Electrolyte Additives for Cu/Zn Dendrite Control in Li-Ion Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recycling of materials from lithium-ion batteries is challenging due to the growth of metal dendrites from metal particles with low oxidation potential, leading to short circuits and performance issues in electrochemical apparatus.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an organic additive with lone pair electrons into the electrolyte forms a protective film around metal particles, preventing them from dissolving and growing dendrites, thereby enhancing cycling and storage performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If metal particles with low oxidation potential are present in the positive electrode material layer, then the electrochemical apparatus can be manufactured with recycled materials, but metal dendrites grow leading to short circuits and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
An organic additive containing lone pair electrons is introduced as an intermediary substance in the electrolyte. This additive mediates between the metal particles and the electrolyte by forming coordination complexes with the metal particles through lone pair-electron interactions, creating a protective interface that prevents direct harmful interactions while allowing beneficial electrochemical processes to continue
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful metal particles with low oxidation potential are converted into beneficial components through complexation with the organic additive. The additive transforms the potentially harmful metal particles into stable complexes that no longer cause dendrite growth, effectively converting a manufacturing advantage (recycled materials) into a reliable operational component
2Quantity of substance
If the positive electrode active material contains element M (Cu or Zn) at proportion t ppm, then the battery can utilize recycled materials, but the element M dissolves and accepts electrons causing dendrite growth on the negative electrode
Solution Approach 1:
The organic additive acts as a chemical intermediary that binds to element M through lone pair-electron interactions, preventing element M from dissolving into the electrolyte and migrating to the negative electrode. This intermediary mechanism blocks the harmful pathway while maintaining the presence of element M in the positive electrode
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical state of element M is changed from a free metal particle or dissolved ion to a coordinated complex with the organic additive. This parameter change in chemical bonding and electronic structure fundamentally alters the behavior of element M, preventing dendrite formation while preserving the recycled material content
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 effectively inhibits dendrite growth, improving cycling performance, storage performance, and safety of electrochemical apparatus by forming a protective film around metal particles.
Implementation Method 1
the lone pair of electrons can enter the empty orbitals of the element M, and the organic additive containing lone pair of electrons can complex with the element M to form a complex covering the surface of metal particles containing the element M
Data Source
AI summary
An electrochemical apparatus includes a positive electrode plate and an electrolyte; where the electrolyte includes an additive A, and the additive A is an organic additive containing lone pair of electrons; and the positive electrode plate includes a positive electrode material layer, the positive electrode material layer includes a positive electrode active material, and the positive electrode active material includes an element M; where the element M includes at least one of Cu or Zn; and based on a mass of the positive electrode active material, a proportion of the element M is t ppm, t satisfying 1≤t≤500.