Self-Assembled Silver-Lithium Iodine Battery With Low-Impedance Electrolyte
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Challenges exist in constructing iodide-based secondary batteries for implantable medical devices and other demanding applications, particularly in achieving high volumetric energy density and reliability, as well as enhancing ion conductivity and stability.
Innovation Solution
A self-assembled, solid-state lithium-silver/iodine battery is developed using a mixture of silver iodide and lithium iodide, with composites like aluminum oxide and MAg4I5 additives to enhance ion mobility and conductivity, forming a self-healing electrolyte that acts as both separator and electrolyte, allowing for efficient energy storage and power delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a LiI layer forms in situ during discharge, then the battery achieves high energy density and safety, but the cell impedance increases as the layer thickness grows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces silver iodide to change the ionic conductivity parameter of the electrolyte system. The addition of AgI transforms the electrolyte from having low ionic conductivity (pure LiI) to high ionic conductivity (LiI-AgI composite), enabling the battery to maintain low impedance even as the separator layer thickens during discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite electrolyte system combining lithium iodide and silver iodide. This composite material leverages the high ionic conductivity of AgI to compensate for the impedance increase caused by LiI layer formation, achieving both high energy density and maintained reliability.
2Power
If silver iodide is added to enhance ionic conductivity, then the battery achieves high power capability, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the electrolyte and separator into a single composite layer. The LiI-AgI composite material serves dual purposes: it acts as the ionic conductor (electrolyte) and as the physical barrier (separator), eliminating the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device structure despite the enhanced material composition.
3Device complexity
If the LiI layer acts as both separator and solid electrolyte, then the battery achieves compact design, but the ionic conductivity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the ionic conductivity parameter of the separator/electrolyte material by incorporating silver iodide into the lithium iodide matrix. This parameter enhancement allows the single-layer design to maintain both its structural simplicity and its ionic conduction performance, resolving the contradiction between compact design and sufficient 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 battery achieves enhanced ionic conductivity by several orders of magnitude, providing high energy density and power capability, suitable for small devices like sensors and medical implants, with the ability to power both low and high load applications efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
silver ions, Ag+, and/or lithium ions, Li+, may diffuse toward the negative electrode and be reduced to silver) (Ag0) and/or lithium (Li0) metal
Implementation Method 2
Iodine ion, I−, may diffuse toward the positive electrode and be oxidized to elemental iodine, I2
Implementation Method 3
solid-state silver-lithium / iodine dual-function battery formed via self-assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A novel silver-lithium-iodine solid-state energy device and system are disclosed. The rechargeable, self-assembled, dual-function, metal-iodide battery exhibits small size and high deliverable power. Inert until activation, the device may be stored for long periods of time. Upon activation, the device assembles the required electrochemical moieties for operation without external intervention. The device limits short-circuiting and self-discharge of the system by spontaneous reactions at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces, and thus is self-healing. By incorporating both silver and lithium in the same system, a dual function is achieved, whereby the characteristics of a lithium-based battery dominate at a low load and those of a silver-based battery dominate under a high load.