Bipolar Battery Current Collector With Compressed Conductive Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bipolar batteries face issues of short circuits due to current collectors coming into contact and require additional insulating parts, which increase complexity and reduce energy and power density.
Innovation Solution
A current collector formed from a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials, where compression forms conductive regions and uncompressed areas remain insulative, eliminating the need for separate insulating parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current collectors from different layers are physically separated using insulating parts, then short circuit risk is reduced, but device complexity increases and energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insulating part and current collector into a single integrated component. The current collector is formed from a composite material containing both conductive material (for electron conduction) and non-conductive material (for insulation). This merging eliminates the need for separate insulating parts while maintaining short circuit prevention functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector uses a composite material structure consisting of conductive material particles dispersed in a non-conductive material matrix. This composite structure allows the single component to simultaneously provide electrical conduction where needed and electrical insulation where required, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Reliability
If insulating parts are added to prevent current collector contact, then short circuit risk is reduced, but energy density and power density decrease
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the insulating part and current collector into one integrated component, the patent eliminates the volume occupied by separate insulating parts. This increases the active material volume fraction, thereby improving energy density while maintaining short circuit prevention through the non-conductive material within the composite structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material structure allows the insulating function to be embedded within the current collector itself rather than requiring additional external insulating components. This reduces the overall volume of non-active materials, increasing energy density while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If insulating parts are added to prevent current collector contact, then short circuit risk is reduced, but power density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of insulating and conductive functions into a single current collector component reduces the number of interfaces and joint parts. This minimizes contact resistance and improves electrical connectivity, thereby enhancing power density while maintaining short circuit prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material structure with conductive particles in a non-conductive matrix provides continuous conductive pathways while maintaining insulation. This reduces electrical resistance compared to designs with separate insulating parts, thereby improving power density while ensuring reliability.
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 design prevents short circuits while reducing the number of parts, enhancing energy and power density by allowing seamless transition between conductive and insulative regions.
Implementation Method 1
the first region of the current collector may be compressed to acquire electronic conductivity. Hence, the second region of the current collector may block the conduction of electrons
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
A method for forming a bipolar battery may form a mixture of conductive material and non-conductive material. The method may compress an area of the mixture so the conductive material of the mixture comes into contact to form a conductive region and the mixture that is uncompressed form an insulative region of a current collector of the bipolar battery.