Battery Electrode Current Collector Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery electrodes experience inefficiencies in current distribution, leading to local overheating and reduced energy density due to thick, heavy current collectors that contribute to energy storage rather than enhancing it.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a free-standing active material foil with an electrically conductive current collector layer, featuring structural elements with enhanced conductivity, applied using techniques like galvanic deposition and pressure methods to reduce electrical resistance and adapt material quantity to electrode requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thick current collector is used to ensure sufficient electrical conductivity and mechanical stability, then the electrical conducting capability is improved, but the weight and volume of the battery increase, reducing energy density
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is segmented into a three-dimensional network structure composed of multiple conductive elements (foils, rods, wires, or particles) distributed throughout the electrode. This segmentation allows the current to be collected from multiple paths and locations, improving electrical conductivity without requiring a single thick collector layer, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining conducting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector transitions from a conventional two-dimensional planar foil to a three-dimensional network structure embedded within the electrode. This dimensional change enables current collection throughout the volume of the electrode rather than only at the surface, improving electrical conductivity distribution while using less material, thus reducing weight and increasing energy density.
2Reliability
If a thick current collector is used to ensure sufficient electrical conductivity, then the electrical conducting capability is improved, but the volume of the battery increases, reducing energy density
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is segmented into a three-dimensional network structure composed of multiple conductive elements (foils, rods, wires, or particles) distributed throughout the electrode. This segmentation allows the current to be collected from multiple paths and locations, improving electrical conductivity without requiring a single thick collector layer, thereby reducing overall volume while maintaining conducting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector transitions from a conventional two-dimensional planar foil to a three-dimensional network structure embedded within the electrode. This dimensional change enables current collection throughout the volume of the electrode rather than only at the surface, improving electrical conductivity distribution while using less material, thus reducing volume and increasing energy density.
3Reliability
If current is collected from all electrode regions through the current collector, then the electrical function is fulfilled, but current density increases continuously toward the current collector, causing local heating and energy losses
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector network segments the current collection function across multiple distributed conductive elements throughout the electrode volume. This segmentation creates multiple parallel current paths, distributing the current density more uniformly and preventing concentration of current flow in single regions, thereby reducing resistive heating and energy losses while maintaining effective electrical function.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector transitions from a two-dimensional surface collector to a three-dimensional network distributed throughout the electrode volume. This enables current to be collected at multiple depths and locations simultaneously, creating more uniform current density distribution and reducing hot spots that cause energy loss through heating.
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 reduces the risk of overheating, optimizes energy density, and allows for a thinner, lighter current collector, improving the active material to current collector ratio, thus enhancing the battery's performance and energy storage capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The current collector layer is formed on the active material foil in a galvanic manner
Implementation Method 2
The electrode is pressed in a calender
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing an electrode having an electrically conductive current collector layer having a terminal region for connection to an electrical power circuit, in which to improve the electrical discharge via the terminal region, the current collector layer has at least one structural element having an electrical conductivity that is increased compared to the current collector layer, through which structural element the electrical resistance between a point on the current collector layer and the terminal region is reduced, the method including: providing at least one free-standing active material foil; providing an electrically conductive layer on at least one surface of the active material foil, the electrically conductive layer being formed immediately on the surface of the active material foil to form the current collector layer; and connecting an electrical terminal region to the electrically conductive layer to enable connection to an electrical power circuit.