Solid Electrolyte Carbon Coating for Molten Sodium Wettability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The solid electrolyte in sodium secondary batteries exhibits low wettability with molten sodium at temperatures of 250° C or less, leading to increased resistance and deteriorated battery efficiency, which requires more active materials and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A surface treatment method involving the polymerization of hydrocarbon-based binders with hydroxyl and amine groups, followed by forming a porous carbon coating layer through carbonization, enhances the wettability of the solid electrolyte with molten sodium, even at low temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a solid electrolyte is used in a sodium secondary battery, then the battery can operate with abundant sodium resources, but the wettability with molten sodium deteriorates at low temperatures, increasing resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the surface properties of the solid electrolyte through carbon coating treatment. This changes the surface energy and wettability parameters of the electrolyte, enabling it to maintain good contact with molten sodium at low temperatures (250°C or less) without requiring temperature increases that would compromise battery safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by coating the solid electrolyte surface with carbon-containing compounds. This creates a composite structure where the carbon layer modifies the surface characteristics while the bulk electrolyte maintains its ionic conductivity, achieving both low-temperature adaptability and reliable wettability
2Productivity
If the solid electrolyte has low wettability with molten sodium, then battery efficiency deteriorates, but increasing active materials to compensate increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The carbon coating treatment changes the surface parameters of the electrolyte to improve wettability, which enhances the efficiency of active material utilization. This allows the battery to achieve high productivity without increasing the quantity of active materials required
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 method significantly improves the wettability and ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte, reducing cell resistance and enhancing battery performance while minimizing the use of active materials, thus lowering production costs.
Implementation Method 1
a first step of preparing a polymer solution obtained by polymerizing a first hydrocarbon-based binder having a hydroxyl group in a molecular structure and a second hydrocarbon-based binder having an amine group in the molecular structure, wherein the polymerizing of the first hydrocarbon-based binder and the second hydrocarbon-based binder is performed by adding an acid catalyst
Implementation Method 2
a third step of forming a porous carbon coating layer by carbonizing the polymer film
Implementation Method 3
a surface treatment method of a solid electrolyte for a sodium secondary battery in which wettability with respect to molten sodium at a low temperature is improved
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a solid electrolyte for a sodium secondary battery, and a surface treatment method thereof, and more specifically, a solid electrolyte for a sodium secondary battery capable of having excellent electrochemical performance by improving wettability with respect to molten sodium, even under a low temperature operation environment of 250° C. or less, and a surface treatment method thereof.