A single-cell secondary battery consisted of monopolar electrodes, where both sides of the current collector are composed of the same electrode material, has all electrodes immersed in the same electrolyte. Since each electrode is connected in parallel using external connecting wires, a significant amount of inactive material has been integrated into the battery system. As a result, it is estimated that the volumetric energy density may experience a loss of approximately 40%, and the gravimetric energy density approximately 20%.
The bipolar battery features a simple cell configuration and shape as it does not utilize electrical connectors or other accessories. The volume of the battery is close to the product of the total stack thickness of the individual unit cells and the substrate area of the unit cell, while the weight of the battery is comparable to the total mass of all components. Although the capacity of the bipolar battery is equivalent to that of a single unit cell, the output voltage of the bipolar battery is determined by the number of unit cells connected in series and the voltage of each cell multiplied together.
Using bipolar electrodes in batteries significantly increases both volumetric and gravimetric energy density. Additionally, based on application-centric design, the battery shape can be easily adjusted to maximize the utilization of the battery storage space in the target device. In other words, the battery volume decreases, and by minimizing the BMS, energy density enhancement and cost savings can be simultaneously pursued through minimized use of cell packaging materials. This ultimately translates into the ability to install more batteries in limited electric vehicle battery mounting spaces, potentially leading to increased driving range. Therefore, these advantages of bipolar electrodes are highly attractive for the design of secondary batteries used in mobile electronic devices and electric vehicles.
Another advantage of bipolar electrodes is that electron flow occurs vertically through the substrate, and when the substrate's cross-sectional area is large, current density and distribution are significantly improved. Therefore, using bipolar electrodes allows fast-operating secondary batteries to function safely without any safety issues.
Starting with Furukawa Electric's compact batteries featuring bipolar electrodes, Toyota has recently commercialized bipolar Ni-MH batteries, which were applied to the Aqua HEV. In the announcement at June 2023, Toyota revealed a roadmap stating that they plan to produce bipolar LFP batteries for volume-grade EVs in 2026-2027 and bipolar Ni-based LIBs for future versions of EVs in 2027-2028. This roadmap aims to enhance driving range and reduce costs compared to performance versions of LIBs.
The recently released Toyota Crown Crossover and Lexus RX feature an improved version of the traditional Ni-MH battery, known as the bipolar Ni-MH. This marks a departure from the previous trend of using LIBs, especially in high-end and fuel-efficient models. This shift suggests an intention to gradually expand the use of Ni-MH batteries across the lineup, indicating a strategic change in battery technology adoption.
In this report, we have compiled the history of the development of bipolar electrodes, which have recently begun to be applied, as well as the current status of research and development. We have detailed each development to provide a comprehensive overview, making it easy to understand the overall situation.
The strong points of this report are as follows:
1. ailed coverage of recent technological trends related to bipolar batteries
2. ailed coverage of the development history and current status of bipolar battery developers
3. centrated coverage of the development status of bipolar batteries at Toyota Motor Corporation
4. lysis of bipolar battery's key patent
Table of Contents
1. Bipolar Electrodes for Secondary Batteries
1.1. The Necessity of Battery Structure Optimization
1.2. Bipolar Electrodes
1.3. Development of Bipolar Electrodes
1.3.1. History of Bipolar Electrode Development
1.3.2. Reduction in Weight, Size, and Cost
1.3.3. Improvement in Energy Density/Power Density
1.3.4. Requirements and Disadvantages of Bipolar Electrodes
1.4. Applications of Bipolar Electrodes
1.4.1. Bipolar Lead-Acid Batteries (LAB)
1.4.2. Improvement of Bipolar Lead-Acid Batteries
1.4.2.1. Surface Modification
1.4.2.2. Corrosion Prevention
1.4.3. Commercialization of Bipolar Lead-Acid Batteries
1.5. Bipolar Alkaline Batteries
1.5.1. Bipolar Ni-MH
1.5.2. Bipolar Al and Zn Batteries
1.6. Bipolar Lithium-Ion Batteries
1.7. Bipolar post-LiB(Li-S, Na-ion)
1.8. Challenges and Outlook
1.8.1. Substrate Materials
1.8.2. Electrode Materials
1.8.3. Electrolyte Materials
1.8.4. Engineering Technologies
1.8.5. Outlook of Bipolar Electrode
1.8.6. Hurdles to Commercialization
1.8.7. Other Bipolar Batteries
1.8.8. Bipolar Solid-State Batteries
2. Bipolar Solid-State Batteries: Design, Fabrication, and Electrochemistry
2.1. Overview
2.1.1. Advantages of Bipolar Solid-State Batteries
2.1.2. Technical Challenges of Bipolar Batteries
2.1.3. Requirements for Bipolar Materials
2.2. Bipolar Plates
2.3. Fabrication and Electrochemical Characteristics of Bipolar Solid-State Batteries