Battery Separator Insulating Coating to Prevent Slurry Loss

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing manufacturing process for secondary batteries faces challenges in aligning insulating coating solutions, leading to electrode slurry loss and safety risks due to separator folding during the stacking of electrodes and separators.

Innovation Solution

A unit cell design where a separator with a first organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer and a second insulating coating layer is used, allowing the electrode tab to be positioned on the insulating coating layer, thereby preventing slurry loss and separator folding, and enhancing safety by ensuring the insulating coating is applied on the separator rather than the electrode.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If insulating coating solution is applied during electrode slurry coating, then insulating treatment is achieved, but alignment difficulty causes electrode slurry loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsulating treatment effectivenessVSAvoidelectrode slurry loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the insulating coating application from the electrode coating process and applies it separately to the separator. This separation eliminates the alignment difficulty between insulating coating and electrode slurry, preventing slurry loss while maintaining insulating treatment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying insulating coating to the electrode as in conventional methods, the patent inverts the approach by applying the insulating coating to the separator. This reversal solves the alignment problem and prevents slurry loss during the coating process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If separator is stacked with electrode, then unit cell is formed, but separator folding occurs causing safety risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunit cell formation efficiencyVSAvoidbattery safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies insulating coating to the separator before stacking with the electrode. This preliminary action prevents separator folding during the stacking process, eliminating safety risks while maintaining unit cell formation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating coating acts as an intermediary layer on the separator surface, preventing direct contact and adhesion between separator layers during stacking. This intermediary layer eliminates folding while maintaining stacking efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If insulating coating is applied to electrode tab, then insulation is achieved, but alignment matching is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsulation effectivenessVSAvoidalignment matching precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the insulating coating application from the electrode tab and applies it to the separator instead. This eliminates the alignment matching problem between insulating coating and electrode tab while maintaining insulation effectiveness at the critical interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The separator with insulating coating serves itself by providing the insulating function at the interface with the electrode tab, eliminating the need for separate insulating treatment of the electrode tab and simplifying the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 effectively prevents electrode slurry loss and separator folding, ensuring the safety of secondary batteries by aligning the insulating coating layer on the separator, improving the adhesive force between separators and enhancing overall battery safety.

Implementation Method 1

an insulating coating layer is formed on a separator... prevent the active material from protruding and reduce Li plating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInsulation: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 2

a first coating part in which organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer is formed on at least one surface of a base substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComposite material structure: Composite Materials

Data Source

PatentUS20230378605A1Unit Cell for Secondary Battery Including Separator With Insulating Coating Layer and Manufacturing Method Thereof

Publication Date: 2023.11.23 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

A unit cell for a secondary battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes an electrode plate on which a tab is formed, and a separator, wherein the separator includes a first coating part in which an organic/inorganic composite porous coating layer is formed on at least one surface of a base substrate, and a second coating part on which an insulating coating layer is formed.