Flash Evaporation of Solid State Battery Cathode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid-state batteries face challenges due to slow mass transport of lithium ions through cathode active materials with metal halide or lithium fluoride matrices, leading to incomplete capacity utilization, poor rate performance, and increased heat generation, which affects efficiency and safety.
Innovation Solution
The development of nanodimensioned materials with elemental metal or metal compounds, such as Li, F, and Fe, formed through a method involving precursor species vaporization and rapid cooling, creating a short diffusion path for lithium ions and reducing separation distances between metal and anion atoms, thereby enhancing ion conductivity and energy density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solid electrolyte material is used to replace liquid electrolyte, then battery safety is improved, but mass transport of lithium ions becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The cathode active material is segmented into nanodimensioned particles (1-100 nm), which divides the bulk material into numerous small particles. This segmentation dramatically reduces the diffusion distance for lithium ions within each particle, enabling faster mass transport while maintaining the safety benefits of solid electrolyte material.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a core-shell structure where the core contains the cathode active material and the shell contains the solid electrolyte material. This local differentiation allows the cathode material to have optimized properties for ion transport while the shell provides safety and stability, resolving the contradiction between safety and transport speed.
2Stability of the object's composition
If metal halide or lithium fluoride matrix is used in cathode active material, then material stability is improved, but diffusion path for lithium ions becomes long
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the cathode active material into nanodimensioned particles (1-100 nm), the diffusion path length for lithium ions is reduced from micrometer-scale in bulk material to nanometer-scale in particles. This segmentation maintains the stable metal halide or lithium fluoride matrix composition while enabling short diffusion paths for rapid ion transport.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional particle size is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but rate performance becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the critical parameter of particle size from conventional micrometer-scale to nanodimensioned (1-100 nm). This parameter change dramatically improves rate performance by reducing diffusion distances, while the flash evaporation deposition process provides a manufacturable approach to creating these nanoparticles with controlled composition and size distribution.
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 approach results in improved rate performance and energy density of solid-state batteries by reducing diffusion distances and minimizing the formation of unusable solid electrolyte interface layers, leading to increased cycle life and reduced heat generation.
Implementation Method 1
Flash evaporation of solid state battery component
Implementation Method 2
rapid cooling, creating a short diffusion path for lithium ions
Implementation Method 3
the potentially slow mass transfer of lithium ions through a cathode active material having a metal halide or a lithium fluoride matrix
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, the present invention provides a method for forming a film of material for a solid state battery or other energy storage device. The method includes providing a first precursor species, and providing a second precursor species. The method also includes transferring the first precursor species through a first nozzle and outputting the first precursor species in a first molecular form and transferring the second precursor species through a second nozzle and outputting the second precursor species in a second molecular form. The method includes causing formation of first plurality of particles, ranging from about first diameter to about a second diameter, by intermixing the first precursor species with the second precursor species. The method also includes cooling the first plurality of particles at a rate of greater than 100° C./s to a specified temperature.