Dual Porous Coating Layer Separator for Secondary Battery Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Secondary battery separators face safety concerns due to thermal instability and excessive metal ion deposition, leading to overheating, fires, or explosions, as existing coatings fail to effectively manage metal ions and maintain pore structure during high temperatures.

Innovation Solution

A dual porous coating layer separator is developed, with a first layer of inorganic particles having a low BET surface area for uniform dispersion and bonding, and a second layer with higher BET surface area and specific pore size for enhanced metal ion adsorption, ensuring safety by maintaining pore structure and adsorbing excess metal ions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a porous coating layer is formed from a mixture of insulating filler particles and binder polymer, then thermal stability is improved, but metal ion adsorption capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal stabilityVSAvoidmetal ion deposition
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coating layer is divided into two distinct layers: a lower porous coating layer with insulating filler particles for thermal stability, and an upper porous coating layer with metal ion adsorbent particles for metal ion removal. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials by combining different types of particles (insulating filler particles and metal ion adsorbent particles) in separate layers. The lower layer uses insulating fillers like alumina or silica for thermal resistance, while the upper layer uses metal ion adsorbents for selective metal ion capture, creating a composite structure that addresses multiple safety concerns simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If inorganic particles are added to porous coating layer, then thermal stability is improved, but pore structure maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal stabilityVSAvoidpore structure
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the coating layer have different qualities: the lower layer contains insulating filler particles optimized for thermal stability, while the upper layer contains metal ion adsorbent particles optimized for ion capture. Each layer's particle composition is locally optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall pore structure through controlled porosity (30-80%).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If single porous coating layer is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but metal ion adsorption capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidexcess metal ion
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coating layer is divided into two distinct layers: a lower porous coating layer with insulating filler particles and an upper porous coating layer with metal ion adsorbent particles. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function - thermal stability from the lower layer and metal ion adsorption from the upper layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials by combining different types of particles (insulating filler particles and metal ion adsorbent particles) in separate layers. The lower layer uses insulating fillers like alumina or silica for thermal resistance, while the upper layer uses metal ion adsorbents for selective metal ion capture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 dual-layer separator effectively maintains pore structure and adsorbs excess metal ions, enhancing safety by preventing thermal instability and reducing the risk of overheating, fires, or explosions in secondary batteries.

Implementation Method 1

a second porous coating layer formed by coating on the first porous coating layer, and including second inorganic particles having a Brunauer, Emmett & Teller (BET) surface area in a range of 12 to 30 m2/g

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP2806483B1Separator for secondary battery comprising dual porous coating layer of inorganic particles with different surface characteristics, secondary battery comprising the same, and method of manufacturing the separator
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP2806483B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2806483B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2806483B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a separator for a secondary battery including a dual porous coating layer of inorganic particles with different surface characteristics, a secondary battery including the same, and a method of manufacturing the separator. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a separator for a secondary battery including a porous substrate, a first porous coating layer, and a second porous coating layer is provided. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a separator for a secondary battery including forming a first slurry, forming a second slurry, forming a first porous coating layer, and forming a second porous coating layer is provided. A separator according to an aspect of the present disclosure has uniform dispersion of inorganic particles in a coating layer of the separator, and adsorbs an excess of metal ions generated in the battery when the battery is out of a normal operating temperature range, thereby ensuring safety of the battery.