Inorganic Oxide-Coated Nonwoven Battery Separators for Thermal Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nonwoven battery separators face challenges in achieving sufficient mechanical resilience, uniform porosity, and efficient electrolyte wettability, which affect their durability, charging efficiency, and long-term stability, particularly in high-temperature environments.
Innovation Solution
The development of nonwoven battery separators coated or impregnated with inorganic oxides, such as aluminum, zinc, or silicon oxides, enhances mechanical and thermal resilience while maintaining porosity and wettability, preventing dendrite formation and thermal shrinkage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If nonwoven battery separators are made thinner to reduce battery weight and volume, then weight and volume are reduced, but mechanical strength and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material structures combining organic polymer fibers with inorganic oxide coatings or treatments. This composite approach allows the separator to maintain reduced thickness while the inorganic components provide enhanced mechanical reinforcement, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and strength maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes controlled porous structures in the nonwoven separator design. By optimizing pore size, distribution, and connectivity, the separator achieves sufficient mechanical strength through structural design rather than increased material thickness, allowing thinning without compromising integrity
2Volume of stationary object
If nonwoven battery separators are made thinner to reduce battery volume, then volume is reduced, but porosity uniformity and electrolyte wettability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling fiber diameter, pore size distribution, and inorganic oxide coating thickness to optimize the balance between thickness reduction and porosity uniformity. These parameter adjustments enable thinner separators to maintain consistent electrolyte distribution and wettability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality enhancement through targeted inorganic oxide coatings on specific regions or surfaces of the separator. This localized treatment improves electrolyte wettability and porosity control in critical areas without requiring uniform thickening across the entire separator structure
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional nonwoven separators are used without inorganic coatings, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but mechanical resilience and thermal stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating or pre-impregnating the nonwoven separator with inorganic oxides during the manufacturing process. This preliminary treatment ensures thermal stability and mechanical resilience are built into the separator structure before battery assembly, maintaining manufacturing efficiency while enhancing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines organic polymer materials with inorganic oxide coatings to create composite separators that inherit the thermal stability and mechanical strength of inorganic materials while retaining the flexibility and processability of organic nonwovens, thus improving reliability without significantly complicating manufacturing
4Quantity of substance
If separator thickness is reduced to increase energy density, then energy density is improved, but puncture resistance and dendrite protection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material structures where inorganic oxide coatings or interwoven reinforcement layers provide puncture resistance and dendrite protection, allowing the bulk separator thickness to be reduced for higher energy density while maintaining safety through the protective composite layers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin film structures with integrated inorganic protective layers that provide puncture resistance without significant thickness increase. These flexible thin film composite structures enable reduced overall separator thickness while maintaining dendrite protection capabilities
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 coated separators exhibit improved puncture resistance, faster charging cycles, reduced energy consumption, and extended battery life, with enhanced resistance to thermal runaway and dendrite puncture, ensuring safer and more reliable battery performance.
Implementation Method 1
nonwoven battery separators coated or impregnated with inorganic oxides, such as aluminum, zinc, or silicon oxides, enhances mechanical and thermal resilience
Implementation Method 2
coated or impregnated with inorganic oxides, such as aluminum, zinc, or silicon oxides, enhances mechanical and thermal resilience while maintaining porosity and wettability, preventing dendrite formation and thermal shrinkage
Implementation Method 3
Battery separators have been used since the advent of closed-cell batteries to provide necessary protection from unwarranted contact between electrodes as well as to permit effective transport of electrolytes within power generating cells
Implementation Method 4
enhanced resistance to thermal runaway and dendrite puncture
Data Source
AI summary
Nonwoven battery separators, batteries comprising nonwoven battery separators, and methods of manufacturing nonwoven battery separators having improved durability and resilience for better in-service performance, more long-term durability, and safer battery products, wherein the nonwoven battery separator is coated with inorganic oxides.