Bipolar Accumulator Gel Electrodes for Electrolyte Confinement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bipolar electrochemical accumulators face challenges in confining liquid electrolytes without using physical barriers, leading to ionic short-circuits and degradation, and existing alternatives like solid electrolytes have conductivity issues or complex production methods.
Innovation Solution
The use of gelled electrodes with a composite material comprising a polymer matrix and fluorinated polymers to trap liquid electrolytes, eliminating the need for physical barriers and ensuring stable electrolyte confinement and conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical barriers (seals) are used to confine liquid electrolyte in bipolar accumulators, then electrolyte confinement is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the seal component entirely from the bipolar accumulator structure. Instead of using physical barriers to confine electrolyte, the design relies on the bipolar current collector geometry and electrode arrangement to naturally contain the electrolyte within cell gaps, eliminating the complexity associated with seal installation and maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The bipolar current collector and electrode assembly automatically confine the electrolyte through their structural arrangement. The cell gaps formed between adjacent cells during stacking naturally trap the electrolyte without requiring additional sealing components, making the system self-containing
2Device complexity
If no physical barriers are used to confine liquid electrolyte, then device complexity is reduced, but ionic short-circuits and degradation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a gel polymer electrolyte that acts as a flexible, semi-solid medium to confine and contain the electrolyte function. This gel layer provides the necessary barrier properties to prevent ionic short-circuits while maintaining flexibility and avoiding the rigidity of traditional seal structures
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from liquid electrolyte to gel polymer electrolyte, changing the physical state parameter of the electrolyte medium. This parameter change provides sufficient viscosity and structural integrity to prevent electrolyte leakage and ionic short-circuits without requiring additional physical barriers
3Reliability
If solid electrolytes are used as alternatives to liquid electrolytes, then electrolyte confinement is improved, but electrical conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the physical state of the electrolyte from liquid to gel by incorporating polymer matrices. This parameter change maintains high ionic conductivity comparable to liquid electrolytes while providing the structural integrity and confinement properties of solid electrolytes, achieving a balance between conductivity and confinement
4Stability of the object's composition
If conventional electrolyte confinement methods are used, then electrolyte stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the electrolyte function with the gel polymer matrix into a single integrated component. The gel electrolyte is formed in-situ within the accumulator structure during assembly, eliminating the need for separate seal installation steps and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining electrolyte stability
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
The solution provides stable electrolyte confinement, preventing leakage and ionic short-circuits, enabling efficient cycling performance and manufacturing simplicity with no need for peripheral seals.
Implementation Method 1
a polymer matrix made from at least one gelling polymer (FF), an active electrode material and optionally one or more electron-conducting additives, the polymer matrix trapping the liquid electrolyte
Implementation Method 2
each electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an ion-conducting membrane that is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and comprises a liquid electrolyte included in the electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
An accumulator with a bipolar architecture that comprises two terminal current collectors, between which a stack of n electrochemical cells is disposed, with n being an integer at least equal to 2, wherein: —each electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an ion conducting membrane that is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and comprises a liquid electrolyte included in the electrodes and the ion conducting membrane; —the n electrochemical cells are separated from each other by n−1 bipolar current collectors; wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode of each electrochemical cell are gel electrodes comprising a composite material comprising a polymeric matrix made of at least one gelling polymer (FF), an active electrode material and optionally one or more electronic conductive additives, the polymeric matrix trapping the liquid electrolyte.