Battery Electrode Mixture Using Nanoparticles to Prevent CNT Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electrode mixtures for rechargeable batteries, particularly those used in electric vehicles, fail to meet advanced performance standards due to inadequate conductivity and aggregation issues with conductive fibrous carbon materials.

Innovation Solution

An electrode mixture comprising a conductive fibrous carbon material, such as carbon nanotubes, and inorganic nanoparticles like alumina or lithium tungstate, where the inorganic nanoparticles are strategically disposed on the surface of the electrode active material to inhibit aggregation and enhance conductivity, with specific diameter and weight ratios optimized to prevent reaction inhibition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conductive fibrous carbon material is used to form conductive paths, then battery conductivity is improved, but the material tends to aggregate and fails to meet high performance standards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery conductivityVSAvoidmaterial aggregation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Inorganic nanoparticles serve as intermediary substances between the conductive fibrous carbon material and the electrode active material. These nanoparticles prevent direct aggregation of the carbon fibers while maintaining conductive pathways, effectively mediating the interaction between conductive components and active materials to achieve both high conductivity and compositional stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite structure combining conductive fibrous carbon material with inorganic nanoparticles dispersed on electrode active material surfaces. This composite approach integrates the high conductivity of carbon fibers with the dispersion stability provided by inorganic nanoparticles, achieving performance beyond what either component could provide alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If inorganic nanoparticles are added to enhance conductivity, then battery performance is improved, but excessive nanoparticles may inhibit reactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery performanceVSAvoidreaction inhibition

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the diameter of inorganic nanoparticles to a specific range (25-150 nm) and controls their weight percentage relative to conductive fibrous carbon material (0.1-0.7). These parameter changes ensure sufficient conductivity enhancement while preventing excessive nanoparticle accumulation that would block active material surfaces and inhibit electrochemical reactions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional electrode mixtures are used, then manufacturing is simple, but they fail to meet advancing high performance property standards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidbattery performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inorganic nanoparticles are pre-dispersed on the surfaces of electrode active material particles before mixing with conductive fibrous carbon material. This preliminary action ensures uniform distribution of nanoparticles throughout the electrode mixture, achieving high performance without requiring complex post-processing or specialized manufacturing equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20230299299A1Electrode mixture and rechargeable battery

Publication Date: 2023.09.21 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

An electrode mixture includes an electrode active material and a carbon nanotube as a conductive fibrous carbon material. The electrode mixture includes an inorganic nanoparticle disposed on a surface of the electrode active material.