Composite Anode Active Material for High-Capacity, High-Rate Batteries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lithium secondary batteries fail to provide sufficient capacity and power for large-scale applications such as hybrid vehicles, due to rapid and large power consumption.

Innovation Solution

An anode active material for secondary batteries is developed, comprising first particles as a core active material and second particles attached to their surfaces, with a specific weight ratio and particle size distribution to enhance electrical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional lithium secondary battery structures are used, then the battery can be manufactured with standard capacity, but the capacity and power are insufficient for large-scale applications such as hybrid vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidpower output

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The anode active material is segmented into a composite structure consisting of first particles (core material such as silicon or tin) and second particles (coating material such as carbon or oxide) attached on the surfaces. This segmentation allows the core particles to provide high capacity while the coating particles maintain structural stability and enable high-rate performance, resolving the contradiction between capacity and power output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials by combining different types of particles - first particles serving as core active material (e.g., silicon, tin) and second particles serving as coating material (e.g., carbon, metal oxides). The composite structure leverages the high capacity of silicon/tin cores while the carbon/oxide coatings provide structural integrity and electrical conductivity, achieving both high capacity and high power output simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the weight ratio of second particles is increased to improve coating coverage, then surface protection is enhanced, but the overall battery capacity decreases due to lower active material content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidactive material capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the weight ratio parameter of second particles to fall within a specific range (0.1-5.0 parts by weight per 100 parts of first particles). This parameter optimization ensures sufficient coating coverage for structural stability while maintaining high active material content for capacity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and quantity of active material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12206096B2Anode active material for secondary battery, secondary battery including the same, and method of preparing the same

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 SK ON CO LTD

AI summary

An anode active material for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention includes first particles serving as a core active material and second particles attached on surfaces of the first particles. A weight of the second particles based on 100 weight parts of a total weight of the first particles and the second particles satisfies a predetermined relation. A secondary battery including the anode active material is provided.