Reinforced Membrane Electrode Assembly for Thin-Layer Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chemical batteries, such as lithium ion batteries and polymer electrolyte fuel cells, face durability issues due to environmental changes like temperature fluctuations, humidity cycles, and pressure variations, leading to layer expansion, contraction, and potential breakage, especially in vehicle-mounted batteries.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a reinforcing material with high mechanical strength into the layers or between layers of the battery or membrane electrode assembly, such as a high cis-diene polymer with a cis-1,4 bond content of 85% or more, to enhance durability and ion conductivity, which can be used in the electrolyte membrane, catalyst layer, or gas diffusion layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electrolyte membrane is made thin to reduce resistance, then electrical conductivity is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates leading to pinholes or membrane breakages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining the electrolyte membrane with a reinforcing material having high tensile strength. This composite structure allows the membrane to maintain thin dimensions for low resistance while the reinforcing material provides the necessary mechanical strength to prevent pinholes and breakages during thermal and mechanical cycling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the battery operates under environmental changes (temperature, humidity, pressure cycles), then adaptability is improved, but durability deteriorates due to layer expansion, contraction, and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses durability under environmental cycling by selecting a reinforcing material whose physical properties (particularly tensile strength and thermal expansion characteristics) are matched to the battery layers. This parameter matching allows the composite structure to withstand repeated thermal expansion and contraction cycles without developing cracks or delamination, thereby maintaining durability despite environmental adaptability requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a battery or a membrane electrode assembly having high durability.A battery (100) having a multilayer structure containing layers of a pair of electrodes (1), the battery (100) including a reinforcing material (20) provided in one or more layers or between layers.