Cu-Ni Alloy Anode Tab for Secondary Battery Heat Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries face heat-related issues due to high-performance operations, leading to potential fires or explosions, particularly at the anode tab, where current is concentrated, and existing copper anode tabs are difficult to weld with electrode foils or battery cases.
Innovation Solution
The anode tab is made of a Cu—Ni alloy, which reduces resistance and heat generation, improving safety and weldability, with optional additions of Si and Sn for enhanced mechanical strength and temperature characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the anode tab is made of copper to reduce resistance and heat generation, then the resistance and heat generation are reduced, but the weldability with electrode foil and battery case deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The anode tab is constructed as a composite structure with a copper base material providing low resistance and heat dissipation, combined with a nickel plating layer that provides excellent weldability. This composite approach allows the tab to simultaneously achieve low energy loss through reduced resistance while maintaining ease of manufacturing through improved welding characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the anode tab by selecting specific copper alloys with optimized electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, and by controlling the nickel plating thickness and composition. These parameter adjustments enable the tab to reduce resistance and heat generation while maintaining weldability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the anode tab is made of nickel to improve weldability, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the resistance and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The anode tab uses a composite structure where the copper base material provides low resistance for reduced energy loss, while the nickel plating layer provides good weldability. This composite design resolves the contradiction by assigning different functional requirements to different layers of the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the anode tab have different material compositions optimized for their specific functions: the bulk copper material provides electrical conductivity and heat dissipation, while the surface nickel layer provides weldability. This local differentiation of material properties allows simultaneous optimization of both energy efficiency and manufacturability.
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 Cu—Ni alloy anode tab reduces heat and resistance, enhancing the safety and operational efficiency of secondary batteries by improving weldability and preventing current loss.
Implementation Method 1
electrode tabs are attached to active material uncoated portions of electrode plates of an electrode assembly... an anode tab, which is one of the electrode tabs and one end of which is attached to a battery case, is made of a Cu—Ni alloy
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a secondary battery configured to have a structure in which an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure is mounted in a battery case in a state in which the electrode assembly is impregnated with an electrolyte, wherein electrode tabs are attached to active material uncoated portions of electrode plates of the electrode assembly and an anode tab, which is one of the electrode tabs and one end of which is attached to a battery case, is made of a Cu—Ni alloy.