrode 111, negative electrode 112, or solid electrolyte layer 113, i.e., in the Z direction. In this way, the end plate 30 applies a pressure of, for example, 1.5 MPa to the cells 10 and cushions 20 contained in the all-solid-state battery 1. The bind bar 40 sandwiches multiple cells 10 in a direction parallel to the widest surface of the positive electrode 111, negative electrode 112, or solid electrolyte layer 113, for example, in the X direction.

[0028] Figure 2 shows an example of the arrangement of an all-solid-state battery according to the embodiment. The indenter 900 shown in Figure 2 is used in crushing tests and simulates a curb that collides with an all-solid-state battery 1 mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, or a stone that is kicked up when the vehicle is moving. When the crushing test is performed, the indenter 900 is pressed against the surface of the all-solid-state battery 1 where the end face E of the coating agent 12 is located, thereby applying an external force to that surface of the all-solid-state battery 1.

[0029] The all-solid-state battery 1 is mounted in the vehicle with the end faces E of each cell 10 facing the direction from which the indenter 900 will strike. In other words, the all-solid-state battery 1 is mounted in the vehicle with the end faces E of each cell 10 facing the road surface. The all-solid-state battery 1 may also be included in the intelligent power unit (IPU) mounted in the vehicle.

[0030] The all-solid-state battery and vehicle according to the embodiment have been described above. The all-solid-state battery 1 comprises a plurality of cells 10 in which the positions of the end faces E of the coating agent 12 in the X direction are aligned. Each cell 10 contains a plurality of electrode bodies 11. Each electrode body 11 has a plate-shaped positive electrode 111, a plate-shaped negative electrode 112, and a solid electrolyte layer 113 formed between the positive electrode 111 and the negative electrode 112. The electrode bodies 11 contained in the cell 10 are fixed to each other by the coating agent 12 with their straight edges parallel to the Y direction aligned.

[0031] As a result, the all-solid-state battery 1 can be positioned with the end face E of the coating agent 12 facing in a direction that is more likely to be subjected to external forces such as collisions with curbs or stones kicked up by vehicles. Therefore, unlike all-solid-state batteries in which the end faces of some electrodes or cells' coating agents protrude in the -X direction, the all-solid-state battery 1 can receive external forces over its entire surface, thereby reducing the possibility of damage due to external forces. In addition, the all-solid-state battery 1 can avoid the increase in manufacturing costs that would result from providing separate components to ensure strength against external forces.

[0032] Furthermore, the coating agent 12, the coating agent 13, and the multiple electrode bodies 11 are covered with an outer casing 14 formed by lamination.

[0033] As a result, the all-solid-state battery 1 can suppress the movement of the coating agent 12, coating agent 13, and multiple electrode bodies 11, and the position of the end face E of the coating agent 12 is aligned, and the structure of parts where external force is not excessively concentrated in a particular location can be maintained more reliably.

[0034] The all-solid-state battery 1 also includes a cushion 20, an end plate 30, and a bind bar 40. The cushion 20 is sandwiched between the cells 10. The end plate 30 sandwiches the cells 10 and the cushion 20 in a direction perpendicular to the widest surface of the positive electrode 111, the negative electrode 112, or the solid electrolyte layer 113. The bind bar 40 sandwiches multiple cells in a direction parallel to the widest surface of the positive electrode 111, the negative electrode 112, or the solid electrolyte layer 113.

[0035] As a result, the all-solid-state battery 1 has the end faces E of the coating agent 12 aligned, and the cells 10 are arranged in a way that prevents excessive concentration of external force on any particular location. This arrangement also prevents external force from being directly applied to the cells 10, while still allowing the cells 10 to be firmly held together. Therefore, the all-solid-state battery 1 can further reduce the possibility of damage due to external force while preventing external force from being directly applied to the end faces E of the coating agent 12 of each cell 10.

[0036] Furthermore, in the all-solid-state battery 1, at least one of the coating agents 12 is an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin.

[0037] As a result, the all-solid-state battery 1 has aligned end faces E of the coating agent 12, and the areas where external force is not concentrated too much can be reinforced with acrylic resin or epoxy resin, further reducing the possibility of damage caused by external force applied to those areas.

[0038] Furthermore, in the all-solid-state battery 1, the coating agent 12 has a Young's modulus of 40 MPa or less at a temperature of 10°C to 25°C after curing.

[0039] As a result, the all-solid-state battery 1 has aligned end faces E of the coating agent 12, and the areas where external force is not concentrated too much are reinforced with a material having a suitable Young's modulus, further reducing the possibility of damage caused by external force applied to those areas.

[0040] Furthermore, in the all-solid-state battery 1, the coating agent 12 has a viscosity of 1 Pa·s or more and 150 Pa·s or less before curing.

[0041] As a result, the all-solid-state battery 1 can be made even easier to align the edges of the electrode bodies with a coating agent 12 having a suitable viscosity. Therefore, the all-solid-state battery 1 can improve the precision of the position of the edges of each electrode body 11 and increase the degree to which external force is not concentrated excessively at a particular location.

[0042] In the vehicle according to this embodiment, the all-solid-state battery 1 described above is mounted with its end face E facing the road surface.

[0043] As a result, the vehicle according to this embodiment orients the end face E of the coating agent 12 in a direction that is more frequently subjected to external forces such as collisions with curbs or stones kicked up while driving, thereby reducing the possibility of the all-solid-state battery 1 being damaged by external forces.

[0044] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, the present invention includes embodiments that have been modified, substituted, or redesigned in accordance with the spirit of the present invention, and these embodiments are not excluded. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1…All-solid-state battery 10...cell 11...Electrode body 111...Positive electrode 112...Negative electrode 113...Solid electrolyte layer 12, 13… Coating agent 14…Exterior 20... Cushion 30… End plate 40... Bind bar 900... Indenter

Claims

1. An all-solid-state battery comprising a plurality of electrode bodies, each having a plate-shaped positive electrode, a plate-shaped negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer formed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and all of which are bound together by a coating agent with their straight edges aligned, wherein the positions of the end faces of the coating agent in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the plurality of edges are aligned.

2. The coating agent and the plurality of electrode bodies are covered with an outer casing formed by lamination. The all-solid-state battery according to claim 1.

3. The cushion sandwiched between the aforementioned cells, An end plate sandwiching the cell and the cushion in a direction perpendicular to the widest surface of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or the solid electrolyte layer, A bind bar that sandwiches a plurality of cells in a direction parallel to the widest surface of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or the solid electrolyte layer, The all-solid-state battery according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. The coating agent is an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin. The all-solid-state battery according to claim 1.

5. The coating agent has a Young's modulus of 40 MPa or less after curing at a temperature of 0°C to 40°C. The all-solid-state battery according to claim 1.

6. A vehicle in which an all-solid-state battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is mounted with its end face facing the road surface.

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