Lithium Air Battery Cathode Interlayer for Resistance Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium air batteries face high interfacial resistance between the cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium due to the presence of conducting materials, which hampers their charging and discharging characteristics.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a cathode interlayer with a lithium ion conductive second solid electrolyte between the cathode and the oxygen blocking layer, reducing the interfacial resistance and improving the battery's charging/discharging performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conducting material is added to the cathode, then the cathode's electrical conductivity is improved, but the interfacial resistance between the cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium increases
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate layer is introduced between the cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium. This intermediate layer acts as a mediator that reduces the interfacial resistance while allowing the conducting material to remain in the cathode for maintaining electrical conductivity. The intermediate layer serves as a bridge that facilitates ion transport between the two components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cathode structure is modified by adding an intermediate layer with specific properties at the interface region. This intermediate layer has tailored characteristics that are different from both the cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium, optimizing the local properties at the interface to reduce resistance while maintaining overall cathode functionality.
2Weight of moving object
If a solid electrolyte is used in the cathode, then the cell weight is reduced, but the interfacial resistance between the cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium increases
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate layer is introduced between the solid electrolyte cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium. This intermediate layer serves as a mediator that reduces the interfacial resistance caused by the solid electrolyte's surface irregularity, while maintaining the weight advantage of using solid electrolyte instead of liquid electrolyte.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface region between the solid electrolyte cathode and the lithium ion conducting medium is modified by adding an intermediate layer with optimized local properties. This intermediate layer compensates for the surface irregularity of the solid electrolyte, reducing interfacial resistance while preserving the overall solid electrolyte structure and its weight benefits.
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 introduction of the cathode interlayer significantly decreases the interfacial resistance, leading to enhanced charge and discharge capacities and characteristics of the lithium air battery.
Implementation Method 1
the cathode interlayer includes a lithium ion conductive second solid electrolyte
Data Source
AI summary
A lithium air battery including a composite cathode including a porous material and a first solid electrolyte; a lithium metal anode; an oxygen blocking layer adjacent to the anode; and a cathode interlayer disposed between the cathode and the oxygen blocking layer, wherein the cathode interlayer includes a lithium ion conducting second solid electrolyte.