Composite-Substrate Electrode Assembly for Lighter Secondary Batteries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing secondary batteries face challenges in reducing weight while maintaining safety and energy density, as thinning materials or improving active materials can compromise safety.

Innovation Solution

A secondary battery design using a composite substrate with a polymer substrate sandwiched between metal layers on both sides, and conductive fixing members like rivets to secure electrode plates and conductors, ensuring electrical connectivity without affecting active material-coated areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If materials such as substrates, separators, and outer materials are thinned to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery weightVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate uses a composite structure combining polymer substrate with metal layers (aluminum or copper) on one or both sides. This composite material provides both the weight reduction benefits of thin polymer substrates and the safety/mechanical strength advantages of metal reinforcement, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and safety maintenance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If energy density is increased by improving physical properties of active materials, then energy density is improved, but safety may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy densityVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode plates use composite substrates with polymer and metal layers that enable higher energy density through optimized material properties while the metal layers provide thermal and mechanical safety management, allowing energy density improvement without sacrificing safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Weight of moving object

If composite substrate with polymer and metal layers is used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubstrate weightVSAvoidsubstrate structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The metal layers are pre-formed on the polymer substrate before electrode material coating, creating a ready-to-use composite substrate that simplifies subsequent manufacturing steps while achieving weight reduction and safety benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4679538A1Secondary battery and method for manufacturing the same
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4679538A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4679538A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4679538A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a secondary battery (100) and a method (800) for manufacturing the same. The secondary battery (100) includes an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrode plates, and a plurality of conductors (320, 420, 520, 720) joined to the electrode assembly, in which each of the plurality of electrode plates includes a portion with an active material (220) on both sides of a composite substrate (210), and a non-coated portion (310, 410, 510, 710) free of the active material (220), and where one end of each of the plurality of conductors (320, 420, 520, 720) is arranged between two adjacent non-coated portions (310, 410, 510, 710) of the plurality of electrode plates.