Method of making a battery with a separator material on a current collector substrate

Abstract

The invention provides a method for manufacturing a battery cell component, the method comprising providing a current collector foil and placing a separator at spaced apart intervals on the current collector foil. The invention also provides a battery cell component, a battery and an electric or hybrid vehicle.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates generally to batteries, and more particularly to batteries for electric vehicles. BACKGROUND

[0002] A typical lithium-ion battery pack (stack) will have an anode, separator, cathode, and current collector. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017 / 0012264 discloses electrode coatings that can be coated on the entire surface of the separator layer, in channels or strips on the separator layer, or in patches or matrix form on the separator layer. The battery pack also includes a current collector, which can be one or more current collecting layers adjacent to the electrode layers. The current collector can include, for example, a single conductive metal layer or coating, such as a layer of sintered metal particles. An exemplary conductive metal layer that can be used as a current collector is a layer of sintered metal particles including nickel, which can also be used for both the anode layer or the cathode layer. In other embodiments of the invention, the conductive metal layer can include aluminum, such as aluminum foil, which can be used as a current collector and substrate for the positive electrode or cathode layer. In other embodiments, the conductive metal layer can include copper, such as copper foil, which can be used as a current collector and substrate for the negative electrode or anode layer. SUMMARY

[0003] The present invention seeks to minimize the number of tools, devices, and machines to shorten the manufacturing time and reduce investment and production costs.

[0004] The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a battery cell component, the method comprising:

[0005] providing a current collector foil; and

[0006] placing a separator at spaced apart intervals (or at intervals) on the current collector foil.

[0007] The separator, typically made of a polymer foil, forms a substrate during the manufacturing process due to its stability. However, the present invention uses a current collector foil to support the separator, which, despite being more sensitive in some respects due to the current collector foil from a manufacturing point of view, can reduce production time and reduce investment and production costs. The foil can be unrolled from a roll and moved while placing the separator on the foil.

[0008] The separator can be placed as a coating or, preferably, periodically as a separate separator or as a separator electrolyte unit on one or both sides of the current collector, thus a so-called separator electrolyte current collector unit (SE-collector) can be formed.

[0009] The current collector can be a foil having a thickness of 1 to 50 pm and consisting of copper, aluminum, nickel, nickel coated on aluminum or graphite.

[0010] A separator that is able to conduct lithium ions from one side to the other and back is referred to herein as a "sepolyte". The sepolyte can be a polymer separator soaked with a liquid electrolyte or a gel electrolyte, a solid polymer separator / electrolyte such as a PEO-based separator or a solid state electrolyte such as a lithium oxide or a sulfide glass or glass-ceramic or ceramic.

[0011] If only one side of the current collector has a separator or sepolyte, the other side can be periodically coated with an active material of a cathode or an anode material. On one side is the separator or sepolyte and on the other side is an electrode made of a cathode or anode material, which are periodically directly bonded to the current collector and form a so-called SEEL current collector unit (separator-electrolyte-electrode- collector unit).

[0012] Depending on the properties of the separator / sepolyte, a lubricating layer can be placed between the separator / sepolyte and the current collector. The lubricating layer is soft and allows sliding and reduces the friction between the separator / sepolyte and the current collector during the manufacturing and charging / discharging of the battery cell. The lubricating layer is softer than the current collector to minimize the physical stress applied to the sepolyte and has a good electrical conductivity.

[0013] The lubricating layer on the current collector can be made of a soft material such as graphite or a soft light metal including sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium or a soft heavy metal such as tin, lead, bismuth or cadmium or an alloy such as Wood's metal or an alloy such as tin-lead solder, soft solder and low-antimony soft solder. The thickness of the lubricating layer 300 can be 0.05 to 500 pm, preferably 0.07 to 100 pm and most preferably 0.1 to 5 pm.

[0014] If a lubricating layer is used, the current collector will be coated on one or both sides with a lubricating layer and form a current-lubrication collector, i.e. a so-called CULUB current collector. The separator or sepolyte can be periodically placed on one or both sides of the CULUB current collector or directly manufactured on one or both sides of the CULUB current collector.

[0015] If only one side of the CULUB current collector has a separator or sepolyte, the other side can be periodically coated with an electrode of cathode or anode active material. The whole unit can be processed in a roll-to-roll process and form a so-called SELUEL current collector unit (separator-electrolyte-lubrication layer-electrode- collector unit) or a SEDLUEL current collector unit (separator-electrolyte-double lubrication layer-electrode-collector unit).

[0016] The separator or sepolyte and the electrode for the cathode or anode are fixed and bonded to the current collector or CULUB current collector. The unit can be easily subjected to subsequent steps.

[0017] The continuously connected sepolyte-current collector-electrode unit is then cut into individual sepolyte-current collector-electrode units or sepolyte-CULUB current collector-electrode units. To better and faster manufacture these units, a polymer frame can be used to manufacture polymer frame supported sepolyte-current collector-electrode or sepolyte-CULUB current collector-electrode units.

[0018] The frame supported units can be stacked to form a stack of individual SELU-current collector units or SELU EL-current collector units.

[0019] The present invention also provides a battery unit component manufactured according to the above method, and an electric or hybrid vehicle comprising the battery unit component. A battery for an electric or hybrid vehicle is also provided, comprising: a first current collector attached to a first polymer frame; a first electrode attached to the first current collector extending through the first polymer frame; and a first separator opposite the first electrode; a second current collector attached to a second polymer frame; a second electrode attached to the second current collector extending through the second polymer frame; and a second separator opposite the second electrode; the first electrode and the second separator being connected. An electric or hybrid vehicle comprising the battery is also provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be described in detail with respect to different exemplary embodiments of a battery unit component according to the present invention as follows, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic showing the placement of the separator material on the current collector foil to form a SE-current collector unit is shown;

[0022] Figure 2 A side view of Figure 1 is shown;

[0023] Figure 3 An electrode material attached to a SEEL current collector unit is shown;

[0024] Figure 4 A side view of Figure 3 is shown;

[0025] Figure 5 A second embodiment is shown, where a lubricating layer is present on the first side to form a CULUB current collector with a separator material;

[0026] Figure 6 a side view of Figure 5

[0027] Figure 7 a second embodiment of Figure 6 is shown, wherein the electrode material is on the opposite second side of the CULUB current collector;

[0028] Figure 8 a side view of Figure 7

[0029] Figure 9 a side view of another embodiment is shown, wherein the lubricating layer is on the opposite second side of the CULUB current collector.

[0030] Figure 10 a top view of an embodiment of Figure 7 is shown, cut into individual battery components that are each a SELUEL current collector unit supported in a polymer frame;

[0031] Figure 11 a side view of an embodiment of Figure 10 is shown, wherein the electrode material extends through a window in the polymer frame;

[0032] Figure 12 four stacked individual SELUEL current collector units are shown, each individually supported in a polymer frame with a single window; and

[0033] Figure 13 a battery component is shown with an encapsulated housing;

[0034] Figure 14 a battery component is shown similar to Figure 13 but wherein the double-sided lubricating layer is on the current collector foil;

[0035] Figure 15 a SEEL current collector unit of Figure 3 is shown in a framed battery component; and

[0036] Figure 16 an electric vehicle is shown schematically with a battery made of components of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Figure 1 and Figure 2 ​​A schematic showing the placement of the separator 100, 101 on the current collector foil 200 to form a so-called SE current collector unit is shown. The current collector foil can be unrolled from a roll and the separator can be placed periodically as a stand-alone separator or as a separator-electrolyte unit. The current collector can be a foil having a thickness of 1 to 50 pm and consisting of copper, aluminum, nickel, nickel coated on aluminum or graphite. The separator 100, 101 can be a sepolyte, e.g. a polymer separator soaked with a liquid electrolyte or a gel electrolyte, a solid polymer separator / electrolyte like a PEO based separator or a solid state electrolyte such as a lithium oxide or sulfide glass or glass ceramic or ceramic. However, first, the separator 100, 101 in Figure 1 may simply be a polymer based separator material which can be later soaked with a gel or electrolyte to form the separator 100, 101, thus the term "separator" used herein is a broader term which includes both the separator base material capable of passing lithium or similar battery material ions and the separator, and the term sepolyte only includes the separator capable of passing lithium or similar battery material ions.

[0038] The separator 100, 101 can be pre-treated and placed on the current collector with or without an adhesive.

[0039] The SE current collector unit can then be cut between the separator materials into individual units for further processing or attached to a polymer frame to form an "endless" roll of polymer foil with windows. Thus, the individual SE current collector units on a long polymer foil with windows for electrodes can be re-rolled for further processing at a later time.

[0040] Figure 3 and Figure 4 An electrode 400 made of a cathode or anode material, preferably a cathode material, is shown which is periodically directly bonded (or adhered) to the current collector 200 to form a SEEL current collector unit. The electrode material can be a cathode or anode slurry containing an adhesive. The slurry can be intermittently coated through a slot die to the bottom side of the current collector foil or pre-processed and already in a shape to be fixed to the current collector 200 with additional adhesive. Conventional lithium based materials can be used for the anode or cathode material of the electrode 400.

[0041] Depending on the properties of the separator / sepolyte, a lubricating layer 300 can be placed between the separator 100, 101 and the current collector 200 as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6The lubricating layer 300 is soft and allows sliding and reduces the friction between the separator 100, 101 and the current collector 200 during the manufacturing and charging / discharging of the battery cell. The lubricating layer 300 is softer relative to the current collector 200 to minimize the physical stress applied to the separator or sepolyte and has a good electrical conductivity.

[0042] The lubricating layer 300 on the current collector 200 can be made of a soft material such as graphite or a soft light metal including sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium, or a soft heavy metal such as tin, lead, bismuth or cadmium, or an alloy such as Wood's metal or an alloy such as tin-lead solder, soft solder and low-antimony soft solder. The thickness of the lubricating layer 300 can be 0.05 to 500 pm, preferably 0.07 to 100 pm, and most preferably 0.1 to 5 pm.

[0043] The separator 100, 101 can be periodically put on the CULUB current collector or directly manufactured on the CULUB current collector.

[0044] If only one side of the CULUB current collector has a separator or sepolyte, the other side can be periodically coated with an electrode 400 of cathode or anode active material, as shown in Figure 7 and 8 The entire cell can be processed in a roll-to-roll process and form a so-called SELUEL current collector cell (separator-electrolyte-lubricating layer-electrode-current collector cell). The separator 100, 101, preferably a sepolyte, and the electrode 400 are thereby fixed and bonded (adhered) to the current collector 200 or the CULUB current collector.

[0045] Figure 9 A SEDLUEL current collector cell (separator-electrolyte-double lubricating layer-electrode-current collector cell) is shown, in which a second lubricating layer 301 is similar to the lubricating layer 300 between the current collector 200 and the electrode 400.

[0046] The continuously connected cell as described above is then cut into individual sepolyte-current collector-electrode cells or sepolyte-CULUB current collector-electrode cells. To better and faster manufacture these cells, a polymer frame with at least one window can be used to manufacture a polymer frame supported sepolyte-current collector-electrode or sepolyte-CULUB current collector-electrode cell. U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 432,401, filed on February 14, 2017, for example, describes such a polymer frame and is incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] Figure 10 and 11 For example, a Figure 7top view of an embodiment of the application cut into individual battery components that are separately supported in SELUEL current collector units in a polymer frame 500 with two windows, the electrodes 400 extending through the shown windows. The current collector 200 can be bonded, fixed, mounted, glued, welded, laminated, heat-bonded or taped to the polymer frame 500 around the windows, the polymer frame 500 preferably made of polyethylene, polypropylene or a mixture or polyethylene / polypropylene.

[0048] Figure 12 shows four stacked individual SELUEL current collector units 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 in a battery as in Figure 7

[0049] Figure 13 shows a battery component as in Figure 12

[0050] Figure 14 shows a battery component similar to the one in Figure 13

[0051] Figure 15 shows a SEEL current collector unit in a framed battery component with a wall 700 and a shaped compartment 600a. Figure 3

[0052] The above described battery components can be connected and used to form a battery for example for a hybrid or electric vehicle.

[0053] Figure 16 schematically shows an electric vehicle 1002 with a battery 1000 made of components of the application for powering an electric motor 1001.​​​​

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a battery cell component, the battery cell component including a separator, a current collector, and electrodes, the method comprising: Provide current collector foil; Multiple diaphragms are placed on the current collector foil at spaced intervals. Multiple electrodes are placed on the current collector foil opposite to the multiple diaphragms, and Cutting current collector foil between the plurality of diaphragms to form a plurality of diaphragm-current collector-electrode units, The method further includes providing a lubricating layer to the current collector foil, the diaphragm being placed on the lubricating layer, wherein the lubricating layer is made of one of the following: graphite, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, tin, lead, bismuth, cadmium, Wood's metal, and tin-lead solder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current collector foil is moved while the diaphragm is placed on the current collector foil.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is sepolyte.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the current collector foil is 1 to 50 μm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current collector foil is made of copper, aluminum, nickel, or nickel coated on aluminum or graphite.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode is a cathode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the lubricating layer is 0.1 to 5 μm.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an additional lubricating layer to the current collector foil on the side opposite to the lubricating layer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising placing the electrode on a separate lubricating layer opposite the diaphragm.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching each diaphragm-current collector unit to a polymer frame to form a frame-supported diaphragm-current collector unit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a current collector unit supported by a stacked frame.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching sidewalls to a polymer frame of the current collector unit supported by the frame.

13. A battery cell component manufactured according to the method of claim 1.

14. An electric or hybrid vehicle comprising a battery cell component as described in claim 13.

15. Batteries for electric or hybrid vehicles, including: The first current collector is attached to the first polymer framework; A first electrode is attached to the first current collector, and the first electrode extends through the first polymer frame; and The first diaphragm is opposite to the first electrode; The second current collector is attached to the second polymer framework; A second electrode is attached to the second current collector, the second electrode extending through the second polymer frame; and The second diaphragm is opposite to the second electrode; The first electrode and the second diaphragm are connected. The battery further includes a lubricating layer placed between the first separator and the first current collector and / or between the second separator and the second current collector, wherein the lubricating layer is made of one of the following: graphite, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, tin, lead, bismuth, cadmium, Wood's metal, and tin-lead solder.

16. An electric or hybrid vehicle comprising the battery as described in claim 15.

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