Amorphous Metal Current Collector for Flexible Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thin film batteries face limitations in flexibility due to metal current collectors, which undergo curvature stress and crack easily, leading to battery degradation and reduced capacitance.
Innovation Solution
The use of at least partially amorphous metallic current collectors with specific compositions and manufacturing methods, such as melt-spinning or electrolysis, to enhance flexibility and mechanical properties, allowing for higher bending stress and frequency without cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal sheets are used for current collectors to ensure good electrical conductivity, then electrical conductivity is improved, but flexibility and resistance to bending stress deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and microstructure of the current collector material from crystalline to amorphous. This parameter change in material structure fundamentally alters the mechanical properties, enabling the material to maintain high electrical conductivity while acquiring superior flexibility and bend resistance. The amorphous structure eliminates grain boundaries and dislocations that cause cracking in crystalline metals during bending.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs amorphous metal alloys composed of multiple elements (such as Cu-Zr-Al, Cu-Ni-P, or Pd-Ni-P systems) to create a composite material structure. This composite approach combines the electrical conductivity of metals with the flexibility and crack resistance characteristic of amorphous structures, resolving the contradiction between conductivity and flexibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional crystalline metal current collectors are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but the battery withstands fewer bends and has reduced durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and microstructure of the current collector material from crystalline to amorphous. This parameter change in material structure fundamentally alters the mechanical properties, enabling the material to maintain high electrical conductivity while acquiring superior flexibility and bend resistance. The amorphous structure eliminates grain boundaries and dislocations that cause cracking in crystalline metals during bending.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The amorphous metal current collectors significantly increase the battery's elastic characteristics, enabling it to withstand more bends and maintain performance, with improved fatigue resistance and flexibility compared to crystalline metal counterparts.
Implementation Method 1
The use of at least partially amorphous metallic current collectors with specific compositions and manufacturing methods, such as melt-spinning or electrolysis
Implementation Method 2
The amorphous metal current collectors significantly increase the battery's elastic characteristics, enabling it to withstand more bends and maintain performance
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns an electrochemical device comprising a cathode and an anode separated from each other by a separator, the battery further comprising two current collectors so that the anode and cathode are each arranged between the separator and a current collector, characterized in that at least one of the two current collectors is made of an at least partially amorphous material comprising at least one metallic element.