Current Status of Patent and Technology
- VanessaMartinez98
- Sep 13, 2020
- 2 min read
The current status of the technology is currently filed as a patent but has not yet been granted. The inventor has not undergone an extensive patent viability search on competing technologies and patents but will be doing so in the office action stage.
The filing patent number is PCT/US2017/156518 and the worldwide patent number is WO2017156518A1. This technology cannot be copyrighted and the patent is not protected by a trade secret agreement. The firm does not currently have a trademark and is not eligible for a trademark right. However, there are more firms within the solid-state battery market that currently hold patents and trademark rights. This can potentially introduce a possibility of infringement beyond the scope of the IP Technology Assessment and should be examined by professionals specializing in intellectual property law. We recommend the inventor and firm creating a Non-Disclosure Agreement for all potential partners and external IP examinations. New members and personnel from the firm should also be briefed on intellectual property discretion and trademark rights to avoid potential conflict.
Solid-state sodium-ion batteries are far safer than conventional lithium-ion batteries, which pose a risk of fire and explosions, but their performance has been too weak to offset the safety advantages.
Researchers Friday reported developing an organic cathode that dramatically improves both stability and energy density.
The improved performance, reported in the journal Joule, is related to two key findings:
The resistive interface between the electrolyte and cathode that commonly forms during cycling can be reversed, extending cycle life, and
The flexibility of the organic cathode allowed it to maintain intimate contact at the interface with the solid electrolyte, even as the cathode expanded and contracted during cycling.
The new battery is based on a benign and scalable solid-stack design that operates reversibly, near room temperature, and/or at high energy densities. Further, all materials to be used can be sourced from renewable and recyclable materials, and the battery design can be optimized for recycling.
Xiaowei Chi, a post-doctoral researcher in Yao's group, said a key challenge had been to find a solid electrolyte that is as conductive as the liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries. Now that sufficiently conductive solid electrolytes are available, a remaining challenge has been the solid interfaces.
One issue raised by a solid electrolyte: the electrolyte struggles to maintain intimate contact with a traditional rigid cathode as the latter expands and contracts during battery cycling. Fang Hao, a PhD student working in Yao's group, said the organic cathode is more pliable and thus able to remain in contact with the interface, improving cycling life. The researchers said the contact remained steady through at least 200 cycles.
"If you have reliable contact between the electrode and electrolyte, you will have a great chance of creating a high-performance solid-state battery," Hao said.
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