Sulfide Solid Electrolyte Powder Cooling to Prevent Particle Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing sulfide solid electrolyte powders face issues with particle aggregation during cooling treatments, leading to excessive pulverization loads and insufficient battery performance due to sulfur impurities reattaching to particle surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that separate the heating and cooling areas, with inert gas circulation in the cooling area, to prevent particle aggregation and remove sulfur impurities, using a specific cooling rate and gas volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a cooling treatment is performed after heat treatment to stabilize crystal structure and remove impurities, then the crystal structure is stabilized and sulfur impurities are removed, but sulfur impurities reattach to particle surfaces and act as binders causing particle aggregation
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus divides the treatment process into separate heating area and cooling area. The heating area performs heat treatment to stabilize crystal structure and remove sulfur impurities, while the cooling area separately performs cooling with inert gas circulation to prevent sulfur reattachment and particle aggregation. This spatial segmentation allows each area to optimize its function without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
An inert gas is introduced as an intermediary substance in the cooling area. The inert gas circulates around the particles during cooling, creating a protective atmosphere that prevents sulfur impurities from reattaching to particle surfaces. This intermediary medium enables cooling while maintaining particle separation and preventing aggregation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If particles are aggregated due to sulfur impurities acting as binders during cooling, then the heat treatment successfully stabilizes crystal structure, but the load of subsequent pulverization becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the treatment into separate heating and cooling areas, the apparatus ensures that cooling occurs in an environment controlled to prevent aggregation. This eliminates the need for excessive pulverization power that would otherwise be required to break apart aggregated particles, while still achieving crystal structure stabilization through the heating area.
Solution Approach 2:
The inert gas acts as a mediator during cooling to prevent particle aggregation by blocking sulfur impurities from acting as binders. This reduces the subsequent pulverization load because particles remain separated and do not form aggregates that would require additional energy to break apart.
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
Prevents particle aggregation, reducing the load of subsequent pulverization and enhancing battery performance by stabilizing the crystal structure and removing sulfur impurities effectively.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the sulfide solid electrolyte powder while circulating an inert gas in the cooling area
Implementation Method 2
heat-treating the powder in a heating area to obtain a sulfide solid electrolyte powder
Implementation Method 3
remove impurities such as sulfur attached to a particle surface
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method for producing a sulfide solid electrolyte powder, the method comprising: a step of obtaining a starting material mixture by mixing staring materials; a step of synthesizing at least one of a sulfide powder or a sulfide precursor powder from the starting material mixture; a step of obtaining a sulfide solid electrolyte powder by heating the above-described powder in a heating area; a step of transferring the sulfide solid electrolyte powder to a cooling area; and a step of cooling the sulfide solid electrolyte powder in the cooling area, while flowing an inert gas therethrough. With this method for producing a sulfide solid electrolyte powder, the heating area and the cooling area are separated from each other.