Solid-State Laminate Electrode Assemblies with Inert Liquid Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for high-performance battery cells, particularly high energy density rechargeable lithium metal batteries, where existing technologies face challenges in achieving a continuous solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) between lithium metal and lithium ion conducting sulfide glass layers, leading to inefficiencies in electrochemical operations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating a solid-state laminate electrode assembly by reactively bonding a lithium metal layer with a lithium ion conducting sulfide glass layer, ensuring a continuous SEI formation by maintaining the lithium metal surface in a highly reactive, unpassivated state and using inert protective materials to prevent passivation, followed by controlled removal and bonding processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lithium metal surface is exposed to air or moisture during handling, then the surface becomes passivated and stable, but the reactivity required for continuous SEI formation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an inert liquid atmosphere (such as dry hydrocarbon liquid) to replace air during handling and bonding operations. This inert environment prevents oxygen and moisture from passivating the lithium metal surface, maintaining its reactivity for continuous SEI formation while allowing stable handling and storage of the unpassivated surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an inert liquid protective layer as an intermediary between the lithium metal surface and the ambient environment. This liquid layer acts as a barrier that prevents passivation during handling, storage, and bonding operations, while being removable or penetrable during the bonding process to allow direct contact between lithium and sulfide glass for SEI formation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the lithium metal surface is kept highly reactive and unpassivated, then continuous SEI formation is achieved, but the surface becomes unstable and prone to oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the lithium metal surface in a highly reactive unpassivated state by immersing it in an inert liquid atmosphere that excludes oxygen and moisture. This allows the surface to remain stable and reactive simultaneously, enabling continuous SEI formation without oxidation during handling and bonding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the lithium metal surface in advance by removing passivation layers and exposing a fresh, highly reactive surface before bonding. The inert liquid protective layer is applied beforehand to maintain this reactive state during subsequent handling, storage, and bonding operations, ensuring continuous SEI formation when bonding occurs.
3Manufacturing precision
If protective material layers are used to prevent passivation, then the lithium metal surface remains reactive, but the bonding process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inert liquid protective layer as a temporary intermediary that simplifies the overall process by allowing handling and storage of unpassivated lithium surfaces in ambient conditions. During bonding, this liquid layer is removed or penetrates the interface, enabling direct contact between lithium and sulfide glass. The liquid intermediary is removed after bonding, simplifying the final structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the protective material from solid films to liquid phases. This parameter change allows the protective layer to be easily applied, maintained, and removed during the bonding process. The liquid protective layer can be penetrated by the bonding interface or removed by evaporation, simplifying the bonding process compared to solid protective layers.
4Manufacturing precision
If the inert protective material layer is removed immediately before bonding, then the lithium metal surface remains unpassivated, but the time window for bonding becomes very narrow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the protective liquid layer in place during handling, storage, and transport, keeping the lithium surface unpassivated continuously. The bonding process occurs by removing or penetrating this protective layer, allowing the useful action of surface protection to continue throughout the entire process chain without interruption, eliminating the need for narrow time windows.
Solution Approach 2:
The inert liquid protective layer serves as a stable intermediary that can be maintained for extended periods without causing passivation. This allows the bonding process to be performed at any time after application, eliminating the narrow time window constraint. The liquid intermediary remains in place during storage and handling, and is removed or penetrated during bonding without time pressure.
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 a strongly adhered, electrochemically operable laminate with low interfacial resistance, enhancing the energy storage capacity and stability of lithium metal batteries by ensuring a continuous and effective SEI, thereby improving the performance and longevity of the battery cells.
Implementation Method 1
the reactive bond is sufficiently complete that it forms a continuous solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the boundary between the layers
Implementation Method 2
an inert protective material layer that removably covers the lithium metal first major surface
Data Source
AI summary
Solid-state laminate electrode assemblies and various methods for making the solid-state laminate electrode assemblies involve a lithium metal layer reactively bonded to a lithium ion conducting sulfide glass layer. During manufacture, highly reactive surfaces of the lithium metal layer and the lithium ion conducting sulfide glass layer are maintained in its substantially unpassivated state until they have been reactively bonded.