Removable Filler for Structured Battery Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Structured active particles, particularly silicon particles used in batteries, face challenges with degradation and agglomeration during manufacturing, leading to reduced conductivity and efficiency in electrochemical cells and batteries, as well as difficulties in dispersion and storage due to their fragile nature and high porosity.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a removable filler within the voids of structured active particles, which can sublimate or dissolve in ionic liquids or electrolyte solutions, enhances their resistance to degradation and agglomeration, improving dispersion and conductivity by occupying void spaces and preventing pillar detachment during processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If structured active particles are used to improve capacity and rate capability, then battery performance is enhanced, but the particles suffer from degradation and agglomeration during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating a protective coating on the structured active particles before electrode manufacturing. This pre-protection prevents degradation and agglomeration during the manufacturing process, allowing the particles to maintain their structural integrity and performance characteristics throughout electrode formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating acts as an intermediary layer between the structured active particles and the manufacturing environment. This intermediary protects the fragile particle structures from mechanical stress and chemical degradation during mixing, coating, and drying processes while allowing ionic transport when the electrode is functional.
2Speed
If high porosity is introduced to improve ionic transport, then rate capability increases, but particle fragility and agglomeration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin film protective coating that flexibly accommodates the high porosity structure of the active particles. This shell provides mechanical reinforcement to the fragile porous structures, preventing collapse and agglomeration during manufacturing while preserving the ionic transport pathways required for high rate capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure combining the porous active particle material with a protective coating material. This composite approach allows the inner porous structure to provide high ionic transport while the outer coating layer provides mechanical strength and resistance to degradation, resolving the contradiction between porosity and particle strength.
3Reliability
If structured particles are manufactured with complex geometries to improve performance, then capacity and rate capability increase, but manufacturing difficulties and handling challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating serves as a temporary protective element that simplifies handling of complex structured particles during manufacturing. The coating can be applied using simple dip-coating or spray techniques, making the manufacturing process easier despite the complexity of the underlying particle structures. The coating is later removed or remains as a benign residue that does not affect electrode 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
The use of a removable filler significantly reduces particle degradation and agglomeration, enhances the internal connectivity and conductivity of composite electrodes, and facilitates even dispersion of active materials, leading to improved performance and stability in battery applications.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a removable filler within the voids of structured active particles, which can sublimate or dissolve in ionic liquids or electrolyte solutions, enhances their resistance to degradation and agglomeration
Implementation Method 2
which can sublimate or dissolve in ionic liquids or electrolyte solutions
Implementation Method 3
which can sublimate or dissolve in ionic liquids or electrolyte solutions
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A composite particle is provided. The particle comprises a first particle component and a second particle component in which: (a) the first particle component comprises a body portion and a surface portion, the surface portion comprising one or more structural features and one or more voids, whereby the surface portion and body portion define together a structured particle; and (b) the second component comprises a removable filler; characterised in that (i) one or both of the body portion and the surface portion comprise an active material; and (ii) the filler is contained within one or more voids comprised within the surface portion of the first component. The use of the particle in applications such as electrochemical cells, metal-ion batteries such as secondary battery applications, lithium air batteries, flow cell batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, filters, sensors, electrical and thermal capacitors, micro-fluidic devices, gas or vapour sensors, thermal or dielectric insulating devices, devices for controlling or modifying the transmission, absorption or reflectance of light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation, chromatography or wound dressings is disclosed.