Perforated Current Collector for Uniform Lithium Doping in Sulfur Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing lithium ion batteries using sulfur-based active materials face challenges in achieving high capacity while ensuring safety and simplicity, particularly in large-sized batteries, due to issues with uniform doping and the risk of heat generation or explosion.
Innovation Solution
The method involves perforating both the current collector and active material layer after applying the active material, allowing for efficient pre-doping of lithium ions and aligning holes on positive and negative electrodes to facilitate safe and simple manufacturing of high-capacity lithium ion batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If sulfur-based active material is used to increase charging and discharging capacity, then battery capacity is improved, but uniform doping becomes difficult when electrode weight per unit area is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is divided into multiple regions with through-holes distributed across its surface. This segmentation allows lithium ions to access the sulfur-based active material at multiple discrete locations simultaneously, enabling uniform doping even in large-sized electrodes with high electrode weight per unit area.
Solution Approach 2:
Through-holes are formed in the current collector to create a porous structure that facilitates lithium ion penetration. This porous design allows electrolyte and lithium ions to reach the active material throughout the electrode, solving the uniform doping problem in high-capacity batteries.
2Quantity of substance
If active material is in direct contact with lithium metal to compensate for lithium source, then lithium source is provided, but heat generation and explosion danger occur
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector with through-holes serves as an intermediary structure between the sulfur-based active material and lithium metal. This intermediate design allows lithium ions to be supplied safely through the holes without direct contact between the active material and lithium metal, eliminating heat generation and explosion risks while maintaining the lithium source function.
3Quantity of substance
If complicated steps are used for pre-doping by manufacturing and disassembling battery, then lithium ion carrying is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Through-holes are formed in the current collector before battery assembly, and lithium metal is placed in the housing to prepare for pre-doping. This preliminary arrangement of the doping structure allows efficient lithium ion carrying to be achieved during the first charge cycle without requiring complex manufacturing steps such as manufacturing, disassembling, and reassembling the battery.
4Quantity of substance
If slurry is applied to perforated current collector to increase energy density, then electrode capacity is improved, but slurry strikes through perforations and uniform thickness becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is segmented with through-holes that are strategically positioned and sized. This segmentation allows the slurry to be applied uniformly in the regions between holes while maintaining high energy density. The holes are distributed to prevent slurry from striking through, enabling uniform electrode thickness even with increased electrode weight per unit area for 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
This approach enables the production of high-capacity lithium ion batteries with safe and simple doping operations, addressing the challenges of uniform doping and safety concerns in large-sized batteries.
Implementation Method 1
a step of allowing lithium derived from the lithium ion feeding source to be carried on the positive electrodes or the negative electrodes
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a high capacity lithium ion battery device by safe and simple doping operation. A method of manufacturing a lithium ion battery device comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are laminated with each other, wherein an active material used on the positive electrode is a sulfur-based active material having a total sulfur content of not less than 50% by mass measured by an elementary analysis, the method comprising: a step of forming through-holes penetrating in a thickness direction of the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes, a step of laminating the positive electrodes with the negative electrode and disposing a lithium ion feeding source on at least one side of a laminating direction, and a step of allowing lithium derived from the lithium ion feeding source to be carried on the positive electrode and the negative electrode.