Surface-Enabled Alkali Metal Ion-Exchanging Battery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional energy storage devices, such as lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, face limitations in power density and energy density, with lithium-ion batteries requiring long recharge times due to slow solid-state diffusion and supercapacitors having low energy density, necessitating the development of a more efficient energy storage solution.
Innovation Solution
A surface-controlled, metal ion-exchanging battery device that operates without metal ion intercalation, utilizing alkali metals, alkaline-earth metals, and transition metals, where metal ions are exchanged between an anode and a cathode with surface-mediated storage, enabling fast charge and discharge cycles and high power density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional lithium-ion batteries use solid-state diffusion for metal ion storage, then energy density can be maintained, but power density becomes very low and recharge time becomes very long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the metal ion storage function from the bulk solid electrode material and relocates it to the surface. By using surface-mediated storage where metal ions are exchanged at the electrode surface rather than diffusing into the bulk, the invention eliminates the slow solid-state diffusion process while maintaining energy storage capacity, thereby achieving high power density and fast recharge times
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous electrode structures with high surface area to volume ratio. The porous architecture provides numerous surface sites for metal ion exchange while maintaining electrical connectivity, enabling fast ion transport and high power density without requiring slow bulk diffusion processes
2Power
If supercapacitors use porous electrodes with large surface area for electric double layer formation, then power density becomes very high, but energy density becomes very low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of both supercapacitors and batteries by combining surface-mediated fast ion exchange (from supercapacitors) with metal ion storage chemistry (from batteries). The surface-enabled metal ion exchange mechanism provides both the fast response of supercapacitors and the high energy density of batteries, achieving a hybrid performance that neither technology alone can deliver
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite electrode materials that combine conductive components for fast electron transport with metal ion storage components. This composite structure enables simultaneous achievement of high electrical conductivity (for power density) and high metal ion storage capacity (for energy density)
3Quantity of substance
If conventional batteries rely on bulk solid-state diffusion for metal ion storage, then energy storage capacity can be achieved, but the diffusion process becomes extremely slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the metal ion storage function from the bulk solid electrode material and relocates it to the surface. By using surface-mediated storage where metal ions are exchanged at the electrode surface rather than diffusing into the bulk, the invention eliminates the slow solid-state diffusion process while maintaining energy storage capacity, thereby achieving high power density and fast recharge times
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 device achieves significantly higher energy and power densities compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, with recharge times in minutes rather than hours, and exhibits stable cycle life and a wide operating temperature range.
Implementation Method 1
the metal ion storage mechanism in either the cathode or both the anode and the cathode is electrode active material surface-controlled or, more accurately, 'surface-mediated' or 'surface-enabled'
Implementation Method 2
This EDL mechanism is based on surface ion adsorption
Implementation Method 3
In some supercapacitors, the stored energy is further augmented by pseudo-capacitance effects due to some electrochemical reactions (e.g., redox)
Data Source
AI summary
A surface-enabled, metal ion-exchanging battery device comprising a cathode, an anode, a porous separator, and a metal ion-containing electrolyte, wherein the metal ion is selected from (A) non-Li alkali metals; (B) alkaline-earth metals; (C) transition metals; (D) other metals such as aluminum (Al); or (E) a combination thereof; and wherein at least one of the electrodes contains therein a metal ion source prior to the first charge or discharge cycle of the device and at least the cathode comprises a functional material or nanostructured material having a metal ion-capturing functional group or metal ion-storing surface in direct contact with said electrolyte, and wherein the operation of the battery device does not involve the introduction of oxygen from outside the device and does not involve the formation of a metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal selenide, metal telluride, metal hydroxide, or metal-halogen compound. This energy storage device has a power density significantly higher than that of a lithium-ion battery and an energy density dramatically higher than that of a supercapacitor.