Parallel Current Collector Anode for Silicon Expansion Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing secondary batteries face challenges in achieving high capacity while maintaining electrode adhesive force and conductivity, leading to issues such as electrode detachment and reduced battery performance due to the use of large amounts of binder and conductive materials.

Innovation Solution

A negative electrode design featuring multiple current collectors arranged in parallel, with mixture layers containing silicon and carbon active materials, where the content of silicon is limited to 50-100% and carbon is 90-98% by weight, and the current collectors are electrically connected and separated to prevent short circuits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a large amount of electrode active materials is put on a current collector to manufacture a high loading electrode, then battery capacity is improved, but electrode adhesive force deteriorates causing electrode detachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidelectrode adhesive force

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The current collector is divided into multiple segments (first current collector and second current collector) arranged in parallel. Each segment carries a portion of the active material mixture layer, reducing the loading density on each individual current collector segment while maintaining high overall battery capacity. This segmentation prevents electrode detachment by ensuring adequate adhesive force on each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If a large amount of electrode active materials is put on a current collector to manufacture a high loading electrode, then battery capacity is improved, but electrode conductivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidelectrode conductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Quantity of substance

If a small amount of binders and conductive materials is used to improve battery performance, then battery performance is improved, but electrode adhesive force deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery performanceVSAvoidelectrode adhesive force

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Quantity of substance

If silicon component is used as active material to achieve high theoretical capacity, then battery capacity is improved, but volume change increases causing electrode deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidelectrode stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the electrode structure are assigned different functions: the first current collector carries silicon-based active material for high capacity, while the second current collector provides structural stability and supports carbon-based active material. This local differentiation allows silicon to deliver high capacity where needed while carbon provides stability in regions prone to volume expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12199288B2Anode including multiple current collectors juxtaposed in parallel, and secondary battery comprising same

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

The present invention relates to an anode including multiple current collectors juxtaposed in parallel, and a secondary battery comprising same, wherein the anode enables providing a high-capacity secondary battery while suppressing volume changes due to a silicone component-containing active material employed therein.