UV-Curable Electrolyte for Thin-Film Battery Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thin-film batteries face challenges with solution-based electrolyte layers, including leakage, reduced flexibility, and compromised sealing, as well as the need for an inert environment to prevent oxygen inhibition during curing, which slows down the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A UV LED curable electrolyte layer formulation comprising water, acid, phosphine oxide, photoinitiators, water miscible polymer, salt, and neutralizing agent, which forms a cross-linked polymer gel that can cure quickly in air, eliminating the need for an inert atmosphere and improving manufacturing speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If solution-based electrolyte layers are used in thin-film batteries, then the manufacturing process is simple, but leakage, reduced flexibility, and compromised sealing occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the electrolyte from a liquid solution to a UV-curable precursor composition that forms a solid gel network upon exposure to UV light. This parameter change in physical state eliminates leakage while maintaining ease of manufacture through simple deposition and curing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrolyte layer is formulated as a composite material containing polymer precursors, crosslinking agents, and electrolyte salts. This composite structure provides both the mechanical integrity needed to prevent leakage and the ionic conductivity required for battery function.
2Speed
If traditional UV curable materials are used, then curing speed is fast, but oxygen inhibition requires an inert environment that slows down manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses oxygen, traditionally a harmful inhibitor of UV curing, as part of the curing environment without requiring exclusion. The formulation is designed to cure effectively in ambient air, converting the previously harmful oxygenated environment into an acceptable curing condition and eliminating the need for complex inert atmosphere equipment.
3Reliability
If an inert atmosphere is used to prevent oxygen inhibition, then curing quality is maintained, but manufacturing speed decreases due to environment setup and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolyte formulation is self-adapting to ambient conditions, requiring no special environment control. The UV curing process automatically proceeds effectively in air without needing inert gas protection, allowing the manufacturing process to maintain high speed while achieving reliable curing quality.
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 UV LED curable electrolyte layer addresses leakage and flexibility issues, allows for faster curing, and simplifies the manufacturing process by enabling curing in ambient conditions, resulting in a more efficient and reliable thin-film battery production.
Implementation Method 1
ultraviolet light curing the electrolyte layer precursor composition in presence of air to form an electrolyte layer
Data Source
AI summary
An example composition is disclosed. For example, the composition includes a ultra-violet (UV) curable mixture of water, an acid, a phosphine oxide with one or more photoinitiators, a water miscible polymer, a salt, and a neutralizing agent. The composition can be used to form an electrolyte layer that can be cured in the presence of air when printing the thin-film battery.