Eutectic Electrolyte for Battery Safety and Conductivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional organic solvents used in electrochemical devices are prone to evaporation, leakage, and flammability, leading to reliability and stability issues, while ionic liquids are expensive and complex to produce, limiting their application in large or thin devices.

Innovation Solution

A cost-efficient eutectic mixture comprising an amide group-containing compound and a lithium-free ionizable salt is used as an electrolyte, providing improved thermal and chemical stability, high conductivity, and a broad electrochemical window, thus enhancing the safety and quality of electrochemical devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional organic solvents are used as electrolytes, then ion conductivity is achieved, but evaporation, leakage, and flammability occur leading to poor reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidevaporation, leakage, flammability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the electrolyte by using a eutectic mixture of acetamide and lithium salt instead of conventional organic solvents. This parameter change eliminates evaporation and flammability while maintaining ion conductivity, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite eutectic mixture system combining acetamide and lithium salt in specific ratios. This composite material approach creates a new electrolyte phase that combines the advantages of both components while eliminating their individual disadvantages, achieving high reliability without evaporation or flammability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If ionic liquids are used as electrolytes, then thermal and chemical stability is improved, but cost increases and preparation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal and chemical stabilityVSAvoidcost and preparation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive ionic liquids with a cost-effective eutectic mixture of acetamide and lithium salt. This substitution maintains thermal and chemical stability while dramatically reducing material cost and simplifying preparation, directly addressing the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the electrolyte composition from complex ionic liquids to a simple eutectic mixture with defined compositional parameters. This parameter change achieves comparable stability while reducing preparation complexity and cost, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If liquid electrolytes are used, then ion conduction is enabled, but leakage risk increases and applicability to large or thin devices is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveion conductivityVSAvoidleakage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the phase transition properties of the eutectic mixture, which maintains liquid state at operating temperatures without the leakage issues of conventional liquid electrolytes. The eutectic composition creates a material with optimized melting point and viscosity characteristics, enabling ion conduction while minimizing leakage risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

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 eutectic mixture addresses the issues of evaporation, flammability, and conductivity limitations, offering a safer, more reliable, and cost-effective alternative with a broader electrochemical window, suitable for various electrochemical devices.

Implementation Method 1

Electrolytes that have been used the most widely in recent years include non-aqueous solutions containing electrolyte salts dissolved in organic solvents... Such non-aqueous electrolytes have to serve as media performing conduction of ions and electrons between both electrodes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIonic conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

non-aqueous solutions containing electrolyte salts dissolved in organic solvents

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP1924649B1Electrolyte comprising eutectic mixture and electrochemical device using the same
Publication Date: 2012.03.07 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP1924649B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1924649B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1924649B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed is an electrolyte comprising a eutectic mixture formed of: (a) an amide group-containing compound; and (b) a lithum-free ionizable salt. An electrochemical device comprising the electrolyte is also disclosed. The electrolyte improves the quality of and electrochemical device due to the excellent conductivity of the metal cation contained in the eutectic mixture, a broad electrochemical window and low viscosity. Additionally, since the eutectic mixture has excellent thermal and chemical stability, it is possible to solve the problems of evaporation, exhaustion and ignition of electrolytes, to minimize side reactions between constitutional elements of the device and the electrolyte, and to improve the safety of the electrochemical device.