Cracked Electrode Islands for High Loading and Fast Ion Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lithium-ion batteries lack improved energy density, charge/discharge rate capabilities, and cycling stability, which are essential for emerging applications in electronics, electric vehicles, and other industries.
Innovation Solution
The development of electrodes with a plurality of cracks that resist delamination from the substrate, allowing for higher active material loading and improved ion transfer through pathways defined by the cracks, enhancing energy density and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If active material loading is increased to improve energy density, then energy density is improved, but the electrode becomes prone to delamination from the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode body is segmented into multiple regions separated by cracks, creating a network of isolated islands of active material. This segmentation allows the electrode to accommodate volume changes and prevents delamination while maintaining high active material loading throughout the electrode structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a planar electrode structure to a three-dimensional network of cracks and islands. The cracks extend through the thickness of the electrode body, creating a hierarchical structure that provides both mechanical stability and ion transport pathways in multiple dimensions.
2Quantity of substance
If electrode thickness is increased to improve energy density, then energy density is improved, but ion diffusion pathways become longer reducing charge/discharge rate
Solution Approach 1:
The thick electrode body is divided into multiple thin layers of active material islands separated by cracks. This segmentation creates multiple short ion diffusion pathways within each island while maintaining the overall thickness of the electrode, thereby preserving both energy density and charge/discharge rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The cracks act as intermediary channels that facilitate ion transport through the electrode. These cracks provide direct pathways for ion diffusion, eliminating the need for ions to traverse the entire thickness of the electrode through the active material, thus maintaining fast charge/discharge rates.
3Speed
If cracks are introduced to improve ion transfer, then charge/discharge rate is improved, but electrode structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cracks are formed self-organizingly during the drying process of the slurry coating method. The evaporation of solvent creates capillary forces that naturally generate the crack network structure, eliminating the need for complex post-processing or specialized equipment to create the cracks.
Solution Approach 2:
The crack formation is controlled by adjusting processing parameters such as drying conditions, slurry composition, and coating thickness. By modifying these parameters, the crack density and distribution can be tuned to optimize ion transfer while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 increases energy density, charge/discharge rate capabilities, and cycling stability by reducing ion diffusion pathways and maintaining electrode integrity under high active material loading, addressing the limitations of existing lithium-ion batteries.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cracks defined in a first surface of the body formed by evaporation of the additive material during the drying of the slurry
Implementation Method 2
a surface tension of the additive material is less than or equal to a surface tension of the solvent
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~8
Figure 9
AI summary
This disclosure is directed an electrode and methods of making an electrode. The electrode includes a substrate and a body laminated to the substrate. The body includes an active material and an inactive material. A plurality of pores are defined by the body. A plurality of cracks are defined in a first surface of the body and a plurality of islands are defined in the first surface of the body. The plurality of cracks are wholly or partially surrounded by respective cracks of the plurality of cracks.