Coated Lithium Supplement for Low-Viscosity Cathode Slurries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cathode-side lithium supplementation technologies face challenges in industrial applications due to issues such as complex processes, high environmental requirements, and poor stability of binary lithium-containing compounds, leading to increased viscosity and poor lithium supplementation capacity in cathode slurries, which affect the energy density and cycle life of lithium-ion batteries.
Innovation Solution
A lithium supplement with a core and coating layer is developed, where the core follows the chemical formula LixM1yM21-yO6 and the coating layer consists of a lithium-containing metallic oxide and carbon material, optimized to enhance lithium-ion migration and electrical conductivity, thereby improving lithium supplementation capacity and stability in cathode slurries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If binary lithium-containing compounds are used for cathode-side lithium supplementation, then lithium supplementation capacity is provided, but stability is poor and viscosity of cathode slurry increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a core material (LixM1yM21-yO6) and a coating layer. The core provides lithium supplementation capacity while the coating layer improves stability and prevents excessive viscosity increase. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating layer is applied locally on the surface of the core particles, providing stability and controlling slurry viscosity only where needed at the particle surface, while the core interior maintains high lithium supplementation capacity. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between supplementation capacity and stability.
2Quantity of substance
If binary lithium-containing compounds are used for cathode-side lithium supplementation, then lithium supplementation is provided, but processing performance deteriorates due to increased viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of core and coating layer creates particles with optimized surface properties that improve slurry processability. The coating layer prevents excessive water loss and maintains appropriate viscosity, resolving the contradiction between lithium supplementation capacity and processing performance.
3Quantity of substance
If metallic lithium material is used for negative electrode-side lithium supplementation, then lithium supplementation capacity is provided, but process complexity increases and environmental requirements become higher
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of supplementing lithium at the negative electrode side (conventional approach), the patent applies lithium supplementation at the cathode side using a stable compound. This inverted approach avoids the complexity and environmental constraints associated with metallic lithium handling while achieving the same lithium supplementation effect.
4Speed
If lithium supplement with optimized lattice parameters is used, then lithium-ion migration rate is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes specific lattice parameters (a and c dimensions) of the core material to enhance lithium-ion migration rate. By carefully controlling these parameters within specific ranges, the invention achieves improved ion transport while maintaining manufacturability through established synthesis methods.
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 lithium supplement effectively enhances lithium-ion migration, reduces viscosity issues in cathode slurries, and improves energy density and cycle life of lithium-ion batteries by ensuring complete lithium supplementation during charging.
Implementation Method 1
the lithium supplement has a relatively high lithium supplementation capacity, a relatively high lithium-ion migration rate
Implementation Method 2
the coating layer can improve storage performance of the lithium supplement and enhance electrical conductivity of the lithium supplement
Implementation Method 3
An X-ray diffraction peak of the lithium supplement at a 2θ diffraction angle in a range from 20.1° to 20.3° has a peak intensity of S1, and an X-ray diffraction peak of the lithium supplement at a 2θ diffraction angle in a range from 170 to 17.3° has a peak intensity of S2
Data Source
AI summary
A lithium supplement includes a core and a coating layer located on at least part of a surface of the core. The core satisfies a chemical formula LixM1yM21−yO6, where: 6≤x≤8; 0<y<1; M1 is at least one of Zr, Nb, Sb, Bi, Ru, Ta, Sn, Hf, Ir, Pr, Pt, or Np; and M2 is at least one of W, Ge, Ca, Ce, K, or Ta. The coating layer includes a carbon material, and a lithium-containing metallic oxide satisfying a chemical formula LiaMbOc, where: 1.8≤a≤2; 0.7≤b≤1.1; 2.8≤c≤3; and M comprises Ti and/or Zr. An X-ray diffraction peak of the lithium supplement at a 20 diffraction angle in a range from 20.1° to 20.3° has a peak intensity of S1, an X-ray diffraction peak of the lithium supplement at a 20 diffraction angle in a range from 17° to 17.3° has a peak intensity of S2, and S1/S2 ranges from 0.02 to 0.05.