Biodegradable Gel Electrolyte Curing for Uniform Battery Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery manufacturing methods face challenges with non-uniform thickness, air bubbles, and poor adhesion in all-printed batteries, leading to structural issues and performance irregularities, particularly in biodegradable gel polymer electrolyte layers.
Innovation Solution
A method involving in-situ curing of the polymer electrolyte pre-cure solution between assembled electrodes using ultraviolet radiation, where the mold wall transmits light to crosslink the electrolyte, ensuring interpenetration into both electrodes and forming a robust, uniform gel electrolyte layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If screen printing method is used to manufacture gel polymer electrolyte layer, then manufacturing process is simple and low-cost, but the electrolyte layer exhibits non-uniform thickness, air bubbles, and poor adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical screen printing process with a dip-coating method followed by in-situ photopolymerization. This substitution eliminates the mechanical constraints of screen printing (mesh uniformity, squeegee pressure control) that cause non-uniform thickness and air bubbles, while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a straightforward dip-coat-and-cure process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the electrodes and electrolyte precursors into the final battery structure before photopolymerization. This allows the electrolyte to be formed in-situ within the confined space defined by the electrodes, ensuring uniform thickness and eliminating air bubbles through controlled polymerization, while the mold walls maintain the precise geometry throughout the process
2Reliability
If thicker gel polymer electrolyte layer is formed to prevent short circuits, then electrical safety improves, but structural buckling and adhesion problems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the electrolyte from liquid precursor to solid gel through in-situ photopolymerization. This parameter change allows the electrolyte to maintain adequate thickness for electrical safety while the crosslinked gel structure provides mechanical rigidity that prevents buckling and improves adhesion to the electrodes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure where the photopolymerized gel electrolyte forms an integrated layer between the electrodes. The crosslinked gel network provides both the ionic conductivity needed for electrical safety and the mechanical strength to maintain structural stability, eliminating the trade-off between thickness and buckling resistance
3Strength
If in-situ photopolymerization is used to cure electrolyte, then adhesion strength and structural integrity improve, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrolyte application and curing steps into a single integrated process. The electrolyte precursor is applied by simple dip-coating, and the photopolymerization is initiated by UV irradiation through the transparent mold walls, combining formation and curing in one operation that enhances adhesion without significantly increasing process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent mold walls serve as intermediaries that transmit UV radiation into the electrolyte precursor while maintaining the sealed battery structure. This allows photopolymerization to occur in-situ without requiring direct access to the electrolyte, simplifying the curing process while achieving strong adhesion through integrated formation
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 enhances adhesion strength between electrodes and electrolyte, improves mechanical robustness, and maintains open circuit voltage stability, reducing the likelihood of delamination and battery failure.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the electrolyte pre-cure composition to a curing radiation via the portion of the mold wall transmissible to the curing radiation to initiate crosslinking of the electrolyte pre-cure composition to form a cured electrolyte composition
Data Source
AI summary
An electrochemical device is disclosed. The electrochemical device includes an anode and a cathode, and a cured electrolyte composition disposed between the anode and the cathode, where at least a portion of the electrolyte composition interpenetrates at least a portion of both the anode and the cathode. A stacked geometry electrochemical device is disclosed. The stacked geometry electrochemical device includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and a cured electrolyte composition defining a top surface in contact with the first electrode, a bottom surface in contact with the second electrode, and a peripheral edge not in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode. The device also includes a mold wall disposed at the peripheral edge surrounding and contacting the cured electrolyte composition, where at least a portion of the mold wall is transmissible to curing radiation. A method of producing an electrolyte layer of an electrochemical device is also disclosed.