Textured Electrode Tabs for Low-Spatter Battery Cell Welding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cell technologies face challenges in achieving strong and reliable electrical coupling between electrode tabs and current collectors, leading to issues such as spatter during welding operations and inadequate thermal management, which can result in reduced joint integrity and increased temperatures within the battery cell.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a textured surface on electrode tabs and current collectors, created using ultrasonic welding or micromachining, facilitates improved electrical coupling and thermal behavior by increasing the surface area and reducing spatter during laser welding, thereby enhancing the strength and resilience of the welded joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a smooth surface is used on electrode tabs during laser welding, then the welding process is simpler, but spatter increases and joint integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a textured surface coating on the electrode tab surface, changing the surface parameters (roughness, porosity, composition) to improve laser energy absorption. This texture modification reduces spatter during welding while enhancing joint integrity, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful factors.
2Strength
If a textured surface is applied to electrode tabs, then laser energy absorption and joint strength improve, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies surface parameters through texturing or coating the electrode tab surface. This changes the physical and chemical properties of the surface layer to enhance laser absorption and weld strength, while the added complexity is confined to the surface treatment step rather than the entire manufacturing process.
3Temperature
If the surface area of electrode tabs is increased through texturing, then thermal dissipation improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes surface parameters by creating a textured structure on the electrode tab. This increases the effective surface area for thermal dissipation while the texture can be applied through conventional coating or texturing processes that do not require extreme manufacturing precision, thus resolving the contradiction between thermal management and manufacturing precision.
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 textured surfaces improve the absorption of laser energy during welding, reduce spatter, and enhance thermal dissipation, resulting in stronger and more reliable joints within the battery cell, which helps prevent high temperatures and increases the overall integrity of the battery cell.
Implementation Method 1
The textured surface can improve absorption or an incident beam (e.g., a laser beam) during the joining operation (e.g., a laser welding operation)
Implementation Method 2
The textured surface can be created by an ultrasonic welder, a micro-machining device, or some other device
Implementation Method 3
The textured surface can have an increased surface area relative to an un-textured surface and can improve thermal behavior of the battery cell
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is related to a battery cell. The battery cell can include a current collector. The battery cell can include a first electrode tab having a textured surface. The first electrode tab can be electrically coupled with the current collector.