Lead-Carbon Core-Shell Negative Electrode for Ultrabatteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrabatteries for hybrid vehicles suffer from significant energy loss due to sulfation reactions between the electrolyte and electrodes, leading to insufficient discharge capacity and high resistance, which is not adequately addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A negative electrode with a core-shell structure is developed, where lead forms a crystalline core and carbon forms a porous amorphous shell, enhancing electrochemical reaction areas and reducing interfacial resistance through a manufacturing process involving physical mixing and heat treatment of lead and carbon particles, followed by coating on an electrode plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional lead-acid battery electrodes are used, then manufacturing cost is low, but sulfation reaction causes heavy energy loss and insufficient discharge capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining lead and carbon in a core-shell structure where lead forms the core and carbon forms the shell. This composite structure suppresses sulfation reactions between the electrolyte and lead, reducing energy loss while maintaining manufacturing feasibility. The carbon shell acts as a protective layer that prevents direct contact between sulfuric acid and lead particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating a non-uniform structure where the inner core maintains lead's high energy density characteristics while the outer shell provides carbon's sulfation resistance. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows different regions of the electrode to perform different functions: the lead core provides energy storage while the carbon shell provides protection.
2Productivity
If conventional electrode structures are used, then manufacturing process is simple, but interfacial resistance is high and discharge capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The composite lead-carbon core-shell structure increases discharge capacity by combining the high energy density of lead with the high electrical conductivity and sulfation resistance of carbon. The carbon shell provides numerous active sites for electrochemical reactions, enhancing overall productivity while the core-shell architecture remains manufacturable through existing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous materials by incorporating porous carbon as the shell material. The porous structure provides increased surface area for electrochemical reactions, improving discharge capacity. The pores also facilitate electrolyte penetration and ion transport, enhancing reaction efficiency without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
3Loss of energy
If conventional electrode structures are used, then manufacturing cost is low, but electrode resistance is high leading to high Ohmic loss
Solution Approach 1:
The lead-carbon composite structure reduces Ohmic loss by combining lead's energy storage capability with carbon's high electrical conductivity. The carbon shell forms conductive networks that facilitate electron transport, reducing electrical resistance and associated energy losses while maintaining a structurally simple core-shell configuration.
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 core-shell structure effectively suppresses sulfation, lowers electrode resistance, and enhances discharge capacity, achieving stable voltage characteristics and improved performance compared to conventional ultrabatteries.
Implementation Method 1
preparing an active material including composite particles having a core-shell structure by performing heat treatment of the mixture
Implementation Method 2
the lead may form a crystalline structure oxidized by heat treatment
Implementation Method 3
the carbon may form a porous amorphous structure oxidized by heat treatment
Implementation Method 4
the core-shell structure effectively suppresses sulfation, lowers electrode resistance
Implementation Method 5
the carbon may form a porous amorphous structure oxidized by heat treatment; an average pore size of particles of the carbon may be 1 to 100 nm
Data Source
AI summary
A negative electrode of a secondary battery may include an electrode plate including lead; and an active material layer provided on the electrode plate and including composite particles having a core-shell structure, wherein a core of the composite particle includes lead; a shell of the composite particle includes carbon; and a specific surface area of the composite particles is 1 to 5,000 m2/g.