Polymeric Housing Sorbs Harmful Gases in Lithium Batteries

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rechargeable lithium batteries face inefficiencies in sorbing harmful substances generated during operation, as prior solutions, such as getter materials, often react with the electrolyte or fail to effectively remove gases like CO2, CO, and HF, leading to potential battery damage.

Innovation Solution

A rechargeable lithium battery design featuring a polymeric housing that is permeable to harmful substances but impermeable to the electrolyte, containing getter materials in powder form or pill form, which effectively sorbs harmful substances like CO2, CO, and HF, using materials like carbon molecular sieves, oxides, and zeolites, ensuring compatibility and efficient removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If getter materials are used to sorb harmful substances in lithium batteries, then harmful substances are removed, but the getter materials react with the electrolyte causing battery damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremoval of harmful substancesVSAvoidbattery integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A polymeric membrane is introduced as an intermediary between the getter material and the electrolyte. This membrane allows harmful substances to pass through to reach the getter material for sorption, while simultaneously blocking the electrolyte from contacting and reacting with the getter material, thus preventing battery damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The polymeric membrane contains micropores with specific size (0.003-0.03 μm) that are large enough to allow passage of harmful gas molecules but small enough to block the electrolyte, creating a selective barrier that enables harmful substance removal while maintaining system reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 effectively sorbs harmful gases and vapors within the battery, preventing damage and ensuring the battery's integrity by using a polymeric housing that is specifically designed to be permeable to harmful substances while maintaining electrolyte integrity, thus enhancing the battery's operational safety and longevity.

Implementation Method 1

a polymeric housing (13) being permeable to said harmful substances but impermeable to the electrolyte

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Implementation Method 2

containing one or more getter materials for the sorption of said harmful substances

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSorption: Sorption

Data Source

PatentEP2156508B1Rechargeable lithium batteries comprising means for the sorption of harmful substances
Publication Date: 2015.04.08 SAES GETTERS SPA
  • EP2156508B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2156508B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2156508B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Rechargeable lithium batteries are described, comprising an airtight container, electrodes immersed in an electrolytic solution and spaced apart by means of one or more separators, electrical contacts connected to the electrodes and means (10) for sorbing harmful substances, the means comprising a polymeric housing (11, 12) being permeable to said harmful substances but impermeable to the electrolyte and containing one or more getter materials (14) for the sorption of said harmful substances.