Porous Separator Electrolyte Assembly for Impact-Resistant Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advanced high energy battery technologies face challenges in the stability and safety of electrolyte systems due to volatility and flammability issues, particularly with shear thickening electrolytes that do not flow properly during fabrication, leading to uneven distribution and increased viscosity, which can result in catastrophic combustion.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a porous separator material with shear thickening enabling particles and a suspension solvent is applied to create a passively impact-resistant composite electrolyte, where the particles penetrate the pores and distribute across the surface, allowing for controlled evaporation and subsequent addition of electrolyte and salt to form a stable, shear-thickening electrolyte assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shear thickening particles are added to electrolyte to improve impact resistance, then safety against mechanical damage is improved, but the electrolyte viscosity increases and flowability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is pre-loaded with shear thickening particles before battery assembly, so that particles are positioned in advance within the separator structure. This preliminary action ensures particles are ready to provide impact resistance when needed, without interfering with electrolyte flow during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Shear thickening particles are localized within the separator structure rather than being uniformly distributed throughout the electrolyte. This local quality allows the separator to provide impact resistance at specific locations where particles are embedded, while the bulk electrolyte maintains its flowability for ion transport.
2Quantity of substance
If shear thickening electrolyte is injected under force to fill the cell, then pore filling is achieved, but the shear thickening effect prevents flow and injection fails
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolyte system is segmented into two parts: shear thickening particles embedded in the separator structure, and free-flowing electrolyte liquid. This segmentation allows the electrolyte liquid to flow freely during injection and filling without being hindered by the shear thickening particles, which remain stationary in the separator.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator acts as an intermediary carrier that holds the shear thickening particles, separating the particle function from the electrolyte flow function. This intermediary role allows the electrolyte to be injected and distributed normally while the separator provides the shear thickening protection.
3Stability of the object's composition
If solvent is wicked into the cell during assembly, then initial wetting is achieved, but selective wicking leaves ceramic particles undistributed and increases viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
Shear thickening particles are pre-loaded into the separator structure before battery assembly, ensuring uniform particle distribution is established in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent particle distribution steps and prevents viscosity increase from selective wicking.
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 enhances the stability and safety of battery electrolytes by maintaining porosity for ion transport while providing significant passive resistance against mechanical damage and thermal safety, preventing catastrophic combustion.
Implementation Method 1
A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte composition undergoes a passive shear thickening phenomenon upon application of an external force, introducing a significant passive resistance against mechanical damage.
Implementation Method 2
The suspension solvent is evaporated from the separator material to provide a shear thickening particle loaded separator.
Implementation Method 3
a portion of the shear thickening particles and suspension solvent penetrate the pores and the remainder of the shear thickening particles in the suspension composition are distributed across the surface of the separator material
Data Source
AI summary
A battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a porous separator having a surface and percolating pores providing a porosity of from 20% to 80%. A passively impact resistant composite electrolyte includes an electrolyte and electrically non-conducting particles that enable shear thickening. The particles can have a polydispersity index of no greater than 0.1, an average particle size in a range of from 50 nm to 1 um, and an absolute zeta potential of greater than ±40 mV. The shear thickening enabling particles can be from 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % of the total weight of the separator and shear thickening particles. Between 20-40 wt. % of the shear thickening enabling particles are located in the pores of the separator.