Polymeric Electrode for High Power and Energy Density
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion batteries face challenges in maintaining high power and energy densities at high current densities, while supercapacitors offer high power densities but low energy densities, and many organic electrode materials degrade at higher potentials.
Innovation Solution
The use of polymers containing N,N,N',N'-tetraphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine subunits as electrode active materials in lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, which provide high gravimetric energy and power densities, excellent cycle stability, and electrochemical stability at high potentials, along with the potential to function as both electrode active materials and binders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If lithium-ion batteries use conventional electrode materials, then they achieve good energy density, but they show slow electrode reaction rates and low power density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the electrode active material from conventional lithium-ion battery materials to polymers containing N,N,N’,N’-tetraphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine subunits. This parameter change enables the electrode to achieve both high power density and fast electrode reaction rates, resolving the contradiction between power density and reaction rate that plagues conventional materials.
2Power
If organic electrode materials are used to achieve high power density, then they show improved power delivery, but they start to degrade at higher potentials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite polymer structure containing N,N,N’,N’-tetraphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine subunits combined with other stabilizing molecular components. This composite structure provides both the high power density characteristics of organic materials and the enhanced electrochemical stability required to resist degradation at high potentials, thus resolving the contradiction between power performance and stability.
3Power
If supercapacitors are used to achieve high power density, then they provide high pulsed currents, but they have low energy density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops an electrode material that serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the fast reaction kinetics and high power density characteristic of supercapacitors, while also delivering the high energy density typical of lithium-ion batteries. The polymer-based electrode active material enables the electrochemical element to achieve both high power and high energy density, resolving the fundamental contradiction between these two parameters.
4Stability of the object's composition
If conventional electrode binders are used, then they provide mechanical stability, but they do not contribute to electrochemical performance at high potentials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the electrode active material and the electrode binder into a single integrated polymer material. The polymer containing N,N,N’,N’-tetraphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine subunits simultaneously provides mechanical binding stability and electrochemical activity at high potentials, eliminating the need for separate binder components and resolving the contradiction between mechanical stability and electrochemical performance.
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
These polymers enable lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors to achieve high gravimetric energy and power densities with improved cycle stability and electrochemical stability, even at high potentials, and can act as both active materials and binders, enhancing their performance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
During discharge, electrons are liberated by means of an oxidation process at the negative electrode
Implementation Method 2
a reduction process takes place at the positive electrode
Implementation Method 3
a part reaction which takes place at a relatively low redox potential proceeds at the negative electrode and a part reaction takes place at a relatively high redox potential at the positive electrode
Implementation Method 4
This ion current is ensured by means of an ionically conductive electrolyte
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Disclosed is an electrode comprising a polymeric material containing or being composed of subunits according to general formulae (I) and (II) wherein in these structures (I) and (II) n is an integer not smaller than 2, Y represents an amide group (-NH-CO- or -CO-NH-), an ester group (-O-CO- or -CO-O-) or a urethane group (-NH- CO-O- or -O-CO-NH-), R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent H, alkyl (preferably - CH3, -C2H5), alkoxy-(preferably -OCH3, -OC2H5), -halogen or -CN, Ar1 and Ar4 independently represent a bridging aryl group, Ar2 and Ar3 independently represent a non-bridging aryl group, and R5 is a bridging alkyl, alkene or aryl group. Further, a Lithium-ion battery and a supercapacitor with such an electrode and the use of said polymeric material as electrode active material in the electrode of a battery or in the electrode of a supercapacitor and/or as an electrode binder is disclosed.