Polymer Separator Bipolar Battery for Compact Electrolyte Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bipolar batteries face challenges in achieving compact designs while preventing electrolyte leakage and shorts, as traditional alkaline electrolytes require complex enclosure designs to isolate electrolytes between cells, which can lead to increased cell size and detract from the desired compactness.
Innovation Solution
The use of proton or hydroxide ion conducting polymer separators that selectively conduct ions, allowing for the formation of compact bipolar batteries with reduced or no liquid electrolyte, providing electrical isolation between anode and cathode active materials and preventing shorts, while maintaining high energy density and power density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional alkaline electrolytes are used in bipolar batteries, then ion conduction is achieved, but complex enclosure designs are required to prevent electrolyte leakage and shorts between cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrolyte function from the traditional liquid electrolyte system and integrates it directly into the separator membrane. The separator is modified to contain ion-conducting channels or impregnated electrolyte, eliminating the need for separate electrolyte containment structures and complex enclosures while maintaining ion conduction and preventing cell shorts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the separator and electrolyte functions into a single integrated component. The separator membrane is designed to both physically separate electrodes and conduct ions, merging two previously separate functions into one element, thereby simplifying the overall battery structure and reducing enclosure complexity.
2Reliability
If electrolyte is separated into individual cells to prevent shorts, then safety is improved, but cell size increases and compact design is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin film separators with integrated ion-conducting capabilities to achieve effective electrolyte separation between cells. These thin films provide adequate isolation to prevent shorts while occupying minimal space, allowing for compact cell design without compromising safety or short prevention.
3Quantity of substance
If compact bipolar battery design is achieved, then energy density is improved, but electrolyte isolation between cells becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces modified separator membranes as intermediary structures between cells. These separators contain ion-conducting channels or impregnated electrolyte that mediate between the need for compact design and the requirement for effective electrolyte isolation, enabling both high energy density and reliable cell isolation in a compact configuration.
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 compact, high-efficiency bipolar batteries with coulombic efficiencies of 70% or greater, achieving fast ion conduction, high energy density, and improved safety profiles compared to lithium ion batteries.
Implementation Method 1
proton or hydroxide ion conducting polymer separator between the cathode active material and the anode active material
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are bipolar batteries that include a stacked plurality of cells. Two or more of the cells include a cathode, an anode, a proton or hydroxide ion conducting polymer separator between the cathode and said anode, wherein in some aspects the separator includes or alone acts as a proton or hydroxide conducting electrolyte, and a bipolar metallic plate associated with the anode or the cathode. The cells optionally include and electrolyte that includes a polymer capable of conducting a proton or a hydroxide ion. The separator may in the form of a film and is optionally not bonded to either the anode or the cathode, or may be in the form of a coating on the anode, the cathode, or any combination thereof.