Clamping Device for Silicon Anode Battery Expansion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes experience deformation due to expansion during cycling, leading to reduced contact area between layers and impaired charge acceptance and release, which affects battery performance and cycle life.

Innovation Solution

A clamping device employing an interfacial material and elastic members to maintain uniform pressure distribution across the battery surfaces, using compression plates and spacers to accommodate expansion and prevent deformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If silicon particles are used as anode active material to increase energy density, then volumetric and gravimetric energy densities are improved, but electrode deformation occurs during cycling due to expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolumetric and gravimetric energy densitiesVSAvoidelectrode deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A clamping device is installed within the battery stack to apply preliminary compressive force on the cell stack before and during cycling. This pre-applied compression counteracts the expansion force of silicon particles during charging, preventing electrode deformation and maintaining layer contact. The clamping device acts in advance to neutralize the harmful expansion effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping device provides a counterbalancing compressive force that opposes the expansion force generated by silicon particle swelling during charging. This counterforce maintains mechanical equilibrium, preventing the electrode layers from separating or deforming while allowing the high-capacity silicon anode to function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

2Reliability

If electrode layers are confined in a tight region to maintain contact, then charge acceptance and release are improved, but expansion during cycling causes warping and deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharge acceptance and releaseVSAvoidwarping or deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping device is designed with movable components that can dynamically adjust their position in response to cell expansion during cycling. The device maintains continuous compressive contact while allowing controlled movement, adapting to the changing dimensions of the cell stack without losing clamping effectiveness. This dynamic adjustment prevents warping while maintaining reliable electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping force applied by the device is optimized to specific parameter ranges that prevent deformation without causing damage. By controlling the magnitude and distribution of compressive stress within defined limits, the system maintains electrode integrity and contact pressure necessary for reliable charge transfer while accommodating normal expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If compression force is applied to prevent deformation, then mechanical integrity is improved, but non-uniform pressure distribution can cause localized stress

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical integrityVSAvoidpressure distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping device divides the compression force into multiple discrete contact points or zones distributed across the cell stack surface. This segmentation ensures that pressure is applied uniformly across different regions rather than concentrated at single points, preventing localized stress while maintaining overall mechanical integrity through distributed support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping device is designed with varying contact characteristics at different locations on the cell stack, with each region providing locally optimized compression. This allows adaptation to local variations in cell geometry and expansion patterns, ensuring uniform pressure distribution across the entire stack while maintaining appropriate mechanical constraints in each specific area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 ensures consistent electrochemical performance by maintaining uniform pressure, reducing deformation, and enhancing the mechanical integrity of electrodes, thereby improving cycle life and energy density.

Implementation Method 1

one or more elastic members disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20230124344A1Clamping device and interface for an electrochemical cell stack

Publication Date: 2023.04.20 ENEVATE CORP

AI summary

A clamping device for a multilayered battery comprising one or more electrochemical cells is provided. The clamping device can include one or more plates, guided elastic members, and/or one or more layers of an interfacial material, such as foam pads or papers, to provide distributed pressure across one or more surfaces of the multilayered battery during cell formation and/or cycling. A compression plate is employed to provide a compressive force to compress the elastic members to a predetermined length, at which the position of the elastic members can be fixed.