Battery systems and methods for accelerating ion diffusion in polymer electrolyte materials
AssigneesRobert Bosch GmbH, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsJonathan MAILOA, Alfredo ALEXANDER-KATZ, Zhen CAO
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Abstract
Battery systems and methods for accelerating ion diffusion in polymer electrolyte materials. The application of oscillating electric fields is used to improve the ionic transport properties of polymer electrolytes by reducing the apparent hopping barrier of the lithium ions within the electrolyte material. Polymer-electrolyte-based battery cells exhibiting enhanced ion mobility due to the application of such oscillating electric fields.
Claims20
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- an anode configured to absorb and release lithium ions;
- a cathode;
- a separator polymer electrolyte;
- and
- an electric field-imparting device configured to be charged and discharged to impart an oscillating electric field within at least a portion of the separator polymer electrolyte.
A solid state polymer battery comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- a separator polymer electrolyte;
- and
- an electric field-imparting structure disposed at least partially within the separator polymer electrolyte and configured to impart an oscillating electric field within at least a portion of the separator polymer electrolyte.
A method of increasing the ionic diffusivity of a polymer electrolyte material within a polymer electrolyte battery cell, the method comprising:
- configuring an electric field-imparting structure to be repeatedly charged and discharged to impart an oscillating electric field in at least a region of the polymer electrolyte battery cell;
- placing the electric field-imparting structure at least partially within a polymer electrolyte material of the polymer electrolyte battery cell;
- and
- charging and discharging the electric field-imparting structure to impart an oscillating electric field in at least a portion of the polymer electrolyte material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.