Anode Particle Size Distribution for Battery Safety and Cycle Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current secondary batteries face challenges in achieving superior battery characteristics, such as high energy density, safety, and long cycle life, particularly in electronic devices and electric vehicles, due to limitations in anode active material configurations and particle size distributions.
Innovation Solution
A secondary battery configuration using a mixture of carbon particles, including graphite, and non-carbon particles like silicon, tin, and germanium, with a specific particle size distribution and surface modifications, optimized through first- and second-order differential analysis to achieve improved filling properties, conductivity, and electrolyte management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-graphitizable carbon material is used to achieve high safety, then safety is improved, but charge-discharge cycle characteristics and heavy-load discharge characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines graphitizable carbon material and non-graphitizable carbon material in a specific particle size distribution within the anode. The graphitizable carbon (5-20 μm) provides good cycle characteristics and conductivity, while the non-graphitizable carbon (3-8 μm) provides safety. This merging of materials with complementary properties resolves the contradiction between safety and cycle life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different carbon material properties to different particle size ranges. Larger particles (5-20 μm) use graphitizable carbon for structural stability and conductivity, while smaller particles (3-8 μm) use non-graphitizable carbon for safety. This local differentiation of material quality optimizes both safety and cycle characteristics simultaneously.
2Quantity of substance
If alloyed material and carbon material are used in combination to achieve high capacity, then capacity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameters of carbon materials (5-20 μm for graphitizable, 3-8 μm for non-graphitizable) to achieve high capacity without excessive manufacturing complexity. By controlling particle size within specific ranges rather than using complex alloy compositions, the patent simplifies manufacturing while maintaining high capacity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If electrode reactant precipitation and dissolution is utilized to achieve high energy density, then energy density is improved, but battery characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses carbon materials as an intermediary matrix to accommodate alloyed materials. The carbon particles provide a stable structure that mediates between the high-capacity alloyed material and the electrolyte, enabling precipitation and dissolution reactions to occur in a controlled manner that maintains both high energy density and good battery characteristics.
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 proposed configuration enhances energy density, reduces resistance, and extends cycle life by ensuring stable electrode reactions and efficient electrolyte impregnation, leading to superior battery performance in electronic devices and electric vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a secondary battery that utilizes insertion and extraction of an electrode reactant
Implementation Method 2
efficient electrolyte impregnation
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary battery includes a cathode; an anode (1) including a plurality of carbon particles and a plurality of non-carbon particles, (2) the carbon particles containing graphite, (3) the non-carbon particles containing a material including, as a constituent element, one or more of silicon (Si), tin (Sn), and germanium (Ge), and (4) a distribution of a first-order differential value of an integrated value Q of a relative particle amount with respect to a particle diameter D of the plurality of carbon particles having one or more discontinuities, where a horizontal axis and a vertical axis of the distribution indicate the particle diameter D (μm) and a first-order differential value dQ/dD, respectively; and an electrolyte.