Boosting Solid-State Batteries with a Capacitor Interlayer
This patent describes a solid-state battery design that includes a special capacitor-like layer between the main battery parts to improve performance and stability.
Original patent title: “Solid-state battery having a capacitor-assisted interlayer”
This patent describes a solid-state battery design that includes a special capacitor-like layer between the main battery parts to improve performance and stability. Granted to GM Global Technology Operations in 2021 with 23 claims and 14 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2039.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent details a solid-state battery cell (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) that includes an anode, a cathode, and a solid-state electrolyte layer between them. The key feature is a "capacitor assisted interlayer" (Claim 1) placed between either the anode and the solid-state electrolyte (Claim 2) or the cathode and the solid-state electrolyte (Claim 3), or both (Claim 4). This interlayer is designed to be in "intimate contact" with both surfaces (Claim 2). It is made from specific materials like polymer-based compounds (e.g., polyethylene oxide with LiTFSI), inorganic compounds (e.g., Li2S-P2S5-P2O5), or hybrid materials (Claim 6, 7), and crucially, it contains a capacitor anode or cathode active material (Claim 5, 12). For example, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery could have this interlayer between its anode and the solid-state electrolyte, where the interlayer itself contains activated carbon as a capacitor anode active material (Claim 11, 12).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover solid-state batteries that do not include a capacitor-assisted interlayer between an electrode and the solid-state electrolyte layer (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover interlayers that are purely separators and do not contain a capacitor anode or cathode active material (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 9, 6, 7).
- Does not cover a capacitor-assisted interlayer that is not in intimate contact with both the electrode and the solid-state electrolyte layer (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 2, 3, 4).
- Does not cover batteries that rely solely on liquid electrolytes without the specified solid-state components and interlayer (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 10 implies a hybrid, but the core is solid-state).
- Does not cover capacitor-assisted interlayers that do not include at least one of the specified polymer-based, inorganic, or polymer-inorganic hybrid materials (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 6, 7).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in integrating a capacitor-like layer directly into the battery's interface. This "capacitor assisted interlayer" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) acts as a buffer, potentially improving ion transport, reducing interfacial resistance, and enhancing the stability and lifespan of the solid-state battery by managing charge flow at critical junctions.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Electric vehicle battery packs
High-performance portable electronic devices
Grid energy storage systems
Drones and aerial vehicles
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Solid-state batteries are a promising technology for electric vehicles and portable electronics, offering potential improvements in safety, energy density, and charging speed compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. A major challenge in solid-state batteries is the interface between the solid electrolyte and the electrodes, which can lead to high resistance and poor performance. This patent addresses this issue by introducing a specialized interlayer to improve ion transport and overall battery stability, which is crucial for making these advanced batteries practical for widespread use.
Filed
November 14, 2019
Granted
October 12, 2021
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
General Motors (GM), the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is actively developing solid-state battery technology for its future electric vehicle lineup. Other major automotive companies like Toyota and Volkswagen, along with battery manufacturers such as Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, and specialized startups like Solid Power and QuantumScape, are also heavily investing in similar solid-state battery advancements, including interface engineering.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing research and development in solid-state battery technology, aiming to overcome the fundamental limitations of traditional lithium-ion batteries. Successful implementation of such capacitor-assisted interlayers could lead to safer, faster-charging, and longer-lasting batteries, which would be a significant enabler for the next generation of electric vehicles, advanced portable electronics, and grid-scale energy storage solutions, potentially shifting market dynamics towards solid-state designs.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent details a solid-state battery cell (Claim 1) that includes an anode, a cathode, and a solid-state electrolyte layer between them. The key feature is a "capacitor assisted interlayer" (Claim 1) placed between either the anode and the solid-state electrolyte (Claim 2) or the cathode and the solid-state electrolyte (Claim 3), or both (Claim 4). This interlayer is designed to be in "intimate contact" with both surfaces (Claim 2). It is made from specific materials like polymer-based compounds (e.g., polyethylene oxide with LiTFSI), inorganic compounds (e.g., Li2S-P2S5-P2O5), or hybrid materials (Claim 6, 7), and crucially, it contains a capacitor anode or cathode active material (Claim 5, 12). For example, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery could have this interlayer between its anode and the solid-state electrolyte, where the interlayer itself contains activated carbon as a capacitor anode active material (Claim 11, 12).
The clever bit
The novelty lies in integrating a capacitor-like layer directly into the battery's interface. This "capacitor assisted interlayer" (Claim 1) acts as a buffer, potentially improving ion transport, reducing interfacial resistance, and enhancing the stability and lifespan of the solid-state battery by managing charge flow at critical junctions.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover solid-state batteries that do not include a capacitor-assisted interlayer between an electrode and the solid-state electrolyte layer (Claim 1).
- Does not cover interlayers that are purely separators and do not contain a capacitor anode or cathode active material (Claim 9, 6, 7).
- Does not cover a capacitor-assisted interlayer that is not in intimate contact with both the electrode and the solid-state electrolyte layer (Claim 2, 3, 4).
- Does not cover batteries that rely solely on liquid electrolytes without the specified solid-state components and interlayer (Claim 10 implies a hybrid, but the core is solid-state).
- Does not cover capacitor-assisted interlayers that do not include at least one of the specified polymer-based, inorganic, or polymer-inorganic hybrid materials (Claim 6, 7).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
23/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$87K – $280K
Midpoint $175K · 13.2 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Liu, H., Lu, Y., Li, Z., Su, Q., & Que, X. (2021). Boosting Solid-State Batteries with a Capacitor Interlayer (U.S. Patent No. 11,145,922). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11145922/solid-state-battery-having-a-capacitor-assisted-interlayer
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Boosting Solid-State Batteries with a Capacitor Interlayer cover?
This patent describes a solid-state battery design that includes a special capacitor-like layer between the main battery parts to improve performance and stability.
Who owns patent US 11145922?
GM Global Technology Operations owns this patent, granted in 2021.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on November 14, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11145922 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 14 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Solid-state batteries are a promising technology for electric vehicles and portable electronics, offering potential improvements in safety, energy density, and charging speed compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. A major challenge in solid-state batteries is the interface between the solid electrolyte and the electrodes, which can lead to high resistance and poor performance. This patent addresses this issue by introducing a specialized interlayer to improve ion transport and overall battery stability, which is crucial for making these advanced batteries practical for widespread use.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover solid-state batteries that do not include a capacitor-assisted interlayer between an electrode and the solid-state electrolyte layer (Claim 1).
Same assignee
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