Solid Battery Electrode Fabrication via Electrophoretic Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing lithium ion battery electrodes face challenges in achieving high energy density while maintaining power density, due to limitations in controlling electrode thickness and porosity, leading to issues with lithium ion diffusion and electrolyte impregnation, and are costly and inefficient for large-scale industrial production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving electrophoretic deposition of nanoparticles followed by thermal consolidation and mechanical compaction, allowing for the creation of dense, thin electrode films with low porosity and high geometric precision, enabling efficient lithium ion transport without the need for organic electrolytes, and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electrode thickness is increased to improve energy density, then energy density is improved, but power density deteriorates due to reduced lithium ion diffusion rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by maintaining controlled porosity (30-70%) in electrodes with increased thickness. The porous structure allows electrolyte penetration and lithium ion diffusion pathways throughout the thicker electrode, enabling both high energy density (through increased active material quantity) and maintained power density (through efficient ion transport in pores).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform particle size distributions and localized porosity variations within the electrode. Smaller particles (5-15 μm) are used in regions requiring fast diffusion, while larger particles can be used in regions where energy storage is prioritized. This spatial variation in particle characteristics enables simultaneous optimization of power and energy density across different electrode regions.
2Quantity of substance
If porosity is reduced to improve energy density, then energy density is improved, but lithium ion transport resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains optimal porosity levels (30-70%) to ensure adequate lithium ion transport pathways while maximizing energy density. The porous structure provides continuous channels for ion diffusion, preventing transport resistance from becoming prohibitive even as porosity is reduced to increase active material content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials consisting of active material particles (5-15 μm) combined with conductive carbon powder and binder materials. This composite structure creates a network where carbon provides additional conductive pathways and the binder maintains structural integrity, enabling reduced porosity without compromising ion transport reliability.
3Power
If particle size is reduced to improve power performance, then power density is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a particular particle size range (5-15 μm) that balances power performance with manufacturability. This parameter optimization ensures particles are small enough for good power density but large enough to avoid excessive complexity in handling, processing, and assembly operations during manufacturing.
4Ease of manufacture
If organic solvents and binders are used in electrode inks, then electrode formation is enabled, but production costs and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates harmful organic solvents and binders from the electrode formulation. By removing these problematic components, the invention reduces production costs, minimizes environmental impact, and simplifies manufacturing while still achieving proper electrode formation through alternative means such as direct particle deposition or use of benign aqueous suspensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive organic binders and solvents with cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternatives such as aqueous suspensions or minimal binder systems. This substitution reduces material costs and eliminates the need for complex solvent recovery and disposal infrastructure, thereby reducing overall production costs and environmental burden.
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 approach results in electrodes with improved energy and power density, enhanced safety, and reduced manufacturing costs, facilitating the production of high-performance lithium ion batteries with increased reliability and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
The process comprises the essential step of electrophoretic deposition of particles of anode and/or cathode materials
Implementation Method 2
The deposit obtained at the end of the deposition step is then consolidated by heat treatment and/or mechanical compaction
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for fabrication of an electrode film in an all-solid-state battery comprising successive steps to:a) Procure a substrate, preferably a conducting substrate,b) Deposit an electrode film on said substrate by electrophoresis, from a suspension containing particles of electrode materials,c) Dry the film obtained in the previous step,d) Thermal consolidation of the electrode film obtained in the previous step by sintering, sintering being done at a temperature TR that preferably does not exceed 0.7 times the melting temperature (expressed in ° C.), even more preferably does not exceed 0.5 times the melting temperature (expressed in ° C.), and much more preferably does not exceed 0.3 times the melting temperature (expressed in ° C.) of the electrode material that melts at the lowest temperature.