Zeolite Purification of Siloxane Electrolyte for Battery Cycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium batteries using organic carbonate solvents in electrolytes face issues with volatility, flammability, and chemical reactivity, and secondary batteries with siloxane solvents exhibit poor cycling performance due to impurities such as water and organic acids.
Innovation Solution
The method involves treating electrolyte components with zeolites to reduce impurities, using silanes and siloxanes as solvents, and incorporating zeolites in the battery structure to enhance electrolyte conductivity and homogeneity, thereby improving cycling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If siloxane solvents are used in secondary batteries, then safety issues (volatility, flammability, chemical reactivity) are improved, but cycling performance deteriorates due to impurities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by treating electrolyte components with zeolites before battery assembly to remove impurities. This pre-treatment step eliminates water and organic acid contaminants from siloxane solvents, preventing the degradation that would otherwise occur during battery cycling, thus resolving the contradiction between safety improvement and cycling performance deterioration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses zeolites as an intermediary substance to purify the electrolyte. The zeolites act as a mediating agent that selectively adsorbs impurities (water and organic acids) from the siloxane-based electrolyte, allowing the electrolyte to achieve both safety benefits and improved cycling performance without direct modification of the siloxane structure
2Reliability
If organic carbonate solvents are used in electrolytes, then ionic conductivity is improved, but safety deteriorates due to high volatility, flammability, and chemical reactivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from organic carbonate solvents to siloxane-based solvents with modified chemical composition. This fundamental parameter change in solvent chemistry provides inherent safety improvements (lower volatility, flammability, and reactivity) while maintaining ionic conductivity through optimized siloxane structure and purity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses zeolites as an intermediary to purify siloxane electrolyte components, removing impurities that would otherwise compromise ionic conductivity. This allows the safe siloxane-based electrolyte to achieve high ionic conductivity comparable to organic carbonates
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 approach results in improved cycling performance and ionic conductivity of lithium batteries by reducing impurities and enhancing electrolyte distribution, leading to increased capacity and stability.
Implementation Method 1
contacting one or more components of an electrolyte with a zeolite
Implementation Method 2
The electrolyte includes a salt in a solvent... activating one or more anodes and one or more cathodes
Data Source
AI summary
A method of a reducing impurities in an electrolyte includes contacting one or more components of an electrolyte with a zeolite. The method also includes activating one or more anode and one or more cathodes with the electrolyte. Contacting the one or more components with the zeolite can include contacting the electrolyte with the zeolite. In some instances, the method includes preparing the electrolyte after contacting the one or more components of the electrolyte with the zeolite.