CHAPTER 7. Creation of a New Design Concept for All-polymer-structured Batteries

Abstract

A battery technology has been developed that can transform the design and manufacturing concepts that have prevailed since the inception of batteries. Unlike existing batteries that are built on metallic bulk current collectors, all of the structures in the new battery, including electrodes, are primarily made of resin. The underlying concept of this development is called “large-scale integrated polymer”. Various characteristics are exhibited by a battery that uses resin as the main component. The battery has a physically flexible structure, increasing the degree of freedom of the device in which it is used and the risk of metal contamination during manufacturing, which might cause fire accidents, is reduced. Even if metal enters the battery from the outside, theoretically it is difficult to generate heat, and hence safety is enhanced. With the present structure of the battery, which consists of laminated layers of metal and resin, it is difficult to increase the size of the battery because of the application of external force and the internal stress due to charge and discharge; however, this is easily achieved in the new battery. The safety design, in case of abuse, may be approached from a new perspective. It also leads to higher power output and longer life.