Micro battery design and diagnosis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10297876-B2
Application number	US-201615341579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2016
Priority date	Dec 16, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments include methods and products for evaluating microbatteries. The microbattery includes a cathode layer, an anode layer physically separated from the cathode layer, and an electrolyte layer in contact with the anode and the cathode. The microbattery also includes at least one auxiliary electrode in physical contact with the electrolyte layer, the auxiliary electrode containing at least one metal coating and at least one non-conductive film, wherein the at least one metal coating is physically separated from the cathode and the anode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of evaluating a micro battery, comprising
providing a micro battery comprising:
a cathode layer;
an anode layer physically separated from the cathode layer;
an electrolyte layer in contact with the anode layer and the cathode layer; and
at least one auxiliary electrode in physical contact with the electrolyte layer and one of the cathode layer or the anode layer, the auxiliary electrode comprising at least one metal coating and at least one non-conductive film, wherein the at least one metal coating is physically separated from the cathode and the anode, and the non-conductive film comprises a polymeric material;
forming a first electrical circuit between the auxiliary electrode and one of the cathode layer or the anode layer;
applying an external electrical potential to the first electrical circuit; and
measuring one or more of a cathode layer property and an anode layer property.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a second electrical circuit between the cathode and the anode;
applying an external electrical potential to the second electrical circuit;
measuring a battery property; and
comparing the battery property to one or more of the anode layer property and the cathode layer property.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the battery property, the cathode layer property, and the anode layer property comprise a circuit resistance.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the battery property, the cathode layer property, and the anode layer property comprise a charge transfer resistance.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the battery property, the cathode layer property, and the anode layer property comprise an open circuit potential of the electrical circuit.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary electrode is ionically connected to the cathode layer and to the anode layer.

7. A method of evaluating a micro battery, comprising
providing a micro battery comprising:
a cathode layer;
an anode layer physically separated from the cathode layer;
an electrolyte layer in contact with the anode layer and the cathode layer; and
a first auxiliary electrode and a second auxiliary electrode, each of the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode in physical contact with the electrolyte layer and one of the cathode layer or the anode layer and each comprising at least one metal coating and at least one non-conductive film, wherein the at least one metal coating is physically separated from the cathode and the anode, and the non-conductive film comprises a polymeric material;
forming a first electrical circuit between the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode;
applying an external electrical potential to the first electrical circuit; and
measuring a property of the electrolyte layer.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
forming a second electrical circuit between the cathode and the anode;
applying an external electrical potential to the second electrical circuit;
measuring a battery property; and
comparing the battery property to the electrolyte layer property.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Andry Paul S
• Huang Qiang
• Luo Yu
• Narasgond Adinath S

Classifications

• H01M10/48 Primary

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• G01R31/385 Primary

  Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables (for monitoring G01R31/382) · CPC title

• H01M4/244

  Zinc electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/661

  Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence) · CPC title