Co-Planar Battery Electrodes Dendrite Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional energy storage batteries face inefficiencies in charge and discharge rates, electrical resistance, thermal management, and response times, particularly due to the formation of metal dendrites in co-facial designs which can lead to short circuits and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
The development of energy storage batteries with a laminar configuration featuring co-planar and co-parallel anodes and cathodes, separated by an insulating substrate and a gap, which prevents dendrite growth and allows for reversible electrode operation, thereby mitigating safety risks and enhancing cycle lifetime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If co-facial electrodes with separators are used, then electrode separation is achieved, but metal dendrites can penetrate the separator leading to short circuits and battery failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a co-facial electrode arrangement (electrodes facing each other across a separator) to a co-planar arrangement where electrodes are positioned on the same plane separated by a lateral distance. This dimensional change eliminates the need for a separator and prevents dendrite penetration by restricting dendrite growth to lateral paths that cannot bridge the gap between electrodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the separator component entirely from the battery design. By extracting this element and replacing it with a co-planar electrode configuration, the design eliminates the vulnerability of dendrite penetration through the separator while maintaining electrode separation through lateral positioning.
2Productivity
If conventional battery designs are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but charge and discharge rates are inefficient with high electrical resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The co-planar electrode configuration increases the effective surface area of electrodes in contact with the electrolyte and reduces the distance for ion transport. This dimensional arrangement improves charge and discharge rates by providing more reaction sites and shorter ion pathways, while reducing electrical resistance through better current distribution across the electrode surface.
3Reliability
If co-planar electrode configuration is used, then dendrite growth is restricted improving safety, but device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the electrodes, defines the co-planar geometry, maintains the lateral separation distance between electrodes, and prevents dendrite growth. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating several roles into a single component.
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 improves charge/discharge efficiency, reduces internal resistance, and prevents short circuits by restricting dendrite growth, enabling the use of previously undesirable chemistries for long-cycle applications.
Implementation Method 1
an electrochemically inert and electrically insulating substrate
Implementation Method 2
an electrolyte deposited in the channel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 4a
AI summary
There is herein described energy storage batteries and methods of manufacturing said energy storage batteries. More particularly, there is described energy storage batteries comprising a laminar configuration and co-planar and co- parallel anodes and cathodes and methods of manufacturing said energy storage batteries.