Biodegradable Battery Barrier Layer for Moisture Retention

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the polymer electrolyte by using radiatively curable compositions that can be rapidly cured at room temperature or elevated temperatures. This transforms the manufacturing process from slow solvent evaporation (hours) to rapid radiative curing (minutes), enabling high-throughput printing while maintaining biodegradability through the use of biodegradable polymers like PCL, PLA, PHB, and starch-based polymers.

The patent replaces the traditional solvent evaporation mechanism (thermal/mechanical process requiring hours) with radiative curing (optical/chemical process completing in minutes). This substitution enables compatibility with high-throughput printing processes while maintaining the biodegradable nature of the electrolyte through careful selection of radiatively curable biodegradable polymers and initiators.

The patent employs composite material structures where thin biodegradable polymer layers are combined with metalized coatings (such as aluminum) to create an effective moisture barrier. This composite approach provides sufficient moisture protection for battery operation while maintaining overall biodegradability, as the biodegradable polymer matrix can decompose and the metal coating can be recovered or disposed of separately, avoiding the need for thick non-biodegradable foil pouches.

The patent uses thin biodegradable polymer films instead of thick foil pouches, relying on the metalized coating to provide the primary moisture barrier function. This thin-film approach reduces material usage and maintains flexibility while achieving adequate moisture protection for the electrochemical device, enabling biodegradability without sacrificing reliability.

The patent replaces the slow thermal evaporation process with rapid radiative curing using UV or other radiative energy sources. This substitution transforms the electrolyte formation process from a hours-long evaporation process to a minutes-long curing process, enabling high-throughput manufacturing while maintaining the quality of solid polymer electrolyte films through controlled radiative crosslinking or polymerization of biodegradable monomers and oligomers.

The patent changes the fundamental mechanism of electrolyte film formation from solvent removal (evaporation) to polymerization/crosslinking (radiative curing). This parameter change enables rapid processing compatible with high-throughput printing, as the radiatively curable composition transforms from a liquid or soft gel state to a solid electrolyte film in minutes rather than hours, while maintaining biodegradability through careful material selection.