Patterned Solid Polymeric Electrolyte for 3D Lithium Battery Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional lithium battery's design is limited by the high fluidity of organic liquid electrolytes, making it difficult to diversify the structure, which is a challenge in modern product design where three-dimensional structures are sought.
Innovation Solution
A solid polymeric electrolyte with a polymer matrix, inorganic particles, and a lithium salt and organic solvent is developed, featuring a photo-crosslinking agent to create a patterned electrolyte with controlled fluidity, allowing for a three-dimensional lithium battery design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If organic liquid electrolyte is used in lithium battery, then ionic conductivity is improved, but structural diversity is limited due to high fluidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining organic liquid electrolyte with inorganic particles (such as Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2) to form a gel polymer electrolyte. This composite structure allows the electrolyte to maintain good ionic conductivity while gaining structural stability and shape retention, enabling diverse battery designs including three-dimensional configurations and flexible shapes that were previously impossible with conventional liquid electrolytes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the electrolyte by introducing a photo-crosslinking agent that transforms the electrolyte from a purely liquid state to a gel state through UV irradiation. This parameter change (from liquid to gel) reduces fluidity while maintaining ionic conductivity, allowing the electrolyte to hold various shapes and structures, thereby achieving structural diversity in battery design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If solid polymeric electrolyte with photo-crosslinking agent is used, then structural diversity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating the photo-crosslinking agent into the electrolyte formulation before battery assembly. The electrolyte is prepared in a liquid state that is easy to handle and coat, then after the battery structure is assembled, UV irradiation is applied to crosslink the electrolyte in situ. This preliminary preparation simplifies manufacturing by allowing flexible coating and shaping before the final crosslinking step that provides structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical structuring processes with a chemical crosslinking mechanism. Instead of using rigid mechanical supports or complex assembly procedures to maintain electrolyte shape, the electrolyte itself is chemically crosslinked through UV irradiation to form a gel structure that inherently maintains its shape. This substitution simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for additional mechanical structuring components or processes.
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 solution enables the creation of lithium batteries with diverse structures by controlling the viscosity and ionic conductivity of the electrolyte, improving mechanical strength and electrochemical performance while preventing internal short circuits.
Implementation Method 1
illuminating an ultraviolet light onto the electrolyte paste to induce a photo-crosslinking reaction of the electrolyte paste
Data Source
AI summary
A solid polymeric electrolyte having a pattern, and a lithium battery including the same, includes a polymer matrix having a mesh structure and being formed of a cured photo-crosslinking agent; inorganic particles substantially uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix; and a liquid electrolyte comprised of a lithium salt and an organic solvent impregnated between the polymer matrix and the inorganic particles. The liquid electrolyte and the cured photo-crosslinking agent are present in a weight ratio ranging from 50:50 to 99:1. The liquid electrolyte containing the cured photo-crosslinking agent and the inorganic particle are present in a weight ratio ranging from 10:90 to 90:10. The solid polymeric electrolyte has properties suitable for a printing process to provide the pattern including a thickness ranging from about 10 nm to about 500 μm and, prior to curing the photo-crosslinking agent, a viscosity ranging from 100-10,000 poise under a shear rate condition of 1 sec−1.