Lithium-Ion Battery Disassembly for Separator Peeling After Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for disassembling lithium ion secondary batteries face challenges in effectively separating the separator from the electrode, leading to poor recoverability of the active material due to excessive voltage reduction and inadequate treatment of the electrolyte solution, resulting in the active material adhering to the separator.
Innovation Solution
A method involving discharging the battery to maintain a voltage above 0.8 V, exposing and drying the electrode body to evaporate the high-boiling-point solvent, and then performing a secondary crushing step to separate the separator from the electrode, facilitating easy peeling of the active material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the voltage is reduced to 0.6 V or lower to facilitate disassembly, then the disassembly operation can be completed, but the active material easily adheres to the separator making separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by controlling the discharge voltage to remain above 0.8V during the disassembly process, preventing the harmful adhesion of active material to the separator before separation occurs. This voltage control is established in advance to avoid the adhesion problem that would occur at lower voltages.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the electrode body is impregnated with electrolyte solution containing solvent, then the battery structure is maintained, but the separator cannot be easily separated from the electrode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the voltage parameter to remain above 0.8V during disassembly, which changes the electrochemical state of the battery components. This parameter control prevents the adhesion between separator and electrode while maintaining structural integrity, enabling easy separation without complete discharge.
3Device complexity
If the active material adheres to the separator, then the separation process becomes complex, but the recoverability of active material decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining voltage above 0.8V to prevent active material adhesion to the separator before the separation process begins. This preventive measure simplifies the subsequent separation process and maximizes active material recoverability by avoiding adhesion in the first place.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the voltage parameter during disassembly to prevent adhesion, which directly impacts both the complexity of the separation process and the recoverability of active material. By adjusting this parameter, both objectives are achieved simultaneously.
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
This approach prevents the active material from adhering to the separator, allowing for high recovery rates of the active material and efficient separation, thereby enhancing the recoverability of recyclable substances.
Implementation Method 1
a drying step, which is a step of drying the exposed electrode body until the high-boiling-point solvent evaporates
Data Source
AI summary
A method for disassembling a lithium ion secondary battery of the present disclosure includes a discharging step, a primary crushing step, a drying step, and a secondary crushing step. In the discharging step, the lithium ion secondary battery is discharged such that the voltage of the lithium ion secondary battery is not lower than 0.8 V, and preferably the voltage is lower than or equal to 3.0 V. In the primary crushing step, the case is crushed to expose the electrode body. In the drying step, the electrode body is dried until the high-boiling-point solvent contained in the electrolytic solution evaporates. Then, in the secondary crushing step, the electrode body after drying is crushed and the separator is peeled off from the electrode.