Lithium Secondary Battery Electrodes Using Current Collector Particles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lithium secondary battery production processes face issues with electrode active material loading imbalances, adhesion defects, and output degradation due to the distance between the current collector layer and the electrode active material layer, which are exacerbated by the coating and rolling processes.

Innovation Solution

The use of current collector particles instead of traditional plate-type current collectors, allowing for uniform distribution and contact with electrode active materials within the battery, eliminating the need for a separate coating process and enabling the production of high-capacity, high-energy-density batteries by simplifying the production method.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional coating process is used to form electrode active material layer on current collector, then electrode structure is formed, but loading imbalance and adhesion defects occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode active material loading uniformityVSAvoidcoating process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of coating the current collector with electrode active material slurry (conventional approach), the patent inverts the process by forming a porous green body directly on the current collector using gel casting technology, then infiltrating it with electrode active material. This inversion eliminates coating process complexities while achieving uniform loading and excellent adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical coating process with a chemical-gel-based formation process. By using gel casting followed by infiltration, the method substitutes mechanical spreading and drying with a controlled chemical gelation and material infiltration mechanism, achieving superior uniformity and adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Power

If conventional coating and drying processes are used, then electrode is formed, but output characteristics degrade due to distance between current collector and electrode active material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery output characteristicsVSAvoiddistance between current collector and electrode active material

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a conventional planar electrode structure to a three-dimensional porous green body structure that is directly formed on the current collector surface. This dimensional change allows electrode active material to be distributed throughout the porous structure, minimizing the distance between current collector and active material and improving output characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a nested structure where the porous green body is formed directly on the current collector, and electrode active material is infiltrated within the porous network. This nesting ensures intimate contact between current collector and active material, reducing transport distance and improving power output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If multiple coating and rolling processes are used to form electrode, then electrode structure is achieved, but production efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode production efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing process simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple conventional processes (coating, drying, rolling, binder addition) into a single integrated gel casting and infiltration process. By combining these steps, the method significantly improves production efficiency while maintaining or enhancing manufacturing quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate steps from the conventional electrode manufacturing process. By removing separate coating, drying, and rolling operations, and replacing them with a direct gel casting and infiltration method, production efficiency is improved without sacrificing manufacturing quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12183930B2Lithium secondary battery and production method thereof

Publication Date: 2024.12.31 LG CHEM LTD

AI summary

A lithium secondary battery is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a lithium secondary battery includes: a battery case having an interior region, a separator, wherein the separator divides the interior region into a first region and a second region, a positive electrode formed in the first region and including a positive electrode active material and positive electrode current collector particles; and a negative electrode formed in the second region and including a negative electrode active material and negative electrode current collector particles.