Stepped Electrode Coating Structure for Uniform Thick Battery Layers

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Solution Overview

Problem

The formation of a single-layer coating layer in electrodes of secondary batteries leads to difficulties in coating uniformity and uneven manufacturing, especially when thicker layers are required for high-capacity batteries.

Innovation Solution

The electrode is designed with a coating layer comprising two or more layers, where the rising portions of these layers do not overlap, forming a step at the end of each layer to ensure even distribution and prevent excessive height variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the coating layer is formed as a single layer, then the electrode structure is simple, but the coating uniformity deteriorates and manufacturing becomes uneven

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating layer structureVSAvoidcoating uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The coating layer is divided into multiple sub-layers (first coating layer, second coating layer, third coating layer) with different thicknesses. This segmentation allows each sub-layer to be coated with controlled thickness, improving overall coating uniformity while maintaining manageable manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the coating layer have different thicknesses - the first coating layer has greater thickness than the second coating layer, which has greater thickness than the third coating layer. This local quality variation optimizes both capacity and uniformity by distributing active material strategically across the electrode surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If the coating layer thickness is increased for high-capacity batteries, then the battery capacity improves, but the coating uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidcoating uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The thick coating layer required for high capacity is segmented into multiple sub-layers of progressively decreasing thickness. This allows the total quantity of active material to be increased for high capacity while each individual sub-layer maintains good coating uniformity through controlled deposition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coating structure transitions from a single-dimensional thick layer to a multi-dimensional layered structure with varying thicknesses. This dimensional complexity enables high capacity through increased total material quantity while maintaining uniformity through the gradient thickness design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4712155A1Electrode and secondary battery
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4712155A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4712155A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4712155A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electrode and a secondary battery are disclosed. An electrode includes a substrate, and a coating layer including a first coating layer coated on a side of the substrate in a first direction, and a second coating layer coated on another side of the substrate in a second direction, and the coating layer includes a first layer and a second layer located on the first layer and defining a step with the first layer.