Paste Electrodes Under Pressure for High-Power Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current batteries face limitations in power, energy density, and cycle life due to their electro-ionic mechanism, while supercapacitors offer higher power but lower energy density, and both types of devices suffer from inefficient electrode design leading to suboptimal performance and increased mass and volume.
Innovation Solution
The development of electrical energy storage devices with thick paste electrodes composed of conductive additives and carbon micro/nanoparticles, combined with nanosized redox active elements, which act as both an efficient electrical conductivity network and supercapacitor electroactive material, allowing for improved energy density, power, and cycle life under pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If thin solid electrodes are used, then power and cycle life are improved, but energy density deteriorates due to large current collector mass and volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a paste electrode formulation where the active material, conductive additive, and binder are mixed in a paste form that can be directly applied to the current collector. This paste structure allows for thicker electrodes to be formed without compromising power performance, as the paste maintains good electrical conductivity and ionic access throughout the electrode thickness, thereby increasing energy density while preserving power characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite paste electrode structure consisting of active material particles, conductive additive particles, and binder material mixed in specific proportions. This composite formulation ensures that even in thicker electrodes, there is sufficient conductive network and binder to maintain electrical connectivity and mechanical integrity, allowing increased active material loading without sacrificing power or cycle life
2Quantity of substance
If thick solid electrodes are used, then energy density is improved, but power and cycle life deteriorate due to poor ionic and electronic transport
Solution Approach 1:
The paste electrode structure inherently creates a porous network of active material particles with conductive additive distributed throughout. This porous structure allows electrolyte penetration deep into the electrode, ensuring good ionic transport throughout the thickness. The conductive additive forms a continuous network within the paste, maintaining electronic conductivity even in thicker electrodes, thus preserving power performance while enabling increased energy density
Solution Approach 2:
The paste electrode formulation allows for dynamic optimization of the electrode structure during fabrication and operation. The paste can be applied in a semi-fluid state and then dried or cured to form the final electrode structure. This dynamic process allows optimization of particle packing, conductive network formation, and binder distribution to ensure good transport properties throughout the electrode thickness, enabling thick electrodes with maintained power performance
3Quantity of substance
If thick solid electrodes are used, then energy density is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to coating and drying processes
Solution Approach 1:
The paste electrode approach eliminates the need for complex coating and drying processes required for solid electrode fabrication. The paste can be directly applied to the current collector using simple techniques such as screen printing, dip coating, or extrusion, and then lightly dried or cured. This streamlined process reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while enabling the production of thicker electrodes with higher energy density
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 use of thick paste electrodes with hybrid materials enhances energy density, power, and cycle life, achieving performance comparable to commercial batteries while minimizing the need for large current collectors and reducing fabrication costs and time.
Implementation Method 1
the storing mechanism lies just on the electrode's surface through the formation of an electric double layer
Implementation Method 2
Nanosized redox active elements added to the carbon particles to get a hybrid material with hybrid electrochemical performance
Implementation Method 3
carbon micro/nanoparticles which acts as both: highly efficient electrical conductivity network and as a supercapacitor electroactive material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrical energy storage device including at least one electrical energy storage unit comprising two electrodes, one being an anode (6.3a) and the other being a cathode (6.3b), wherein the electrodes are based on an electroactive paste comprising carbon micro/nanoparticles (3.4) dispersed in an electrolyte, which, under pressure, provide a highly efficient electrical conductivity network though all the paste and, at the same time, act as a supercapacitor, and nanosized redox active elements (4.6) added to the carbon micro and nanoparticles (4.4) and an electrolyte (3.2 and 4.2); and a structure that applies a given degree of mechanical pressure to the electroactive paste.