Lithium Battery Anode Perimeter Gap Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thicker cathode layers in lithium batteries increase energy density but are prone to delamination due to stress variations and create fabrication challenges, leading to electrical shorts and reduced battery yields.
Innovation Solution
A lithium battery design featuring a compressed anode with perimeter edges that terminate before corresponding cathode edges, creating a gap to prevent electrical shorts and enhance charge retention, along with the use of over-edge and under-edge dielectrics to suppress lithium dendrite growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If thicker cathode layers are used, then energy density increases, but delamination occurs due to stress variations
Solution Approach 1:
The anode is segmented by creating a gap between its perimeter edge and the corresponding cathode perimeter edge. This segmentation isolates stress zones and prevents stress propagation from causing delamination of the thicker cathode layer, while the anode area remains sufficient to maintain high energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap is applied locally at the perimeter regions where stress concentrations occur during charge-discharge cycles. This local modification prevents delamination at critical edges without reducing the overall thickness or energy density of the cathode layer.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If thicker cathode layers are used, then charge retention improves, but fabrication problems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gap is designed into the anode structure before final assembly and operation. This preliminary structural arrangement prevents fabrication issues by ensuring proper spacing and alignment of layers during manufacturing, making the fabrication process more controllable even with thicker cathode materials.
3Ease of manufacture
If anode perimeter edges extend to cathode edges, then manufacturing is simpler, but electrical shorts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The gap acts as an intermediary space between the anode and cathode perimeter edges. This intermediate region prevents direct contact that would cause electrical shorts, while the overall simple layered structure maintains manufacturing ease. The gap can be easily formed during standard fabrication processes.
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 design reduces electrical shorting defects, increases battery capacity, and provides better charge retention by minimizing stress on the cathode layers, while the dielectrics prevent lithium dendrite formation, enhancing the battery's overall performance and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The mask is placed between the support and a sputtering target comprising anode material. The sputtering target is sputtered through the mask to form an anode having the anode perimeter edges on the electrolyte.
Data Source
AI summary
A lithium battery comprises a support, and a plurality of battery component layers on the support, the battery component layers including a cathode having a cathode area with a plurality of cathode perimeter edges. An electrolyte is on the cathode, and an anode is on the electrolyte. The anode comprises an anode area with a plurality of anode perimeter edges, each anode perimeter edge having a corresponding cathode perimeter edge that lies adjacent to and below the anode perimeter edge. The anode area is sized so that at least one anode perimeter edge is terminated before its corresponding cathode perimeter edge to define a gap between the anode perimeter edge and the corresponding cathode perimeter edge, the gap having a gap distance G.