Flexible Battery With Alternating Binder Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion batteries used in mobile electronic devices are brittle and cannot be significantly bent without a significant reduction in battery capacity, limiting their flexibility and usability in compact, wearable devices.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring a substrate with alternating layers of a first mixture containing an electrode active material, conductive material, and a first binder, and a second mixture with the same materials but a more flexible second binder, allowing the battery to be bendable without compromising capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional lithium-ion battery with a single binder mixture is used, then the battery maintains high capacity, but the battery becomes brittle and cannot be significantly bent
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode mixture is divided into multiple layers with different binder compositions. Specifically, the patent uses a first binder (e.g., PVDF) in one layer and a second binder (e.g., SBR) in another layer, creating segmented functional zones within the electrode structure. This segmentation allows different regions to contribute different properties: one layer maintains capacity while the other provides flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategy by combining multiple binder types (PVDF and SBR) in separate layers of the electrode mixture. Each binder has distinct mechanical and electrochemical properties, and their composite arrangement in alternating layers creates a synergistic effect that simultaneously achieves high capacity retention and enhanced bendability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mixture is removed from a portion of the substrate to increase bendability, then the battery becomes bendable, but the battery exhibits low capacity relative to volume
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing mixture portions, the patent applies local quality by assigning different binder compositions to different local regions (layers) of the electrode. The first binder layer and second binder layer each occupy specific positions in the alternating structure, with each local region optimized for its specific function while contributing to the overall performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible binder is used to enable bending, then the battery becomes bendable, but the battery capacity is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple binder types by combining them in an alternating layer structure. The first binder (PVDF) and second binder (SBR) are merged at the molecular and structural levels within the electrode mixture, creating a unified electrode assembly that exhibits both the capacity-retention properties of PVDF and the flexibility of SBR.
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 battery remains stable and maintains capacity even when bent, addressing the brittleness issue and enabling flexible integration into wearable electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a first mixture disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the substrate, the first mixture including an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a first binder, and a second mixture disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the substrate, the second mixture including the electrode active material, the conductive material, and a second binder more flexible than the first binder
Implementation Method 2
Lithium-ion batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy using redox reactions between the cathodes and anodes
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may include comprises a display and a battery for supplying power to the display. The battery may include a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first mixture disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the substrate, the first mixture including an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a first binder, and a second mixture disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the substrate, the second mixture including the electrode active material, the conductive material, and a second binder more flexible than the first binder. The first mixture and the second mixture may be alternatingly arranged.