BATTERY

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery, namely a lithium-ion battery, with an electrode layer and a current conductor, wherein the electrode layer has a plurality of auxiliary channels in an active material. The battery is improved in that the auxiliary channels are formed both at a cathode and at an anode.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising: an electrode layer, and a current conductor, wherein the electrode layer has a plurality of auxiliary channels in an active material, wherein the auxiliary channels are formed both at a cathode and at an anode.

2. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary channels have a diameter of from 0.5 to 5000 m.

3. The battery as set forth in claim 2, wherein the auxiliary channels have a diameter of between 5 and 2000 m.

4. The battery as set forth in claim 3, wherein the auxiliary channels have a diameter of between 10 and 1000 m.

5. The battery as set forth in claim 4, wherein the auxiliary channels have a diameter preferably between 20 and 500 m.

6. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary channels are constructed point by point in the active material.

7. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary channels have an open structure without filling.

8. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary channels have a closed structure with auxiliary substances.

9. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary substances have conductive additives.

10. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary substances have an active material with a different densification, a different composition, a different specific specification, and/or different electrochemical and/or other physical properties than the active material of the other electrode layer.

11. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein more than 50% of the auxiliary channels are provided with a filling.

12. The battery as set forth in claim 1, any one of the preceding more than 50% of the auxiliary channels have a conductive additive.

13. The battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the battery is a lithium-ion battery.

14. A method for manufacturing a battery as set forth in claim 1, any one of the preceding the auxiliary channels is produced by a doctor-roll method, a gel with or without conductive additives being applied to the current collector using the doctor-roll method.

15. The method for manufacturing a battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary channels are produced by physically perforating and/or embossing an electrode layer.

16. The method for manufacturing a battery as set forth in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary channels are produced by injecting a liquid or a gelled liquid into a substantially liquid electrode film.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings and the associated description. In the drawing:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a portion of a battery, namely an electrode layer, a separator, and a current conductor,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement for manufacturing a corresponding electrode layer on the current conductor,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a current conductor with two differently designed electrode layers, namely an electrode layer with auxiliary channels without filling and an electrode layer with auxiliary channels with filling, and

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of differently configured forms of auxiliary channels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a battery 1. The battery 1 has an electrode layer 2, a current conductor 3, and a separator 4. The electrode layer 2 has an active material 5, the active material 5 having pores 6. The pores 6 can form channels and chambers. The active material 5 is arranged between the separator 6 and the current conductor 3. The current collector 3 and the separator 4 extend parallel to one another. The electrode layer 2 preferably has a substantially constant layer thickness. In particular, the electrode layer thickness can be greater than 50 m, more particularly greater than 80 m, and preferably 100 m. Preferably, the electrode layer thickness is in the range between 80 and 120 m; for example, the electrode layer thickness can be 100 or 110 m.

[0026] The electrode layer 2 is provided with auxiliary channels 7. The auxiliary channels 7, 7a to 7e are constructed point by point in the active material 5. The auxiliary channels 7 preferably extend between 1 and 100% of the electrode layer thickness. In the illustrated embodiment, the auxiliary channels 7 extend over 100% of the electrode layer thickness. In particular, the auxiliary channels 7 extend over at least 50% of the electrode layer thickness.

[0027] The arrangement shown in FIG. 1 can form either an anode or a cathode. Both the anode and the cathode have the corresponding auxiliary channels 7. The auxiliary channels 7 extend perpendicularly between the electrode layer 2 and the separator 4.

[0028] The electrode consists of the active material and the arrester. An electrolyte that is instantiated by a liquid or gel-like medium that ensures the transport of the ions between the anode and the cathode is not further specified here.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a preferred manufacturing method. In order to achieve continuous formation of the auxiliary channels 7, a gel 8 with or without conductive additives (not shown) can be applied to the current collector 3 by means of a doctor-roll method or a printing method. FIG. 2 shows a corresponding doctor roll 9. Alternatively, the matrix with the auxiliary channels 7 can be applied in a printing process. In particular, the auxiliary channels 7 can be printed. Today's printers with gel inks already create much higher resolutions than are needed for the formation of the auxiliary channels 7. Alternatively, the auxiliary channels 7 can be applied directly to the bare current collector 3. Alternatively, the auxiliary channels 7 can be subsequently inserted into the electrode layer 2. This can be done by injecting a liquid or gelled liquid into the liquid electrode film. It is possible for the injected liquid or the gelled liquid to have no additives or additives. A third way is to physically perforate a solid but soft electrode film with a needle roller or calender with an embossing roller, for example.

[0030] All methods ultimately produce a tubular vertical auxiliary channel structure in the electrode layer 2. This auxiliary channel structure can either have no filling or a filling of additives, such as conductive carbon black or low-density active material.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows an electrode layer 10 with auxiliary channels without filling and an electrode layer 11 with auxiliary channels with filling. These are each formed on a current collector 3.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows auxiliary channels of various shapes. Conical auxiliary channels 7a and cuboid auxiliary channels 7b, cylindrical auxiliary channels 7c, conical auxiliary channels 7d, and pyramidal auxiliary channels 7e are shown. The auxiliary channels can have a diameter of from 0.5 to 5000 m, preferably between 5 and 2000 m, more preferably between 10 and 1000 m, and most preferably between 20 and 500 m. Additives such as conductive additives such as conductive carbon black or metallic particles can be used. The auxiliary substances can include active materials of a different densification, composition, specification, and electrochemical or physical properties.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0033] 1 battery [0034] 2 electrode layer [0035] 3 current conductor [0036] 4 separator [0037] 5 active material [0038] 6 pores [0039] 7 auxiliary channel [0040] 7a conical auxiliary channel [0041] 7b rectangular auxiliary channel [0042] 7c cylindrical auxiliary channel [0043] 7d cone-shaped auxiliary channel [0044] 7e pyramidal auxiliary channel [0045] 8 gel [0046] 9 doctor roll [0047] 10 electrode layer with auxiliary channels without filling [0048] 11 electrode layer with auxiliary channels with filling