Hydrocarbon Liquid Electrolyte with Solubilizing Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Li-ion battery electrolytes face challenges with the solubility of alkali or alkaline earth metal salts in hydrocarbon solvents, which limits their electrochemical stability and ionic conductivity, especially at high and low voltages.
Innovation Solution
A single-phase electrolyte medium is developed, comprising a hydrocarbon solvent and a solubilizing agent, specifically a compound with a formula that enhances the solubility of alkali or alkaline earth metal salts, maintaining stability across a wide voltage range from 0.01 to 4.4 V.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydrocarbon solvents are used in electrolytes, then electrochemical stability is improved, but solubility of supporting salts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a phase transfer catalyst as an intermediary substance that mediates between the hydrocarbon solvent and the supporting salt. The catalyst has a dual nature: a lipophilic part that interacts with the hydrocarbon solvent and a hydrophilic part that interacts with the supporting salt, thereby enabling solubilization of the salt in the hydrocarbon medium while preserving electrochemical stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite electrolyte system combining hydrocarbon solvent, supporting salt, and phase transfer catalyst. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously exhibit the electrochemical stability of hydrocarbons and the ionic conductivity enabled by the solubilized supporting salt, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
2Reliability
If conventional solvents are mixed to meet requirements, then multiple properties are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves a homogeneous single-phase electrolyte system by using the phase transfer catalyst to solubilize the supporting salt directly in the hydrocarbon solvent. This eliminates the need for complex multi-solvent mixtures while maintaining all required properties, including electrochemical stability, ionic conductivity, and salt solubility.
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 solution achieves significantly increased electrochemical stability and solubility of supporting salts, allowing for a single-phase electrolyte that persists at ambient temperature, enhancing the performance and stability of Li-ion batteries.
Implementation Method 1
a solubilizing agent, specifically a compound with a formula that enhances the solubility of alkali or alkaline earth metal salts
Implementation Method 2
An electrolyte is an ionic conductor which is essential in an electrochemical system, because it provides ionic charge transport between the electrodes
Implementation Method 3
these solvents have a very poor solubilizing power... hydrocarbon liquids, such as alkanes, are potentially very good solvents for the preparation of stable high- and low-voltage electrolytes
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a monophasic electrolyte medium comprising: at least one alkaline-earth or alkaline metal salt, at least one hydrocarbon solvent, and between 1 and 50 vol. %, in relation to the total volume of said medium, of a hydrocarbon solubilising agent, different from said hydrocarbon solvent, of formula (I): Z-[(A)-(X)]q-(B)—Y.