Lithium Battery Cathode Conductive Protective Layer Wettability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium batteries prepared with water-based cathode active material slurries often exhibit decreased wettability with electrolyte solutions, leading to degraded high-rate characteristics and lifetime performance.
Innovation Solution
A cathode with a conductive protective layer featuring protrusions and recesses that react with the base, forming pin-holes and increasing electrolyte solution wettability, is used. This layer is applied to a metal substrate, enhancing the penetration of the electrolyte solution and improving lithium ion conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a water-based cathode active material slurry is used, then the cathode can be prepared with improved environmental compatibility and ease of manufacture, but the wettability with electrolyte solution decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive protective layer is designed with a porous structure comprising protrusions and recesses. The pores increase the surface area and provide pathways for electrolyte penetration, thereby improving wettability while maintaining the water-based slurry preparation method
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector is constructed as a composite structure with a metal substrate and a conductive protective layer coating. This composite design combines the mechanical strength of the metal substrate with the enhanced wettability and conductivity properties of the porous protective layer
2Ease of manufacture
If a water-based cathode active material slurry is used, then the cathode can be prepared with simplified processing, but the high-rate characteristics and lifetime characteristics degrade
Solution Approach 1:
The porous structure of the conductive protective layer facilitates rapid electrolyte penetration and ion transport, improving high-rate characteristics and lifetime performance while maintaining the simplicity of water-based slurry processing
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive protective layer modifies the surface properties of the current collector by changing the physical structure (protrusions and recesses) and chemical composition, thereby improving electrochemical performance without altering the water-based slurry formulation
3Reliability
If a conductive protective layer with protrusions and recesses is added, then the electrolyte solution wettability and lithium ion conductivity improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive protective layer with its porous structure is pre-formed on the current collector before cathode active material coating. This preliminary structure preparation enables improved wettability and ion conductivity to be achieved without modifying the subsequent coating and assembly processes
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 enhanced wettability and conductivity result in improved lifetime and high-rate characteristics of lithium batteries, as demonstrated by increased charge and discharge efficiency and capacity retention.
Implementation Method 1
the conductive protective layer includes one or more of a protrusion and a recess which react with base
Implementation Method 2
enhancing the penetration of the electrolyte solution
Implementation Method 3
improving lithium ion conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
A cathode and method of preparing the cathode are disclosed. The cathode includes a current collector, and a cathode active material layer disposed on the current collector, wherein the current collector includes a metal substrate, and a conductive protective layer disposed on at least a portion of the metal substrate, and the conductive protective layer includes one or more of a protrusion and a recess which react with base, a lithium battery including the cathode, and a method of preparing the cathode.