Solid Electrolytic Capacitor Dual-Layer Polymer Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Solid electrolytic capacitors with conductive polymer electrolyte layers can experience electrical short circuits due to thin portions, leading to increased short circuit failure rates and leakage currents, degrading their performance.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the formation of a second conductive polymer electrolyte layer to cover thin portions of the first electrolyte layer, preventing the entry of carbon and silver paint layers into these areas and ensuring adequate thickness for self-repairing functions, thereby reducing electrical shorts and leakage currents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a single solid electrolyte layer is formed to cover the dielectric coating, then the manufacturing process is simple, but thin portions may occur leading to electrical short circuits and increased leakage current

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidelectrical short circuit prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The solid electrolyte layer is divided into two separate layers: a first solid electrolyte layer formed by electrolytic polymerization and a second solid electrolyte layer formed by chemical polymerization. This segmentation allows each layer to serve different functions - the first layer provides base coverage while the second layer ensures adequate thickness in thin portions to prevent electrical short circuits, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first solid electrolyte layer is formed in advance through electrolytic polymerization before forming the second solid electrolyte layer. This preliminary action creates a base layer that covers the dielectric coating, and then the second layer is added to ensure adequate thickness in thin portions, preventing electrical short circuits while maintaining a systematic manufacturing approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If the solid electrolyte layer thickness is reduced to minimize material usage, then material consumption decreases, but electrical short circuits occur more frequently in thin portions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrolyte material consumptionVSAvoidshort circuit failure rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The second solid electrolyte layer is specifically applied to cover thin portions of the first solid electrolyte layer where electrical short circuits are most likely to occur. This local quality approach ensures adequate thickness and reliability in critical areas without unnecessarily increasing material consumption across the entire capacitor surface, thus resolving the contradiction between material usage and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a second solid electrolyte layer is added to cover thin portions, then electrical short circuit prevention improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical short circuit preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first solid electrolyte layer formed by electrolytic polymerization serves as an intermediary layer that provides base coverage and prepares the surface for the second solid electrolyte layer. This intermediary layer enables the second layer to be formed more easily and uniformly, improving electrical short circuit prevention while keeping the manufacturing process manageable through systematic intermediate steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 effectively prevents electrical short circuits and decreases short circuit failure rates and leakage currents, enhancing the overall performance of solid electrolytic capacitors.

Implementation Method 1

a capacitor element including an anode, a dielectric oxide coating and a first conductive polymer compound layer is soaked in a conductive polymer compound suspended aqueous solution, and thereby, a second conductive polymer compound layer is formed on the first conductive polymer compound layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrochemical deposition: Electrodeposition

Data Source

PatentUS9224539B2Solid electrolytic capacitor and method for manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2015.12.29 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A solid electrolytic capacitor includes an anode body, a dielectric coating formed to cover the anode body, a first solid electrolyte layer formed to cover the dielectric coating, a second solid electrolyte layer made of a conductive polymer and formed to cover a relatively thin portion of the first solid electrolyte layer, and a cathode layer formed to cover the first solid electrolyte layer and the second solid electrolyte layer.