Ambient Superionic Salt via Mechanical Phase Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery technologies face limitations in achieving high ionic conductivity at ambient temperatures, as existing electrolytes often require high temperatures to activate superionic conductivity, and maintaining this conductivity at room temperature is challenging.
Innovation Solution
A superionic conducting salt is developed, comprising salt cations and anions in a disordered phase that remains stable at ambient temperature, formed through processes like milling or drying, which converts primary salts into a superionic conductor with enhanced cation mobility, suitable for use in solid-state batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If existing electrolytes are used, then high ionic conductivity can be achieved, but only at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the electrolyte by introducing a disordered phase with specific structural characteristics (short-range order, long-range disorder) that enable superionic conductivity at ambient temperatures, fundamentally altering the temperature-conductivity relationship
Solution Approach 2:
The electrolyte is designed as a composite material containing both ordered and disordered phases, where the disordered phase provides superionic conductivity while the ordered phase maintains structural stability, achieving high conductivity at low temperatures
2Stability of the object's composition
If primary salts in ordered phase are used, then structural stability is maintained, but cation mobility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolyte structure is segmented into distinct ordered and disordered phases, where the ordered phase provides structural stability and the disordered phase enables rapid cation transport, allowing both properties to coexist
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the electrolyte have different structural qualities - the ordered phase regions provide stability while the disordered phase regions provide high mobility, with each phase performing its specialized function
3Reliability
If thermal activation is used to convert primary salt to superionic conducting salt, then conversion temperature must be high, but this increases energy consumption and reduces stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal activation with mechanical activation through ball milling, using mechanical energy to induce the phase transition from ordered to disordered structure, thereby achieving superionic conductivity at ambient temperatures without thermal input
Solution Approach 2:
Ball milling introduces mechanical vibration and impact forces that disrupt the ordered crystal structure and promote formation of the disordered superionic phase, enabling conversion at low temperatures through mechanical rather than thermal means
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 superionic conducting salt enables high ionic conductivity at ambient temperatures, stabilizing the disordered phase and enhancing cation mobility, making it suitable for use in solid-state batteries, potentially improving battery performance and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
impacting the primary salt with the impact member; converting the primary salt to the superionic conducting salt in response to impacting
Implementation Method 2
a superionic conductive phase that is present in a solid state at ambient temperature
Implementation Method 3
drying the drying composition; converting the primary salt to the superionic conducting salt in response to drying
Data Source
AI summary
A process for making a superionic conducting salt includes: combining a primary salt and an impact member, the primary salt including an ordered phase and being an ionic conductor; impacting the primary salt with the impact member; and converting the primary salt to the superionic conducting salt in response to impacting the primary salt with the impact member at a conversion temperature to make the superionic conducting salt, the conversion temperature optionally being less than a thermally activated transition temperature that thermally converts the primary salt to the superionic conducting salt in an absence of the impacting the primary salt, and the superionic conducting salt including a superionic conductive phase in a solid state at less than the thermally activated transition temperature.