15 patents in this list
Updated: February 06, 2024
No doubt that electric vehicles are emerging as potential replacements for gasoline-powered cars. However, most people won't fully adopt electric vehicles until there are improvements in battery capacity and range. This article looks at the progress being made around batteries with higher energy density for EVs. These advances could help transform electric transportation from a niche curiosity to a mainstream option.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, 2023
Enhanced lithium secondary batteries with improved capacity, cycle life and output. The batteries use positive and negative electrodes with specific properties, and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a specific compound. The positive electrode has a conductive material content of 6-20% by mass, a density of 1.7-3.5 g/cm3, and an active material layer thickness to current collector thickness ratio of 1.6-20. The negative electrode has an average primary particle diameter of 0.1-2 μm and a tap density of 1.3-2.7 g/cm3.
Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, The Industry & Academic Cooperation in Chungnam National University (IAC), 2023
Electrolyte for lithium batteries that improves stability and lifespan of high voltage, high capacity lithium-ion batteries. The electrolyte includes lithium salt, solvent, and functional additives. The additives include two types of high-voltage additives that stabilize the electrolyte on both the positive and negative electrodes. The dual additives enhance the stability of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layers on the electrodes, preventing breakdown and degradation at high voltage.
CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED, 2023
Battery cell design that increases capacity by optimizing space usage. It does this by adding concave and convex features to the cell's insulating member and end cover. The insulating member has a concave portion that accommodates the tab and current collector, freeing up more internal space for the electrode assembly. The end cover has a corresponding convex portion that fits into a concave portion of the insulating member. This reduces the overall space occupied by the insulating member inside the cell housing.
ECOPRO BM CO., LTD., 2023
Lithium complex oxide for lithium-ion batteries that exhibits improved capacity, resistance, and lifetime. The lithium complex oxide is prepared in a way that modifies the surface of primary particles in the oxide particles. The primary particles on the outer surface of the oxide particles are coated with cobalt. This creates a graded concentration of cobalt from the coating towards the center of the primary particle. The cobalt coating alters the crystalline structure of these particles compared to the interior particles and also reduces residual lithium after washing. This improves lithium ion pathways, battery efficiency, and high temperature stability.
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Panasonic Holdings Corporation, 2023
Electrode layer for all-solid state batteries with good capacity retention. The layer contains an electrode active material, a sulfide solid electrolyte, and a residual liquid. The residual liquid has low solubility parameter and high boiling point, e.g. tetralin.
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, 2023
Composite aerogel material for solid-state batteries that can incorporate silicon anodes with high energy density while preventing cracking due to volume changes. The composite aerogel consists of a carbonized aerogel with a 3D porous structure that contains dispersed silicon nanoparticles. The silicon nanoparticles make up at least 70% of the composite by mass. This provides a highly stable carbon scaffold for the silicon particles to accommodate volume changes during charging.
Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, 2023
Vehicle battery pack design to maximize energy density by eliminating internal components and use a modular stack of pouch cells. The battery pack uses a compression mechanism to hold the cells together and maintain electrical connections. The pack has a lower tray that supports the cells, an upper cover that compresses the cells, and a pressing plate between the tray and cover that applies the compressive force. The tray has protrusions that engage recesses in the cover to align the parts. Pressure bolts pass through the pressing plate to press the cover down onto the cells.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, 2023
A lithium secondary battery design with improved energy density and long cycle life while maintaining fast charging performance by utilizing a negative electrode plate with two layers of active substances. The first active substance layer has high gram capacity for increased energy density. The second active substance layer has lower gram capacity for improved fast charging and stability. The two layers balance properties for high energy density, long cycle life, and fast charging. The first active substance layer thickness is 35-105 um and gram capacity is 250-350 mAh/g. The second active substance layer thickness is 65-135 um and gram capacity is 80-120 mAh/g.
LG Chem, Ltd., 2020
Pouch-type battery cell design with increased capacity by controlling electrochemical reactions uniformly across the electrodes. The cell has an electrode assembly with laminated positive and negative electrodes. The electrodes have multiple sides on a plane where each odd side has a positive tab and each even side has a negative tab. This configuration allows expanding the cell size while maintaining uniform electrochemical reactions compared to just extending electrode length.
Sony Corporation, 2018
A battery capable of achieving both high capacity and high power. The battery uses a separator with specific porous film properties, an optimized positive electrode active material layer density, and specific lithium transition metal oxide compositions. The separator has a porosity and air permeability that allow proper ion flow at high current densities while maintaining shutdown safety. The positive electrode has a high density active material layer to increase capacity. And the active material compositions are chosen to balance power and capacity.
SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD., 2017
Lithium-ion battery that has higher output and stability by using a novel positive electrode active material that increases the diffusion rate of lithium in the electrode. The active material is made of lithium iron phosphate particles with unique plate-like and columnar shapes that create open spaces between the particles. This allows electrolyte penetration and lithium ion movement between the particles. The irregular shaped particles have large surfaces and angles that enhance lithium diffusion compared to traditional spherical particles. The high diffusion rate increases battery output.
LG CHEM, LTD., 2017
Secondary battery with improved output characteristics by connecting heterogeneous cells with different electrical characteristics from each other in parallel to increase energy density and optimize performance. The battery contains a cell assembly with multiple cells connected in parallel and an electrolyte, all contained within one package. The positive electrodes of the central cells have a higher loading energy density than the positive electrodes of the side cells. This configuration allows for increased output and energy density compared to using homogeneous cells with the same characteristics.
Sony Corporation, 2015
A cathode active material for lithium-ion batteries that enables high capacity, long cycle life, and high energy density. The material is a lithium-containing compound with a novel crystal structure modification. It involves inserting a specific element into the surface layer of the compound while reducing the mole fraction of lithium in the central portion compared to the surface. This composition modification improves battery performance compared to conventional lithium-containing compounds.
Sony Corporation, 2014
Secondary battery design and manufacturing method for improved battery capacity and performance. The method involves forming an optimized electrolyte layer on the electrode active material. The key is to avoid defects like large circular regions in the electrolyte layer that can inhibit lithium ion transport. This is achieved by applying a non-polymer liquid layer first, followed by a polymer-containing electrolyte solution. The active material density is also set to at least 40 mg/cm².
Sony Corporation, 2014
A battery capable of achieving both high capacity and high power. The battery uses a porous separator with specific porosity and air permeability along with a positive electrode containing lithium nickel composite oxide. The positive electrode has a high density active material layer. This allows high current density movement without generating overvoltage and decomposition.
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