Dimensional constraints for three-dimensional batteries

A secondary battery for cycling between a charged and a discharged state, the secondary battery comprising a battery enclosure, an electrode assembly, carrier ions, a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte within the battery enclosure, and a set of electrode constraints, wherein

• the electrode assembly has mutually perpendicular longitudinal, transverse, and vertical axes, a first longitudinal end surface and a second longitudinal end surface separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, and a lateral surface surrounding an electrode assembly longitudinal axis AEA and connecting the first and second longitudinal end surfaces, the lateral surface having opposing first and second regions on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and separated in a first direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the electrode assembly having a maximum width WEA measured in the longitudinal direction, a maximum length LEA bounded by the lateral surface and measured in the transverse direction, and a maximum height HEA bounded by the lateral surface and measured in the vertical direction,
• the electrode assembly further comprises a population of electrode structures, a population of counter-electrode structures, and an electrically insulating microporous separator material electrically separating members of the electrode and counter-electrode populations, members of the electrode and counter-electrode structure populations being arranged in an alternating sequence in the longitudinal direction,
• each member of the population of electrode structures comprises an electrode current collector, and each member of the population of counter-electrode structures comprises a counter-electrode current collector, each member of the population of electrode structures comprises a layer of an electrode active material and each member of the population of counter-electrode structures comprises a layer of a counter-electrode active material, wherein the electrode active material expands upon insertion of carrier ions into the electrode active material when the secondary battery is charged from a discharged state to a charged state,
• the set of electrode constraints comprises a primary constraint system comprising first and second primary growth constraints and at least one primary connecting member, the first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in the longitudinal direction, the at least one primary connecting member connecting the first and second primary growth constraints, wherein the primary constraint system restrains growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction such that any increase in the Feret diameter of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction over 20 consecutive cycles of the secondary battery is less than 20%,
• the charged state is at least 75% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery, and the discharged state is less than 25% of the rated capacity of the secondary battery
• the set of electrode constraints further comprises a secondary constraint system comprising first and second secondary growth constraints separated in a second direction and connected by at least one secondary connecting member, wherein the secondary constraint system at least partially restrains growth of the electrode assembly in the second direction upon cycling of the secondary battery, the second direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,
• wherein the first and second secondary growth constraints serve as the at least one primary connecting member connecting the first and second primary growth constraints, and
• wherein the first and second secondary growth constraints are connected to (i) the electrode current collectors of the population of electrode structures, and/or (ii) the counter-electrode current collectors of the population of counter-electrode structures.