Semi-solid electrolytes prevent gas formation in implantable batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable medical device batteries face challenges in achieving long battery life due to chemical reduction reactions that can lead to gas formation and over-pressurization of battery enclosures, which existing electrolyte compositions fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
The development of semi-solid electrolytes comprising glymes, lithium salts, and polymeric complexing agents, such as polyethylene oxide, which are formulated to prevent gas formation and maintain stability, ensuring high ionic conductivity and low volatility, thereby preventing battery enclosure over-pressurization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If conventional electrolyte compositions are used to achieve long battery life, then battery duration is improved, but chemical reduction reactions occur leading to gas formation and over-pressurization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the electrolyte from liquid to semi-solid by incorporating polymeric complexing agents. This parameter change fundamentally alters the electrochemical stability of the system, preventing reduction reactions that produce gas while maintaining ionic conductivity necessary for battery operation over extended periods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite electrolyte system combining traditional liquid electrolyte components (glymes, lithium salts) with polymeric complexing agents. This composite structure provides both the ionic conductivity needed for long battery life and the structural stability that prevents gas-forming reduction reactions
2Reliability
If electrolyte composition is modified to prevent gas formation, then reliability is improved, but ionic conductivity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration and molecular weight parameters of the polymeric complexing agents to achieve a critical balance point where the electrolyte transitions to a semi-solid state that simultaneously provides high reliability through gas formation prevention and maintains sufficient ionic conductivity for energy transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates local regions within the electrolyte where polymeric complexing agents form stable complexes with lithium ions, providing reliability and gas prevention in those local zones, while maintaining liquid-like ionic mobility in other regions to preserve overall ionic conductivity
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 semi-solid electrolytes provide extended battery life by preventing gas formation and maintaining stability, ensuring high ionic conductivity and low volatility, thus avoiding battery enclosure over-pressurization and enhancing the reliability of implantable medical devices.
Implementation Method 1
a polymeric complexing agent, for example polyethylene oxide
Implementation Method 2
ensuring high ionic conductivity
Implementation Method 3
low volatility, thereby preventing battery enclosure over-pressurization
Data Source
AI summary
Semi-solid electrolyte compositions are disclosed. The semi-solid electrolyte compositions contain a glyme or mixture of glymes, a lithium salt(s), and a polymeric complexing agent(s).