Dry Particle Based Adhesive Electrode and Methods of Making Same

Abstract

A dry process based capacitor and method for a self-supporting dry adhesive electrode film for use therein is disclosed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present invention is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 817,314, filed Apr. 2, 2004, entitled “Dry Particle Based Adhesive Electrode and Methods of Making Same,” which claims priority from commonly assigned Provisional Application No. 60 / 486,002, filed Jul. 9, 2003; commonly assigned Provisional Application No. 60 / 498,346, filed Aug. 26, 2003; commonly assigned Provisional Application No. 60 / 486,530, filed Jul. 10, 2003; commonly assigned Provisional Application No. 60 / 498,210, filed Aug. 26, 2003; and commonly assigned Provisional Application No. 60 / 546,093, filed Feb. 19, 2004. Each of these nonprovisional and provisional applications is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of energy storage devices that are used to power modern technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to structures and methods for making ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The present invention provides a high yield method for making inexpensive, durable, and highly reliable dry electrode films and associated structures for use in energy storage devices. The present invention eliminates or substantially reduces use of additives and eliminates or substantially reduces impurities, and associated drying steps and apparatus.

Problems solved by technology

Overall cost of a device is an important characteristic that can make or break a decision as to whether a particular type of device is used.

Although, double-layer capacitors can theoretically be operated at voltages as high as 4.0 volts and possibly higher, current double-layer capacitor manufacturing technologies limit nominal operating voltages of double-layer capacitors to about 2.5 to 2.7 volts.

Higher operating voltages are possible, but at such voltages undesirable destructive breakdown begins to occur, which in part may be due to interactions with impurities and residues that can be introduced into or attach themselves to electrodes during manufacture.

For example, undesirable destructive breakdown of double-layer capacitors is seen to appear at voltages between about 2.7 to 3.0 volts.

When such additives are utilized in the manufacture of a capacitor product, the operating lifetime, as well maximum operating voltage, of a final capacitor product may become reduced, typically because of undesirable chemical interactions that can occur between residues of the additive(s) and a subsequently used capacitor electrolyte.

With prior art coating based processes, as layer thickness decreases, it becomes increasingly more difficult to achieve an even homogeneous layer, for example, wherein a uniform 5 micron thick coating of an adhesive / binder layer is desired.

The process of coating also entails high-cost and complicated processes.

Furthermore, coating processes require large capital investments, as well as high quality control to achieve a desired thickness, uniformity, top to bottom registration, and the like.

However, with such short drying times, sufficient removal of additive and impurity is difficult to achieve.

Long dwell times limit production throughput and increase production and process equipment costs.

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