Flexible Electrolyte Layer for Stable Secondary Battery Cycling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing secondary batteries face challenges in achieving enhanced cycle characteristics due to issues with interfacial resistance, volume changes during charging and discharging, and the risk of short circuits caused by lithium dendrite growth.

Innovation Solution

A secondary battery design that incorporates a flexible electrolyte layer between the cathode and anode layers, which reduces interfacial resistance, accommodates volume changes, and prevents separation or cracking, thereby enhancing adhesion and ionic conductivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If electrode materials with high capacity are used, then energy density is improved, but volume changes during charging and discharging increase causing separation or cracking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy densityVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible electrolyte layer acts as a buffer that can deform to accommodate volume changes of high-capacity electrode materials during lithiation and delithiation. This prevents separation or cracking of the electrode structure, maintaining structural stability while enabling the use of high-capacity materials for improved energy density.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible electrolyte layer provides preemptive cushioning against volume expansion and contraction of electrode materials during cycling. By being inherently flexible and adherent, it prevents mechanical failure before it occurs, allowing the use of high-capacity materials without compromising structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS20250038276A1Secondary battery

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD

AI summary

A secondary battery including a cathode layer, an anode layer, and a flexible electrolyte layer between the cathode layer and the anode layer. The cathode layer includes a cathode current collector and a cathode active material layer on at least one surface of the cathode current collector. The anode layer includes an anode current collector and a first anode active material layer on a surface of the anode layer. The initial charge capacity of the first anode active material layer is less than 50% of the initial charge capacity of the cathode active material layer.