Gold-Coated Lithium Metal Negative Electrode for Battery Dendrite Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nonaqueous electrolyte energy storage devices with lithium metal negative electrodes face issues with dendrite formation, leading to reduced coulombic efficiency due to electrical isolation during discharge.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a negative electrode with a lithium alloy containing gold and a copper, nickel, or stainless steel substrate coated with a gold layer, which suppresses dendrite deposition and enhances coulombic efficiency by preventing electrical isolation of lithium metal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If lithium metal is used as negative active material to increase discharge capacity, then the discharge capacity per mass increases significantly, but dendrite deposition occurs during charge leading to reduced coulombic efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
A coating layer containing gold as a main component is introduced as an intermediary between the lithium metal and the electrolyte. This coating layer mediates the interaction by suppressing dendrite deposition while allowing lithium ion transport, thereby resolving the contradiction between high discharge capacity and maintained coulombic efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The negative electrode is designed as a composite structure combining lithium metal with a gold-containing coating layer. This composite material approach allows the system to benefit from the high capacity of lithium metal while the gold coating suppresses harmful dendrite formation, maintaining both capacity and efficiency
2Use of energy by moving object
If lithium metal is used to achieve high energy density, then the energy storage capacity increases, but electrical isolation of lithium metal occurs during discharge reducing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The gold-containing coating layer serves as a mediator that prevents electrical isolation of lithium metal during discharge. It maintains continuous electrical contact and facilitates ion transport, ensuring that the high energy storage capacity of lithium metal is fully utilized without performance degradation
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 use of a lithium alloy with a gold-coated substrate improves coulombic efficiency by preventing dendrite formation and maintaining charge-discharge performance, even when the negative electrode contains lithium metal.
Implementation Method 1
the coating layer contains gold as a main component... suppresses dendrite deposition
Implementation Method 2
maintaining charge-discharge performance... preventing electrical isolation of lithium metal
Data Source
AI summary
One aspect of the present invention is a nonaqueous electrolyte energy storage device including: a negative electrode containing a lithium alloy containing gold, and lithium metal; a positive electrode; and a nonaqueous electrolyte, in which the negative electrode includes a negative electrode substrate including a metal foil and a coating layer coating the negative electrode substrate, the metal foil contains copper, nickel, or stainless steel as a main component, and the coating layer contains gold as a main component.