Extruded Polymer Ribs on Battery Separators
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery separator technologies rely heavily on ribs and glass mats to increase thickness, leading to increased cost and electrical resistance, with limited options for reducing rib length or material usage without compromising performance.
Innovation Solution
A method of casting ribs on a substrate using a polymer applicator with nozzles, applying pressure to form polymer ribs of predetermined shape, and optionally attaching a glass mat without additional adhesives, allowing for variable rib configurations and reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ribs are provided on polyethylene separators by using calendared rolls with grooves, then the separator provides additional electrolyte volume and creates space between electrodes, but the cost increases due to requiring new sets of calendared rolls for every design change and the weight of the separator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing process parameters by switching from mechanical calendaring to extrusion processing. This allows rib design and dimensions to be modified by changing extrusion parameters (die design, extrusion pressure, temperature) rather than requiring entirely new calendared rolls, thereby reducing manufacturing costs for design variations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the rib structure into modular components that can be independently designed and extruded. The extrusion process allows for creating ribs with specific cross-sectional shapes and dimensions that can be easily adjusted by changing the die design, enabling flexible rib configurations without complete process retooling
2Volume of stationary object
If the thickness of the separator is increased by using thicker back web or glass mat, then the overall thickness increases to provide more electrolyte volume, but the cost increases substantially and the electrical resistance increases reducing battery performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding ribs only in specific locations and configurations where electrolyte storage is most needed, rather than uniformly increasing the thickness of the entire separator. The ribs provide localized volume enhancement with minimal additional material cost compared to increasing back web or glass mat thickness uniformly across the entire separator
3Quantity of substance
If the thickness of the separator is increased by using glass mat and rib in combination, then the electrolyte volume increases, but the electrical resistance increases and battery performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of the extruded rib material itself to provide electrolyte storage and ionic conduction pathways. The extrusion process creates a porous or cellular structure within the ribs that allows electrolyte penetration and ionic flow, reducing the need for additional glass mat layers and minimizing electrical resistance while maintaining electrolyte volume
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 reduces the cost and electrical resistance of battery separators while maintaining performance, enabling flexible design integration with various separator technologies and applications.
Implementation Method 1
applying pressure onto the melt polymer to cast plurality of polymer ribs of predetermined shape on the substrate
Implementation Method 2
cooling the substrate casted with ribs
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method of casting ribs on substrate, said method comprising acts of, mounting applicator comprising plurality of nozzles and polymer filled into the applicator, placing the substrate below the nozzles of the applicator, applying pressure onto the melt polymer to cast plurality of polymer ribs of predetermined shape on the substrate, and cooling the substrate casted with ribs.