Deformable Chamber Pressurizes Solid Electrolyte Battery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrochemical batteries face challenges in achieving optimal contact between active materials and solid electrolytes, leading to reduced charge/discharge capacity and increased risk of component deformation and cracking, particularly in sodium-ion batteries, while manufacturing processes are limited by the use of liquid electrolytes and lack of automation, resulting in high costs.
Innovation Solution
A pressurized electrochemical battery design with deformable chambers and a process for manufacturing that uses solid electrolytes, where the deformable chambers apply pressure to optimize contact between electrode sheets and electrolyte sheets, enhancing performance and cycle life, and automates the manufacturing process to reduce costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solid electrolyte is used to eliminate manufacturing issues and improve battery lifetime, then reliability is improved, but contact between active materials and electrolyte deteriorates leading to lower charge/discharge capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs deformable chambers that can dynamically adjust their volume and pressure to maintain optimal contact between the solid electrolyte and electrode sheets during battery operation. The chambers deform in response to volume changes in the electrodes, ensuring continuous good contact despite the rigidity of solid electrolyte material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the electrolyte system by using solid electrolyte with deformable chambers that can alter their pressure and volume. This allows the system to adapt contact pressure dynamically, resolving the contradiction between the reliability benefits of solid electrolyte and the contact quality needed for high capacity.
2Ease of manufacture
If sodium is used as alternative to lithium to reduce material costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but power density and energy accumulation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the physical parameters of sodium-ion battery components, including electrode composition, electrolyte formulation, and chamber pressure characteristics, to maximize the performance potential of sodium-based systems while maintaining cost advantages over lithium-based alternatives.
3Ease of manufacture
If liquid electrolyte is used in current manufacturing processes, then ease of manufacture is improved, but contact and wear performance deteriorates leading to shorter lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from liquid electrolyte phase to solid electrolyte phase, fundamentally changing the physical state of the electrolyte material. This phase transition eliminates the wear and contact issues associated with liquid electrolytes while the deformable chamber system ensures adequate contact is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable chambers provide dynamic adaptation to volume changes in the solid electrolyte and electrodes, compensating for the lack of fluidity that solid materials have compared to liquids. This maintains good contact without requiring the electrolyte to be in liquid form.
4Quantity of substance
If electrode volume varies significantly during ion movement, then charge capacity is improved, but component deformation and cracking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable chambers act as cushioning elements that anticipate and accommodate volume changes in the electrodes during charging and discharging. By being pre-configured to deform, they prevent stress concentration that would otherwise lead to cracking or deformation of rigid components.
Solution Approach 2:
The chambers are designed with flexible, deformable walls that can expand and contract to accommodate electrode volume changes. This flexibility absorbs mechanical stress and prevents transmission of damaging forces to the electrodes and electrolyte, maintaining component integrity during high-capacity operation.
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 solution improves the storage and discharge capacity of batteries, increases the number of charge cycles, and reduces manufacturing costs by optimizing contact between active materials and electrolytes, while also enabling high production rates through automated manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
the deformable chamber supplied with a fluid that deforms the chamber to apply pressure to the electrochemical cell
Data Source
AI summary
A pressurized electrochemical battery and process for manufacturing the same, which comprises several connectors to at least one electrochemical cell with several electrical energy collectors that are connected to the connectors, with the electrochemical cell comprising several electrode sheets and several solid electrolyte sheets inserted between the electrode sheets, and at least one deformable chamber arranged in contact with the electrochemical cell, with the deformable chamber supplied with a fluid that deforms the chamber to apply pressure to the electrochemical cell.