Rolled Alkali Metal Battery Layout for Thick Electrodes and Ion Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current alkali metal batteries, such as lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and potassium-ion batteries, face limitations in achieving high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities, power densities, and safety due to low active material mass loadings, electrode thickness constraints, and poor ion transport rates, which hinder their application in high-energy-demand devices like electric vehicles and portable electronics.
Innovation Solution
The development of a rolled alkali metal battery design featuring an anode and cathode in separate rolls with a porous separator, allowing for higher active material mass loadings and thicker electrodes, which enhances ion transport and energy storage capacity without increasing electron transport resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional battery designs with thin electrodes and low active material mass loadings are used, then ion transport rates are maintained, but volumetric energy density and power density are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is segmented into multiple stacks, with each stack containing multiple electrodes (anodes and cathodes) arranged in series. This segmentation allows the total active material mass to be distributed across multiple smaller units, maintaining effective ion transport paths within each stack while accumulating higher overall capacity. The separator divides the electrolyte into multiple compartments, each serving a specific electrode pair, enabling independent ion transport optimization in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional planar electrode arrangements to a three-dimensional stacked configuration. Multiple electrodes are arranged vertically in series within each stack, utilizing the vertical dimension to increase active material mass loading without proportionally increasing ion transport distances. This dimensional transition allows higher energy density while maintaining acceptable ion transport rates through optimized vertical pathways.
2Quantity of substance
If electrode thickness is increased to enhance energy storage capacity, then volumetric energy density improves, but ion transport resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single thick electrode, the design segments the battery into multiple stacks, each containing thinner electrodes arranged in series. This segmentation maintains short ion transport distances within each electrode while accumulating higher total capacity across multiple electrodes. The separator further segments the electrolyte into compartments, ensuring each electrode pair has dedicated ion transport pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator acts as an intermediary that divides the electrolyte into multiple compartments, each serving specific electrode pairs. This intermediary structure enables independent optimization of ion transport paths for each electrode, preventing the ion transport resistance that would occur in a single thick-electrode configuration. The separator maintains electrical isolation while allowing ionic conduction between compartments.
3Quantity of substance
If higher active material mass loadings are used to increase energy density, then gravimetric and volumetric energy densities improve, but safety and cycle stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery architecture segments the high mass loading into multiple smaller electrode units arranged in series stacks. Each individual electrode maintains manageable active material quantities that ensure cycle stability, while the series arrangement accumulates high overall capacity. This segmentation prevents the safety and stability issues associated with concentrated high mass loading in single electrodes.
Solution Approach 2:
Each electrode within the stacked architecture maintains optimized local properties including appropriate active material loading, electrode thickness, and surface area-to-volume ratio. This local optimization ensures each electrode unit achieves good cycle stability and safety, while the overall battery system achieves high energy density through the cumulative effect of multiple optimized units.
4Quantity of substance
If conventional single-roll electrode design is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but volumetric energy density is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is segmented into multiple stacks, each stack containing multiple electrodes arranged in series. This segmentation enables higher volumetric energy density by efficiently utilizing battery volume through vertical stacking, while the modular stack structure maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardized assembly units that can be produced and assembled systematically.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrodes are configured in rolled or wound structures rather than flat planar forms. This curved/rolled geometry enables more efficient space utilization within the battery casing, increasing volumetric energy density. The rolled structure also maintains manufacturing simplicity through continuous winding processes that are easily automated.
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 design achieves significantly higher volumetric energy densities and power densities, overcoming the limitations of conventional battery technologies by enabling thicker electrodes and higher active material loadings, thus meeting the demands of advanced energy storage applications.
Implementation Method 1
an alkali metal ion-conducting separator electronically separating the anode and the cathode
Implementation Method 2
an alkali metal ion-containing electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode and the cathode
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a rolled alkali metal battery wherein the alkali metal is selected from Li, Na, K, or a combination thereof. The battery comprises an anode, a cathode, an alkali metal ion-conducting separator electronically separating the anode and the cathode, and an alkali metal ion-containing electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode contains a wound roll of an anode active material having an anode roll length, an anode roll width, and an anode roll thickness and/or the cathode contains a wound roll of a cathode active material having a cathode roll length, a cathode roll width, and a cathode roll thickness and wherein the anode roll width and/or the cathode roll width direction is substantially perpendicular to the separator plane.