Positive Electrode Plate Safety Coating for Battery Short Circuit Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium ion batteries face safety hazards due to internal short circuits, which existing PTC material modifications fail to adequately address, affecting both safety and electrochemical performance.

Innovation Solution

A positive electrode plate design featuring a current collector with a safety coating, a difficultly soluble layer, and a positive active material layer, where the safety coating includes a polymer matrix, conductive material, and inorganic filler, and the difficultly soluble layer comprises a binder and conductive agent with specific solubility properties to enhance stability and response speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If PTC material is added to the electrode active material layer, then safety performance is improved, but electrochemical performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety performanceVSAvoidelectrochemical performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the electrode structure into distinct layers: a current collector, a PTC safety coating layer, and a positive active material layer. This segmentation allows the PTC material to provide safety functions without interfering with the electrochemical performance of the active material, as the PTC layer acts as a separate protective barrier rather than a mixed component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate protective layer between the PTC safety coating and the positive active material layer. This intermediate layer prevents direct contact and interaction between the PTC material and the active material, eliminating the harmful effect of PTC material on electrochemical performance while maintaining the safety protection function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a separate PTC material layer is placed between the current collector and electrode active material layer, then safety effect is achieved, but the solvent in slurry dissolves the PTC material and destroys its effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety effectVSAvoidPTC material stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediate protective layer between the PTC safety coating and the positive active material layer. This intermediate layer acts as a barrier that prevents the solvent (such as NMP) in the active material slurry from dissolving the PTC material, thereby maintaining the structural integrity and functional stability of the PTC layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite structure consisting of multiple layers with different material properties: the PTC safety coating layer, the intermediate protective layer, and the positive active material layer. This composite structure combines the safety benefits of PTC material with the chemical stability provided by the intermediate layer that is resistant to solvent dissolution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If PTC material layer is used, then safety performance is improved, but during compacting the layer is squeezed to the edge and active material contacts current collector directly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety performanceVSAvoidlayer structure stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite multi-layer structure where the PTC safety coating layer is combined with the positive active material layer through an intermediate protective layer. This composite structure provides better mechanical stability during the compacting process, preventing the PTC layer from being squeezed to the edges and maintaining proper layer alignment and separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite 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 design significantly improves safety and electrical performance by stabilizing the safety coating, preventing direct contact between layers, and enhancing the PTC effect, thereby reducing the risk of internal short circuits and maintaining electrochemical performance.

Implementation Method 1

A PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) material is a positive temperature coefficient heat sensitive material, which has the characteristic that its resistivity increases with increasing temperature. When the temperature exceeds a certain temperature, the resistivity of the PTC material increases rapidly stepwise.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPositive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect: Thermistor

Data Source

PatentEP3796422B1Positive pole piece and electrochemical apparatus
Publication Date: 2022.11.09 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP3796422B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3796422B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3796422B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application relates to a positive electrode plate and an electrochemical device. The positive electrode plate includes a current collector, a safety coating, a difficultly soluble layer and a positive active material layer, wherein the safety coating, the difficultly soluble layer and the positive active material layer are successively disposed on the current collector; wherein the safety coating includes a polymer matrix, a conductive material and an inorganic filler; wherein the difficultly soluble layer includes a binder and a conductive agent, and wherein the binder of the difficultly soluble layer has a solubility in an oil solvent smaller than the solubility of the polymer matrix of the safety coating in such oil solvent. When the electrochemical device (such as a capacitor, a primary battery, or a secondary battery) is in a high temperature condition or an internal short circuit occurs, the positive electrode plate can quickly disconnect the circuit, thereby improving the high temperature safety of the electrochemical device.