Electrode Shaping Material With Low-Volatility Viscous Electrolyte
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing electrodes face challenges in mixing ingredients uniformly, achieving stable performance, and are prone to odor and stability issues due to volatile solvent evaporation.
Innovation Solution
A shaping material for electrodes comprising a viscous electrolyte composition with specific proportions of polymer and low molecular weight organic compounds, along with optional conductive fillers and fiber components, facilitates easy production and improves active material content while minimizing odor and stability problems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a viscous solution containing polyethylene oxide, carbon, LiV3O8, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, PVdF-HFP copolymer, and acrylonitrile is applied onto aluminum foil and acrylonitrile is caused to evaporate, then an electrode film can be formed, but volatilization of a large amount of volatile solvent may result in odor problems and it is difficult to achieve stable production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the electrolyte solution by specifying that the PVdF-HFP copolymer content is 20 mass% or more of the total polymer content, and the acrylonitrile content is controlled at 5 mass% or less. These parameter adjustments reduce the volatility of the solution while maintaining electrode formation capability, thereby reducing odor during production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite electrolyte system combining PVdF-HFP copolymer with other polymers (polyethylene oxide, polyacrylonitrile) and carbon materials (acetylene black, graphite). This composite material approach creates a balanced formulation where the polymer matrix provides structure while minimizing volatile solvent content, reducing odor without compromising electrode performance.
2Productivity
If acrylonitrile is used as a volatile solvent in the electrode formation process, then the electrode film can be formed, but it is difficult to cause volatilization to proceed with perfect consistency when multiple electrodes are produced, thus difficult to stably produce electrodes having stable performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the volatility parameters of the electrolyte solution by controlling acrylonitrile content at 5 mass% or less and using PVdF-HFP copolymer (20 mass% or more of total polymer) which has appropriate viscosity and evaporation characteristics. This parameter optimization ensures consistent volatilization behavior across multiple electrodes, enabling stable production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes controlled evaporation conditions where the electrolyte solution composition is optimized to provide consistent volatilization behavior. The balanced formulation of polymers and solvents creates a self-regulating evaporation process that maintains uniformity across multiple electrodes, effectively implementing process feedback for stable production.
3Quantity of substance
If the proportional content of polymer in the organic composition is kept at 50 mass% or less, then the shaping material is easy to produce and active material content can be improved, but the mixture may lack sufficient binding capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite polymer system where PVdF-HFP copolymer (20 mass% or more of total polymer) works synergistically with polyethylene oxide and polyacrylonitrile. This composite material approach provides sufficient binding capability at reduced total polymer content (50 mass% or less of organic composition), allowing higher active material content while maintaining electrode integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the polymer composition parameters by specifying PVdF-HFP copolymer content as 20 mass% or more of total polymer, which provides optimal binding properties. This parameter adjustment allows the electrode mixture to maintain sufficient binding capability with reduced overall polymer content, thereby increasing active material proportion.
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 enables the production of electrodes with high active material content and stable performance, reducing odor and stability issues, and supports the formation of electrochemical devices with improved electrochemical characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
an organic composition (P—O) containing at least one polymer (P) and a low molecular weight organic compound (O) having a molecular weight of less than 10,000
Implementation Method 2
a proportion constituted by a compound having an equal or higher volatilization rate than N-methylpyrrolidone among the low molecular weight organic compound (O) is not less than 0 mass % and not more than 20 mass %
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a shaping material for an electrode that is easy to produce, in which the proportional content of an active material is easy to improve, and with which problems of odor and stability have a low tendency to occur. The shaping material for an electrode contains at least one active material (A) and a viscous electrolyte composition. The viscous electrolyte composition contains: at least one ionic material (S); and an organic composition (P—O) containing at least one polymer (P) and a low molecular weight organic compound (O) having a molecular weight of less than 10,000. The proportional content of the polymer (P) in the organic composition (P—O) is 50 mass % or less. The proportion constituted by a compound having an equal or higher volatilization rate than N-methylpyrrolidone among the low molecular weight organic compound (O) is not less than 0 mass % and not more than 20 mass %.