Invented by LEE; Sangjoon, SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.

Let’s explore a new invention that changes how we make lithium battery electrodes. This blog will help you understand what the invention is, why it matters, how it fits into the current world of batteries, and what makes it stand out from what came before. We’ll keep things simple and clear, so you can walk away with real knowledge about this battery breakthrough.

Background and Market Context

Almost everyone uses devices powered by lithium rechargeable batteries. Phones, laptops, and even cars rely on these batteries every day. As more people want devices that last longer and charge faster, the battery industry has to keep improving. Companies build stronger batteries for electric cars, hoping to make them go farther between charges and fill up quicker at charging stations. At the same time, people want their phones and tablets to stay powered up for longer and charge without waiting too long.

A lithium battery works by moving lithium ions from one side (the negative electrode) to the other (the positive electrode) and back again. The better these electrodes are, the more energy the battery can hold, and the faster it can charge or release that energy. In the world of batteries, the positive electrode is especially important because it helps decide how much energy the battery can store and how quickly it can be used.

The battery market is big and growing fast. Electric cars, in particular, are pushing the need for batteries that can charge in minutes and still drive hundreds of miles. Energy storage for solar and wind power is another huge area where good batteries matter. If we can make batteries better—if they last longer, hold more power, and charge faster—we can make green energy cheaper, phones more reliable, and cars cleaner.

But making these improvements isn’t easy. Batteries have to balance many things: energy (how much power they hold), output (how fast they can give power), safety, and how long they last. Sometimes, making a battery last longer means it can’t give power as fast, or making it charge faster means it doesn’t hold as much. Companies and scientists are always looking for the sweet spot where batteries can do it all.

This invention is about finding that sweet spot. It’s about building a better positive electrode for lithium batteries, so we get more energy and faster output—at the same time. It’s a new way to stack the materials in the electrode, using different sizes and kinds of particles. The end goal? A battery that lasts longer, powers your device better, and charges as quickly as you need.

Scientific Rationale and Prior Art

To understand what makes this invention important, let’s look at how lithium battery electrodes have been made so far. The positive electrode (sometimes called a cathode) is usually made from a kind of rock-like material that holds lithium atoms. This material is called a lithium transition metal oxide, and it’s often made using metals like nickel, cobalt, manganese, or aluminum.

The way these materials are put together matters a lot. For years, battery makers have used particles of different sizes to build electrodes. Sometimes, they use big clusters of tiny crystals (called “secondary particles made from primary particles”). Sometimes, they use single big crystals. Each approach has its own strengths:

– Big secondary particles can hold a lot of lithium, which means more energy, but sometimes the lithium moves more slowly inside them.

– Smaller particles or single crystals let lithium move faster, which gives better output (how quickly energy can be drawn), but they might not hold as much energy, and sometimes they wear out sooner.

Older batteries often use just one kind of particle in the positive electrode—a single material with one size and shape. This means they’re usually optimized for either high energy (they last a long time on a charge), or high power (they can give lots of energy very fast), but not both.

Some recent inventions have tried to mix different types of particles. For instance, some batteries mix big and small particles for better balance. Others layer different materials, with one layer made for energy and another for power. But even with these approaches, it’s hard to get the best of both worlds at the same time.

There have also been efforts to use more nickel in these materials (so-called “high-nickel” cathodes) because nickel can store more energy. But high-nickel materials can be unstable and can crack over time, which makes the battery wear out faster.

Scientists know that how the particles are shaped and arranged inside the electrode can help or hurt the battery’s performance. For example, if the particles are arranged in a certain way, lithium can move more easily, which helps with charging and discharging fast. If the particles are too big, lithium can’t get in and out quickly. If they’re too small, sometimes the battery wears out sooner.

Another thing to think about is how tightly the particles are packed together. If they’re packed too tight, lithium can’t move. If they’re too loose, the battery doesn’t hold much energy. Getting just the right mix and structure is a big challenge.

So, even though there have been many improvements, most batteries still have to choose between high energy and high power. A battery that gives you both—long life and fast charging—is a big step forward. That’s what this new invention tries to do, by carefully layering and mixing different particle types and sizes in the electrode.

Invention Description and Key Innovations

Let’s dive into what makes this new battery electrode special. The invention is about building a positive electrode (the part of the battery that lithium ions move into when charging) using two special layers, each with a thoughtful mix of particle types and sizes.

Imagine the electrode like a layered cake. The bottom layer sits on a metal sheet (the current collector), and the top layer goes on top of that. Each layer uses a mix of different-sized particles, and the way these particles are chosen and arranged gives the battery its improved power and energy.

Here’s how it works:

First Layer (Closest to the Metal Collector):
– This layer is made mainly for high energy and capacity. It uses two kinds of particles:

1. Big “secondary” particles (clusters of tiny crystals stuck together). These are made from lithium transition metal oxides, often with lots of nickel. They hold a lot of lithium, which means more energy and longer battery life.

2. Small “single” particles (one solid crystal, not a cluster). These are also made from lithium transition metal oxides, but they are much smaller than the big clusters.

The big clusters store lots of energy, while the small single crystals help with stability and make sure the battery lasts longer. The mix is carefully balanced—about 60% to 95% big particles, and 5% to 40% small ones, by weight.

Second Layer (On Top of the First Layer):
– This layer is made mainly for fast output—letting the battery charge and discharge quickly. Again, it uses two types of particles:

1. Big clusters (secondary particles), like in the first layer, but with a different mix or slightly different makeup.

2. Smaller clusters—these are also groups of tiny crystals, but the whole cluster is smaller than the big ones.

The idea is, the outer layer (which is closest to the battery’s separator and the negative electrode) can let lithium in and out quickly, so the battery can give power fast or take in a fast charge. The mix here is also balanced, with about 60% to 95% big clusters, and 5% to 40% small clusters.

What makes this structure special?
– By having a bottom layer built for energy, and a top layer built for speed, the battery can do both jobs well. When you need lots of power fast—like when a car accelerates, or you need to charge up quickly—the outer layer handles it. When you want the battery to last as long as possible, the bottom layer does its job.

More details that matter:
– The particles are made from high-nickel lithium transition metal oxides. Nickel helps store more energy, but the way the clusters are built (with radial patterns and porous centers) helps keep them from cracking and wearing out.

– The sizes of the particles are chosen carefully. Big clusters are about 10 to 25 micrometers wide (about one-tenth the width of a human hair), and small singles or clusters are about 1 to 9 micrometers.

– The two layers can each be 20 to 200 micrometers thick, and the ratio between them can be adjusted depending on what’s needed—more energy, or more speed.

– A binder (like glue) and a conductive material (like carbon) are mixed in to hold the particles together and help electricity flow.

Why is this better?
– In tests, batteries made with this two-layer approach showed both higher energy per volume and better output (the ability to give or take power fast) than batteries made with only one type of layer.

– The batteries could charge and discharge more quickly, without losing how much energy they could hold. They also lasted longer, with less cracking and damage inside the electrode over time.

What about the rest of the battery?
– The invention works with regular negative electrodes (made from carbon, silicon, or other common materials) and with regular liquid electrolytes. The separator can be the standard thin plastic used in today’s batteries.

– The structure can be used in all sorts of battery shapes—cylindrical cells (like those in power tools), flat pouch cells (like in phones), or prismatic cells (like in electric cars).

How can this help you?
– If you are a battery maker, using this method means you can design batteries that meet the needs of both high energy and high output. You can adjust the layer thickness and particle mix for different uses—maybe more power for cars, more energy for phones.

– If you use products powered by batteries, you can expect longer-lasting devices that also charge faster and work better in demanding situations.

Is this hard to make?
– The process uses regular battery manufacturing steps, but with more careful control of particle size, mixing, and layering. The patent gives examples of how to make the big and small particles, how to mix and coat them, and how to build up the layers.

What kind of results did the inventors get?
– In their tests, batteries with the new electrode structure did better than ones with only a single layer. They held more energy per cubic centimeter and could deliver higher power at fast charge/discharge rates. This shows the approach really does give you the best of both worlds.

Conclusion

This invention marks a step forward in making lithium batteries that do not force us to choose between long life and fast charging. By stacking two layers—with each layer made from a smart mix of big and small particles—the battery can hold more energy and deliver it faster, all while lasting longer. This means better electric cars, better phones, and better storage for renewable energy. The idea is simple, but the impact could be huge as we move toward a world that depends more and more on smarter, stronger batteries.

Click here https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/ and search 20250336947.