Electrode Assembly Insulating Coating for Lithium Plating Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrode assemblies in secondary batteries face issues with lithium ion deposition due to reversed N/P ratio, leading to capacity loss and safety deterioration during high-rate charging and discharging.

Innovation Solution

The electrode assembly features an insulating coating layer with protrusions on the positive electrode, covering a portion of the active material layer and non-coated areas, to control the reaction area and prevent lithium ion deposition while maintaining a favorable N/P ratio.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a conventional wound rotor structure is used, then the battery cell structure is simple, but the battery cell cannot withstand high acceleration forces during vehicle operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacceleration resistanceVSAvoidbattery cell structure
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode assembly is divided into multiple stacked electrode packs, with each pack independently secured to the collector assembly. This segmentation allows each pack to be individually constrained, preventing relative movement and maintaining structural integrity under acceleration forces while keeping the overall design manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The electrode packs are nested within the battery cell housing and secured to the collector assembly in a compact arrangement. This nested configuration maximizes space utilization while ensuring that each electrode pack is properly positioned and constrained, providing both structural strength and efficient use of the battery cell volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the electrode assembly is not securely fixed, then the battery cell structure is simple, but the electrode assembly shifts during vehicle operation causing performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode assembly positionVSAvoidfixing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing structures are integrated directly into the collector assembly, merging the support and fixation functions into a single component. This integration provides stable positioning for the electrode packs without adding separate fixation mechanisms, thereby maintaining structural simplicity while ensuring positional stability during vehicle operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Power

If excessive acceleration forces are applied to the battery cell, then power delivery is improved, but the electrode assembly shifts and causes performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower deliveryVSAvoidperformance consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode packs are pre-secured to the collector assembly using integrated fixing structures before the battery cell is assembled and before any acceleration forces are applied. This prior cushioning prevents the electrode assembly from shifting under excessive acceleration, ensuring that power delivery improvements do not compromise performance consistency or cause degradation over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP4261977B1Electrode assembly and battery cell including same
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP4261977B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4261977B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An electrode assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a positive electrode that includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer located on the positive electrode current collector; and a negative electrode that includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer located on the negative electrode current collector, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are arranged in a direction in which the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer face each other, wherein the positive electrode includes an insulating coating layer that covers from an end part of the positive electrode active material layer to at least a part of the positive electrode active material layer, and wherein the insulating coating layer includes at least one protrusion that protrudes toward the central portion of the positive electrode active material layer on the basis of an end part of the positive electrode active material layer.