Electrode End Zone Buckling for Battery Welding Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal-ion electrochemical batteries and supercapacitors face challenges in optimizing the electrical connection between electrochemical bundles and output terminals, leading to inefficiencies in mass, volume, and electrochemical performance, particularly in high-power applications, where internal resistance and electrolyte filling issues cause aging and short circuits.
Innovation Solution
The electrodes for the electrochemical beam are designed with modified end zones that undergo localized plastic buckling under compressive force, creating a gradient of mechanical characteristics to ensure safe and dense packing, while the method involves axial packing and welding of modified metal strips to form a continuous base for improved electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional welding is performed directly on unmodified electrode edges, then electrical connection is achieved, but plastic deformation is uncontrolled and welding safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only the end zones of the lateral strips while leaving the central portions unchanged. The end zones undergo thermomechanical treatment to reduce mechanical strength, enabling controlled plastic buckling, whereas the central portions maintain their original properties for structural integrity. This localized modification resolves the contradiction by providing welding safety where needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire electrode structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-modifying the mechanical properties of the end zones through thermomechanical treatment before the welding process. This advance preparation ensures that when compressive force is applied during assembly, the end zones will buckle in a controlled manner, creating a safety mechanism before welding occurs. This prevents uncontrolled deformation and potential short circuits during the welding operation.
2Reliability
If electrode strips are densely packed to improve electrical connection, then connection quality improves, but risk of short circuits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters (strength, stiffness) of the end zones through thermomechanical treatment, creating a gradient from the treated end zones to the untreated central portions. This parameter change allows the end zones to deform plastically under compression, absorbing excess force and preventing the kind of uncontrolled deformation that could cause short circuits, while still achieving dense packing for good electrical connection.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform compression is applied to electrode ends, then packing density is achieved, but deformation is uncontrolled and may cause short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a mechanical property gradient within the electrode strips. The end zones have reduced mechanical strength due to thermomechanical treatment, while central portions retain full strength. During uniform compression, this gradient ensures that deformation occurs preferentially in the end zones in a controlled manner, achieving packing density without compromising reliability through uncontrolled deformation.
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
This approach allows for reduced mass and volume of the electrical connection, enhanced control over plastic deformations, and safer welding processes, resulting in improved electrochemical performance and extended lifespan of the batteries and supercapacitors.
Implementation Method 1
whose properties of its metallic material and/or its geometry is (are) modified with respect to the rest of the strip in the edge and in the central portion, so as to cause localized plastic buckling in the end zone when a predetermined compressive force (E) is applied to said end zone
Implementation Method 2
welding of the base obtained to a current collector itself intended to be linked or electrically connected to an output terminal of the accumulator
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrode (2, 3) for an electrochemical bundle of a metal-ion storage battery or of a supercapacitor, comprising a substrate (2S, 3S) formed from a metal strip that supports an active metal-ion insertion material (2I, 3I) in its central portion (22, 32), while its lateral band, referred to as the edge (20, 30), is devoid of active insertion material, the lateral band comprising an end area (21, 31), in which the properties of the metal material and/or geometry of which is/are modified in relation to the rest of the strip in the edge (20, 30) and in the central portion (22, 32), so as to cause localized plastic buckling in the end area when a predetermined compressive force (E) is applied to the end area, the central portion not deforming under the predetermined compressive force.