Layered Porous Current Collector Electrode for Thick Battery Capacity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current rechargeable batteries, particularly zinc-air and zinc-nickel batteries, face limitations in capacity, mechanical strength, and cyclability due to geometric constraints and physicochemical phenomena such as inner accessibility of the electrode by the electrolyte.
Innovation Solution
The development of a zinc-based electrode for rechargeable energy storage devices, featuring multiple inner layers of electrode material and porous current collector layers, with a total thickness ranging from strictly more than 4 mm to 10 mm, allowing for improved capacity, mechanical strength, and cyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the amount of active material in the negative electrode is increased to increase battery capacity, then the capacity is improved, but the inner accessibility of the electrode by the electrolyte deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is divided into multiple thin layers (first electrode material layer, second electrode material layer, third electrode material layer) separated by porous current collector layers. This segmentation allows the electrolyte to access active material throughout the electrode thickness, maintaining inner accessibility while increasing total active material quantity for higher capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single thick electrode layer to a multi-layered structure with intermediate porous current collector layers. This dimensional restructuring creates internal pathways for electrolyte penetration, solving the accessibility problem while accommodating increased active material volume.
2Quantity of substance
If the electrode thickness is increased to increase capacity, then the capacity is improved, but the mechanical strength and cyclability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The thick electrode is segmented into multiple thin layers (each less than 1 mm thick) separated by porous current collector layers. This segmentation maintains mechanical integrity and cyclability by preventing the structural weaknesses associated with single thick layers, while the cumulative thickness provides increased capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode uses a composite structure combining electrode material layers with porous current collector layers. This composite architecture provides both the capacity benefits of increased thickness and the mechanical strength benefits of thinner, supported layers, resolving the contradiction between capacity and strength.
3Quantity of substance
If the electrode thickness is increased to increase capacity, then the capacity is improved, but the inner conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is segmented into multiple layers with porous current collector layers positioned between electrode material layers. These intermediate conductive layers maintain inner conductivity by providing electrical pathways throughout the electrode thickness, preventing the conductivity deterioration that would occur in a single thick layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous current collector layers act as intermediary elements between the electrode material layers. These intermediaries provide both mechanical support and electrical conductivity pathways, ensuring that inner conductivity is maintained even as the overall electrode thickness increases for higher capacity.
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 proposed electrode structure achieves a significant increase in capacity while maintaining good physicochemical and electrochemical properties, including improved inner conductivity and mechanical strength, leading to enhanced performance and longer cycling life.
Implementation Method 1
several porous current collector layers CC composed of electrically-conductive material(s) whose electronic conductivity is greater than or equal to 102 S·cm−1
Implementation Method 2
an electrode for a rechargeable energy storage device such as a battery, comprising several inner layers interposed between two outer layers, said inner layers comprising several electrode material layers ME composed of at least one electrode active material
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an electrode for a rechargeable energy storage device, including several inner layers interposed between two outer layers, the inner layers including several electrode material layers ME composed of at least one electrode active material and several porous current collector layers CC composed of electrically-conductive material(s) whose electronic conductivity is greater than or equal to 102 S·cm-1, the layers of electrode material ME and current collector CC being alternated. The outer layers do not consist of the porous current collector layers CC. Additionally, the electrode has a total thickness ranging from strictly more than 4 mm, preferably ranging from strictly more than 4 mm to 10 mm, in particular ranging from strictly more than 4 mm to 8 mm.