Coating equipment, method and product

Abstract

The invention discloses coating equipment, a coating method and a product, the coating equipment comprises a vacuum cavity, a winding module is arranged in the vacuum cavity, the winding module comprises an unwinding roller and a winding roller, a rear main roller is arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller, a base film roll is arranged on the unwinding roller, a base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller and passes through the rear main roller below the unwinding roller, and the winding roller is arranged below the winding roller. Winding by a winding roller; a rear evaporation source is arranged below the rear main roller so that a first metal film layer can be deposited on the base film layer, and a magnetron sputtering target material is arranged on the side edge of the rear main roller so that a second metal film layer can be deposited on the first metal film layer. The first metal film layer is evaporated on the base film layer, then the second metal film layer is deposited on the first metal film layer through magnetron sputtering, the surface temperature is still high after the first metal film layer is formed, the target material is bombarded in a magnetron sputtering mode, so that metal forming the second metal film layer impacts the first metal film layer with high kinetic energy, and the surface temperature of the target material is high. And the first metal film layer is firmly fixed on the base film layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of film coating equipment, and in particular to a film coating equipment, method and product. Background Art

[0002] The composite current collector in lithium batteries is a sandwich structure of "metal-PET / PP polymer material-metal", that is, the upper and lower layers of the polymer base film layer are plated with metal conductive layers. Currently, the equipment for producing composite current collectors includes vacuum evaporation equipment and magnetron sputtering equipment, and the equipment used varies depending on the production process. Regardless of the process used, the bonding strength between the metal conductive layer and the base film layer of the composite current collector produced by the current process is not good enough.

[0003] Therefore the prior art still needs to be improved and enhanced. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a coating device, method and product, aiming to solve the problem of poor bonding between the base film layer and the metal conductive layer in the composite current collector in the prior art.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] A coating device comprises a vacuum chamber, in which a winding module is arranged, the winding module comprises a unwinding roller and a winding roller, a rear main roller is arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller, a base film roll is mounted on the unwinding roller, a base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller, passes through the rear main roller below the unwinding roller, and is wound up by the winding roller; a rear evaporation source is arranged below the rear main roller to deposit a first metal film layer on the base film layer, and a magnetron sputtering target is arranged on the side of the rear main roller to deposit a second metal film layer on the first metal film layer.

[0007] A front main roller is also arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller. The base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller, passes through the front main roller and the rear main roller below the unwinding roller in sequence, and is wound up by the winding roller. The front main roller is located below the unwinding roller, and the rear winding roller is located below the winding roller. A front evaporation source is arranged below or on the side of the front main roller to deposit a non-metallic film layer between the base film layer and the first metal film layer.

[0008] An oxygen supply device is arranged around the front evaporation source, and the direction of the gas outlet of the oxygen supply device is adapted to the deposition direction of the coating material in the front evaporation source.

[0009] The thickness of the first metal film layer is greater than the thickness of the second metal film layer.

[0010] A front roller group and a front bending roller are arranged on the film-moving path between the unwinding roller and the front main roller.

[0011] A front rubber roller, a swing roller and a rear bending roller are arranged on the film-moving path of the front main roller and the rear main roller.

[0012] A rear rubber roller, a tension roller and a rear roller group are also arranged on the film-moving path between the rear main roller and the winding roller.

[0013] The rear main roller is a cooling roller.

[0014] A coating method using the above-mentioned coating equipment is characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0015] Evacuate the vacuum chamber;

[0016] The base film layer is unwound by the unwinding roller without stopping the machine;

[0017] Depositing a first metal film layer on the base film layer from a post-evaporation source;

[0018] bombarding a magnetron sputtering target to deposit a second metal film layer on the first metal film layer;

[0019] The base film layer after coating is rolled up by the winding roller without stopping the machine.

[0020] A coated product is prepared by the coating equipment described above using the coating method described above, and the coated product includes a base film layer, and the upper and lower surfaces of the base film layer are both provided with a first metal film layer and a second metal film layer located outside the first metal film layer.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a coating device, method and product, wherein the coating device includes a vacuum chamber, a winding module is arranged in the vacuum chamber, the winding module includes a unwinding roller and a winding roller, a rear main roller is arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller, a base film roll is mounted on the unwinding roller, a base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller, passes through the rear main roller below the unwinding roller, and is wound up by the winding roller; a rear evaporation source is arranged below the rear main roller to deposit a first metal film layer on the base film layer, and a magnetron sputtering target is arranged on the side of the rear main roller to deposit a second metal film layer on the first metal film layer.

[0022] In the present application, a first metal film layer is first deposited on the base film layer by evaporation, and then a second metal film layer is deposited on the first metal film layer by magnetron sputtering. After the first metal film layer is formed, its surface temperature is still relatively high. At this time, magnetron sputtering is used to bombard the target material. When the target material is bombarded, the metal on the surface of the target material is subjected to higher energy, so that the metal constituting the second metal film layer impacts the first metal film layer with higher kinetic energy, firmly fixing the first metal film layer on the base film layer, thereby improving the bonding strength between the first metal film layer and the base film layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the coating equipment provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the coating product provided by the present invention.

[0025] Reference Numbers

[0026] Unwinding roller 11, winding roller 12, rear main roller 13, rear evaporation source 14, front main roller 15, front evaporation source 16, magnetron sputtering target 17, front roller group 21, front bending roller 22, front rubber roller 23, swing roller 24, rear bending roller 25, rear rubber roller 26, tension roller 27, rear roller group 28, base film layer 30, first film layer 31, second film layer 32, non-metallic film layer 33. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and effect of the present invention clearer and more specific, the present invention is further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0028] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "mounted on", "fixed on" or "disposed on" another component, it may be directly on the other component or there may be a central component at the same time. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it may be directly connected to the other component or there may be a central component at the same time.

[0029] It should also be noted that the directional terms such as left, right, up, and down in the embodiments of the present invention are merely relative concepts or are based on the normal use status of the product and should not be considered as restrictive.

[0030] The composite current collector in the lithium battery is a sandwich structure of "metal-polymer material-metal", that is, the upper and lower layers of the polymer material base film layer are each plated with a metal conductive layer. At present, the equipment for producing composite current collectors includes vacuum evaporation equipment and magnetron sputtering equipment, and the equipment used varies depending on the production process. Regardless of which process is used, the bonding force between the metal conductive layer and the base film layer of the composite current collector produced by the current process is not good enough. In addition, the use of vacuum evaporation equipment alone for coating generates a high temperature, which can easily lead to problems such as carbonization of the base film layer and wrinkles; the use of magnetron sputtering alone to deposit the film layer has a slow coating efficiency and high cost.

[0031] The present invention provides a coating device, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , including a vacuum chamber (not shown in the figure), a winding module (not marked in the figure) is arranged in the vacuum chamber, the winding module includes a unwinding roller 11 and a winding roller 12, a rear main roller 13 is arranged below the unwinding roller 11 and the winding roller 12, a base film roll (not marked in the figure) is installed on the unwinding roller 11, a base film layer 30 is unwound from the unwinding roller 11, passes through the rear main roller 13 below the unwinding roller 11, and is wound up by the winding roller 12; a rear evaporation source 14 is arranged below the rear main roller 13 to deposit a first metal film layer 31 on the base film layer 30, and a magnetron sputtering target 17 is arranged on the side of the rear main roller 13 to deposit a second metal film layer 32 on the first metal film layer 31.

[0032] In the present application, the first metal film layer 31 is first deposited on the base film layer 30 by evaporation, and then the second metal film layer 32 is deposited on the first metal film layer 31 by magnetron sputtering. After the first metal film layer 31 is formed, its surface temperature is still relatively high. At this time, magnetron sputtering is used to bombard the target material. When the target material is bombarded, the metal on the surface of the target material is subjected to higher energy, so that the metal constituting the second metal film layer 32 impacts the first metal film layer 31 with higher kinetic energy, firmly fixing the first metal film layer 31 on the base film layer 30, thereby improving the bonding strength between the first metal film layer 31 and the base film layer 30.

[0033] In the present application, the rear evaporation source 14 is a crucible, that is, the first metal film layer 31 is deposited on the base film layer 30 by means of crucible evaporation, which can improve the evaporation efficiency and also avoid the aluminum sputtering phenomenon caused by evaporation by an evaporation boat; the magnetron sputtering target 17 is a material for depositing the second metal film layer 32, that is, the target is bombarded by magnetron sputtering to sputter material particles that are deposited on the first metal film layer 31 to form the second metal film layer 32. The position of the magnetron sputtering target 17 limits the deposition direction of the material particles. Other components that cooperate with the target to form the second metal film layer 32 in the magnetron sputtering process belong to the prior art and the structure of which is not elaborated in this application; in the present application, evaporation coating is combined with magnetron sputtering coating to avoid the problem of poor effect of a single coating method.

[0034] Furthermore, a front main roller 15 is provided below the unwinding roller 11 and the winding roller 12. The base film layer 30 is unwound from the unwinding roller 11, passes through the front main roller 15 and the rear main roller 13 below the unwinding roller 11 in sequence, and is then wound up by the winding roller 12; the front main roller 15 is located below the unwinding roller 11, and the rear winding roller is located below the winding roller 12. A front evaporation source 16 is provided below or on the side of the front main roller 15 to deposit a non-metallic film layer 33 between the base film layer 30 and the first metal film layer 31.

[0035] When the front evaporation source 16 is an evaporation device, before evaporating the first metal film layer 31 on the base film layer 30, the non-metal film layer 33 is first evaporated on the base film layer 30 through the front evaporation source 16. The reason is that the material of the base film layer 30 and the material of the first metal film layer 31 are significantly different in physical and chemical properties. Directly evaporating the first metal film layer 31 on the base film layer 30 may result in insufficient adhesion between the first metal film layer 31 and the base film layer 30, affecting the overall performance and stability of the product; the base film layer 30 is made of polymer material, which may be subjected to high temperature, high pressure, etc. during the process of evaporating the first metal film layer 31. The non-metallic film layer 33 can play a certain protective role and reduce the damage of the base film layer 30 during the coating process. In addition, the non-metallic film layer 33 can serve as a precursor layer of the first metal film layer 31, providing better deposition conditions for the subsequent first metal film layer 31, which helps to improve the coating efficiency and reduce defects and defective rates during the coating process. At the same time, the non-metallic film layer 33 can fill the tiny defects and unevenness on the surface of the base film layer 30, making the subsequent deposition of the first metal film layer 31 more uniform and smooth, which helps to improve the appearance quality and performance stability of the product. In the present application, a magnetron sputtering target can also be set on the side of the front main roller 15, that is, the non-metallic film layer 33 is deposited by magnetron sputtering, which is beneficial to improve the bonding force between the non-metallic film layer 33 and the base film layer 30 and avoid falling off.

[0036] Furthermore, an oxygen supply device (not shown in the figure) is arranged around the front evaporation source 16, and the direction of the gas outlet of the oxygen supply device is adapted to the deposition direction of the coating material in the front evaporation source 16. An oxygen supply device is arranged above the front evaporation source 16. When the front evaporation source 16 is located below the front main roller 15, the deposition direction of the coating material in the front evaporation source 16 is upward, and the gas outlet direction of the oxygen supply device is toward the deposition direction of the coating material. When the evaporation material of the front evaporation source 16 is aluminum, oxygen is transported through the oxygen supply device during the process of aluminum being heated and evaporated to the base film layer 30, and aluminum forms aluminum oxide on the base film layer 30 after contacting oxygen.

[0037] The thickness of the first metal film layer 31 is greater than the thickness of the second metal film layer 32. The thickness of the first metal film layer 31 is relatively large to ensure that the first metal film layer 31 forms a stable and firm bonding surface with the non-metal film layer 33. The thicker first metal film layer 31 can provide better adhesion to prevent peeling or falling off during subsequent processing or use, thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of the entire composite current collector. The second metal film layer 32 is thinner, which reduces the weight of the composite current collector and reduces the production cost of the composite current collector.

[0038] Furthermore, a front roller group 21 and a front bending roller 22 are provided on the film path between the unwinding roller 11 and the front main roller 15 .

[0039] The front roller group 21 and the front bending roller 22 are sequentially arranged on the film path of the unwinding roller 11 and the front main roller 15; the front roller group 21 is composed of a plurality of rollers, and the setting of the plurality of rollers is conducive to ensuring that the base film layer 30 remains flat during the transmission process to avoid wrinkles or wavy deformation. By controlling the rotation speed of the rollers, it is possible to ensure that the base film layer 30 passes through the evaporation area of ​​the front evaporation source 16 at a constant speed, thereby achieving a uniform evaporation effect. The setting of the front bending roller 22 can, on the one hand, flatten the base film layer 30 to deposit the first metal film layer 31, and on the other hand, can also provide a certain tension to the base film layer 30, so that the base film layer 30 has a greater adhesion with the front main roller 15 when the first metal film layer 31 is deposited. The surface roughness of the front bending roller 22 is greater than that of other rollers, which is conducive to ensuring that the adhesion between the base film layer 30 and the front main roller 15 is tighter, and at the same time, it can prevent the base film layer 30 from being scratched when moving on the roller.

[0040] Furthermore, a front rubber roller 23 , a swing roller 24 and a rear bending roller 25 are provided on the film-moving path between the front main roller 15 and the rear main roller 13 .

[0041] The front rubber roller 23, the swing roller 24 and the rear bending roller 25 are sequentially arranged on the film path of the front main roller 15 and the rear main roller 13; the front rubber roller 23 can be a roller with roughness, which can prevent the base film layer 30 from slipping after the first metal film layer 31 is deposited, and can also increase the wrap angle between the base film layer 30 and the front main roller 15. The swing roller 24 plays a role of constant tension between the front main roller 15 and the rear main roller 13, and the swing of the swing roller 24 helps the base film layer 30 to be more evenly exposed to the vapor of the evaporation material, thereby improving the uniformity and consistency of evaporation. The surface roughness of the rear bending roller 25 is greater than that of other rollers, which is conducive to ensuring that the base film layer 30 and the rear main roller 13 are more closely attached, and at the same time, it can prevent the base film layer 30 from being scratched when moving on the roller.

[0042] Furthermore, a rear rubber roller 26 , a tension roller 27 and a rear roller group 28 are also provided on the film path between the rear main roller 13 and the winding roller 12 .

[0043] The rear rubber roller 26, the tension roller 27 and the rear roller group 28 are sequentially arranged between the rear main roller 13 and the winding roller 12; the roughness of the rear rubber roller 26 can also be greater than that of other rollers, so as to prevent the base film layer 30 from slipping during the transportation process after the second metal film layer 32 is deposited, and also to make the base film layer 30 and the rear main roller 13 more considerate and tighter. The rear roller group 28 is composed of a plurality of rollers, and the plurality of rollers ensure that the coated base film layer 30 remains flat during the process of conveying the coated base film layer 30 after the film layer deposition is completed. The rear rubber roller 26 is arranged on the film path between the rear main roller 13 and the tension roller 27, and applies appropriate tension to the coated base film layer 30 through the friction force on its surface, so as to ensure that the base film layer 30 maintains a stable travel speed and position after the second metal film layer 32 is deposited, and to prevent the coated base film layer 30 from being loosened, wrinkled or broken. The tension roller 27 is arranged on the film path between the rear main roller 13 and the winding roller 12. Before entering the winding stage, the tension of the base film 30 after the film layer is deposited is accurately controlled by the tension roller 27 to ensure that the film (the base film 30 on which the first metal film layer 31 and the second metal film layer 32 are deposited) remains flat during the winding process to avoid uneven winding or loosening caused by uneven tension. The tension roller 27 is close to the winding roller 12, which can more directly affect and control the tension during the winding process to ensure the winding quality and efficiency. The film needs to be gradually accumulated during the winding process. The film is accumulated and wound into a roll on the winding roller 12. As the diameter of the base film on the winding roller 12 increases, the tension required for the film will also change. The setting position of the tension roller 27 allows it to adjust the tension according to the change of the diameter of the base film on the winding roller 12 to ensure stability and continuity during the winding process. In addition, during the winding stage, the metal film layer may produce certain fatigue or stress after being deposited on the base film layer 30. By setting the tension roller 27 in front of the winding roller 12, the tension of the film can be further controlled to reduce film damage or fracture lines caused by excessive tension. The base film layer 30 coming out of the tension roller 27 passes through multiple rollers and finally reaches the winding roller 12. The multiple rollers serve as support points for the conveying of the coated base film layer 30 to ensure the stability of the film during the transmission process. The rear main roller 13 is a cooling roller. During the vapor deposition process, the deposited metal film layer will generate a certain amount of heat. If it is not cooled in time, the evaporated base film layer may be deformed, shrunk or damaged due to excessive temperature. The cooling roller can effectively reduce the film temperature to an appropriate range; at the same time, the uniform cooling of the cooling roller helps to ensure the uniformity and consistency of the surface coating of the base film layer 30; the cooling roller cools and conditions the evaporated metal film layer. By quickly reducing the temperature of the metal film layer, the cooling roller can shorten the production cycle and improve production efficiency.

[0044] The present invention also provides a coating method based on the above coating device, comprising the following steps:

[0045] The vacuum chamber is evacuated; the base film layer 30 is unwound by the unwinding roller 11 without stopping; the first metal film layer 31 is deposited on the base film layer 30 by the post-evaporation source 14; the magnetron sputtering target 17 is bombarded to deposit the second metal film layer 32 on the first metal film layer 31; the base film layer 30 after coating is rewound by the rewinding roller 12 without stopping.

[0046] Specifically, the coating method provided by the present invention first evacuates the vacuum chamber, the unwinding roller 11 releases the base film layer 30, when the base film layer 30 passes the conveying position of the front main roller 15, the front evaporation source 16 evaporates the non-metallic film layer 33 on the base film layer 30, and then when the base film layer 30 evaporated with the non-metallic film layer 33 passes the conveying position of the rear main roller 13, the rear evaporation source 14 evaporates the first metal film layer 31 on the non-metallic film layer 33, after the evaporation of the first metal film layer 31 is completed, the material particles sputtered by bombarding the magnetron sputtering target 17 are deposited on the first metal film layer 31 to form a second metal film layer 32, the tension roller 27 adjusts the tension of the film after coating, and the winding roller 12 winds up the coated base film layer 30, thereby completing the coating on one side of the base film layer 30, and the same method can be used to complete the coating on the other side of the base film layer 30.

[0047] The present invention also provides a film-coated product, which is prepared by the above-mentioned film-coating device using the above-mentioned film-coating method, and includes a base film layer 30, and the upper and lower surfaces of the base film layer 30 are both provided with a first metal film layer 31 and a second metal film layer 32 located outside the first metal film layer 31. A non-metallic film layer 33 is also provided between the base film layer 30 and the first metal film layer 31, and the non-metallic film layer 33 protects the base film layer 30 when the first metal film layer 31 is evaporated, reduces damage to the base film layer 30, and also provides good conditions for the deposition of the first metal film layer 31, so that the first metal film layer 31 is better adhered.

[0048] The material of the first metal film layer 31 can be metal copper, metal aluminum, metal titanium, metal nickel, metal copper alloy, metal aluminum alloy, metal nickel alloy, etc., or materials with the same properties as the aforementioned materials; the material of the second metal film layer 32 can be metal zinc, metal nickel, metal copper, metal titanium, etc., or materials with the same properties as the aforementioned materials; the non-metallic film layer 33 can be made of non-metallic materials such as aluminum oxide and silicon nitride, or materials with the same properties as the aforementioned materials. The materials of the first metal film layer 31 and the second metal film layer 32 are different, so that on the one hand, the bonding force between the first metal film layer 31 and the base film layer 30 can be stronger, and at the same time, the existence of the second metal film layer 32 can increase the oxidation resistance of the first metal film layer 31; for example, the first metal film layer 31 is metal aluminum, and the second metal film layer 32 is metal zinc, nickel, copper, titanium, etc., which are different from metal aluminum.

[0049] In summary, the present invention provides a coating device, method and product, wherein the coating device includes a vacuum chamber, a winding module is arranged in the vacuum chamber, the winding module includes a unwinding roller and a winding roller, a rear main roller is arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller, a base film roll is mounted on the unwinding roller, the base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller, passes through the rear main roller below the unwinding roller, and is wound up by the winding roller; a rear evaporation source is arranged below the rear main roller to deposit a first metal film layer on the base film layer, and a magnetron sputtering target is arranged on the side of the rear main roller to deposit a second metal film layer on the first metal film layer.

[0050] In the present application, a first metal film layer is first deposited on the base film layer by evaporation, and then a second metal film layer is deposited on the first metal film layer by magnetron sputtering. After the first metal film layer is formed, its surface temperature is still relatively high. At this time, magnetron sputtering is used to bombard the target material. When the target material is bombarded, the metal on the surface of the target material is subjected to higher energy, so that the metal constituting the second metal film layer impacts the first metal film layer with higher kinetic energy, firmly fixing the first metal film layer on the base film layer, thereby improving the bonding strength between the first metal film layer and the base film layer.

[0051] It is understandable that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, and all these changes or substitutions should fall within the protection scope of the claims attached to the present invention.

Claims

1. A coating device, comprising a vacuum chamber, wherein a winding module is arranged in the vacuum chamber, characterized in that: The winding module includes a unwinding roller and a winding roller, and a rear main roller is arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller. The unwinding roller is equipped with a base film roll. The base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller, passes through the rear main roller below the unwinding roller, and is wound up by the winding roller; a rear evaporation source is arranged below the rear main roller to deposit a first metal film layer on the base film layer, and a magnetron sputtering target is arranged on the side of the rear main roller to deposit a second metal film layer on the first metal film layer.

2. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A front main roller is also arranged below the unwinding roller and the winding roller. The base film layer is unwound from the unwinding roller, passes through the front main roller and the rear main roller below the unwinding roller in sequence, and is wound up by the winding roller. The front main roller is located below the unwinding roller, and the rear winding roller is located below the winding roller. A front evaporation source is arranged below or on the side of the front main roller to deposit a non-metallic film layer between the base film layer and the first metal film layer.

3. The coating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: An oxygen supply device is arranged around the front evaporation source, and the direction of the gas outlet of the oxygen supply device is adapted to the deposition direction of the coating material in the front evaporation source.

4. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the first metal film layer is greater than the thickness of the second metal film layer.

5. The coating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A front roller group and a front bending roller are arranged on the film-moving path between the unwinding roller and the front main roller.

6. The coating device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A front rubber roller, a swing roller and a rear bending roller are arranged on the film-moving path of the front main roller and the rear main roller.

7. The coating device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A rear rubber roller, a tension roller and a rear roller group are also arranged on the film-moving path between the rear main roller and the winding roller.

8. The coating device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rear main roller is a cooling roller.

9. A coating method using the coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The steps include: Evacuate the vacuum chamber; The base film layer is unwound by the unwinding roller without stopping the machine; Depositing a first metal film layer on the base film layer from a post-evaporation source; bombarding a magnetron sputtering target to deposit a second metal film layer on the first metal film layer; The base film layer after coating is rolled up by the winding roller without stopping the machine.

10. A coated product, characterized in that: The coated product is prepared by the coating equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 8 using the coating method described in claim 9, and the coated product includes a base film layer, and the upper and lower surfaces of the base film layer are both provided with a first metal film layer and a second metal film layer located outside the first metal film layer.

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