Semi-Solid Battery Electrolyte Composition for Temperature Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable batteries face degradation and inefficiency due to temperature effects, which limit their performance and lifespan, especially in automotive and storage applications.
Innovation Solution
A semi-solid battery design incorporating an active material comprising oxygen-containing compounds like MgO, ZnO, and ZrO2, combined with chloride or sulfate salts, thickener additives such as agar-agar and methylcellulose, and plasticizer additives like silicone, with particle sizes between 10 nm and 40 μm, to enhance performance and stability across varying temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional rechargeable batteries are used, then they can store and release electrical energy, but their performance degrades when exposed to high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the electrolyte by using a gel matrix combined with ionic liquid and salt hydrate. This gel structure maintains ionic conductivity while providing thermal stability, allowing the battery to operate reliably at elevated temperatures without performance degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite electrolyte system consisting of gel matrix, ionic liquid, and salt hydrate. This composite structure combines the advantages of each component: gel provides structural stability and heat resistance, ionic liquid offers wide temperature range conductivity, and salt hydrate enables reversible phase change for energy storage
2Power
If the battery uses complex active materials to improve performance, then energy storage capacity increases, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses salt hydrate as a phase change material that can be easily sourced and processed. The material allows for simple manufacturing procedures and can be replaced or recharged without complex processing, reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining good energy storage capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the concentration ratios and physical parameters of the electrolyte components to achieve optimal energy storage capacity. By carefully controlling the parameters of the gel-ionic liquid-salt hydrate system, the battery achieves high power output without requiring expensive or complex 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 battery exhibits improved performance and stability across temperature variations, maintaining efficiency and extending lifespan, while being cost-effective to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
adding at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose, and gum arabic, thus obtaining a homogeneous solution; cooling down the homogenous solution of step c) to a temperature in the range from 30° C. to 15° C. allowing gelation
Implementation Method 2
adding at least one plasticizer to the gelled material of step d), thus obtaining the active material
Implementation Method 3
The basic working principle of a battery consists in the oxidation (anode) and reduction (cathode) reaction occurring at the electrodes providing electrons to the external circuit
Implementation Method 4
Temperature effect on these batteries is typically detrimental, usually associated to degradation of components such as separator membrane or related to a less efficient process
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a battery (1) comprising at least a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12), placed at a suitable distance from each other, wherein said battery comprise an active material is between said electrodes (11, 12), said active material comprising: at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3, Fe3O4, Fe2O3 and TiO2; at least one salt selected from a chloride-containing salt and a sulphate-containing salt; at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose, and gum arabic, and at least one plasticizer additive, wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm.