Vacuum coating device and process method for coating film

Abstract

The invention discloses a vacuum coating device and a process method for coating a thin film. The vacuum coating device comprises a vacuum chamber; the conveying mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is used for conveying a base film; the coating mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is used for coating a preset film layer on the surface of the base film; the cooling mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is positioned above the coating mechanism; and the passivation mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber, is positioned at the downstream of the film coating mechanism in the base film conveying direction and is used for passivating the preset film layer. According to the vacuum coating device disclosed by the invention, the cooling mechanism is arranged above the coating mechanism, so that the base film which is just coated can be quickly cooled, the material property change of the base film caused by high temperature is prevented, or the thermal deformation of the base film is prevented, the wrinkling of the base film is avoided, and the preparation efficiency and quality of the flexible thin-film battery electrode material are improved; and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of battery production, and in particular to a vacuum coating device and a process method for coating a thin film. Background Art

[0002] Flexible thin-film batteries can be mass-produced using roll-to-roll vacuum coating technology, which greatly reduces costs and has become the focus of current research. Vacuum coating refers to the process in which atomic materials in a vacuum chamber are separated from a heating source and deposited on the surface of a flexible film to be coated. These flexible films can be processed into electrode materials for new energy power batteries. The preparation of flexible thin-film electrode layers usually relies on the thermal evaporation or magnetron sputtering technology of film material targets such as metals, metal oxides or metal salts. This technology has a slow deposition rate and is prone to wrinkles, thermal deformation and other problems when processing thick films, limiting overall production efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a vacuum coating device, which can improve the coating quality and efficiency.

[0004] The present invention also provides a process method for coating the thin film.

[0005] According to the present invention, the vacuum coating device includes: a vacuum chamber; a conveying mechanism, which is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is used to convey a base film; a coating mechanism, which is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is used to coat a predetermined film layer on the surface of the base film; a cooling mechanism, which is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is located above the coating mechanism; and a passivation mechanism, which is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is located downstream of the coating mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film and is used to passivate the predetermined film layer.

[0006] According to the vacuum coating device of the present invention, by arranging a cooling mechanism above the coating mechanism, the base film that has just been coated can be quickly cooled to prevent the material properties of the base film from changing due to high temperature, or to prevent the base film from thermal deformation and wrinkles on the base film, thereby improving the preparation efficiency and quality of flexible thin-film battery electrode materials, reducing production costs, and ensuring the smooth progress of the entire process.

[0007] In some embodiments, the coating mechanism includes multiple evaporation chambers, which are arranged along the conveying direction of the base film. Each evaporation chamber is provided with an evaporation table and a heat source. The evaporation table is used to carry the film material, and inner baffles are provided on both sides of the evaporation table.

[0008] In some embodiments, the vacuum coating device further includes: a continuous feeding mechanism, wherein the continuous feeding mechanism is connected to the evaporation table to feed the film material to the evaporation table.

[0009] In some embodiments, the cooling mechanism includes a plurality of cold rollers, which are arranged one-to-one corresponding to the plurality of evaporation chambers and are located above the evaporation table, and each of the cold rollers has a cooling channel and a water inlet and a water outlet connected to the cooling channel.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cooling channel includes a water inlet section, a cooling section and a water outlet section connected in sequence, the water inlet section and the water outlet section extend along the axial direction of the cold roller, and the cooling section extends reciprocatingly along the radial direction of the cold roller.

[0011] In some embodiments, the passivation mechanism includes a passivation chamber, a vacuum chamber and a tensioning device. The vacuum chamber is arranged on the outside of the passivation chamber. A reaction gas inlet is provided in the passivation chamber to allow the reaction gas to enter. An exhaust port is provided in the vacuum chamber to exhaust the gas in the vacuum chamber. The tensioning device cooperates with the cold roller to tighten the base film.

[0012] In some embodiments, the vacuum chamber includes an inner chamber and an outer chamber, the coating mechanism is arranged in the inner chamber, and the conveying mechanism includes: a unwinding mechanism, the unwinding mechanism is arranged in the outer chamber for unwinding the base film; a winding mechanism, the winding mechanism is arranged in the outer chamber for winding up the base film after being coated with the predetermined film layer; a plurality of adjusting rollers, the plurality of adjusting rollers are arranged between the unwinding mechanism and the winding mechanism at intervals in the conveying direction of the base film for conveying the base film and adjusting the surface tension of the base film.

[0013] In some embodiments, the vacuum coating device further includes: a lining film mechanism, which is disposed adjacent to the winding mechanism to cover the base film with a lining film after the predetermined film layer is coated.

[0014] In some embodiments, the vacuum coating device also includes: a cleaning mechanism, which is arranged upstream of the coating mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film to clean the base film; a film thickness measuring device, which is arranged downstream of the coating mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film and upstream of the passivation mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film, and is used to measure the thickness of the base film after the predetermined film layer is coated.

[0015] In some embodiments, the vacuum coating device further includes: a control mechanism, which is electrically connected to at least the vacuum chamber, the conveying mechanism, the coating mechanism, the cooling mechanism, the passivation mechanism, the cleaning mechanism and the film thickness measuring device.

[0016] The process method for coating a thin film according to the second aspect of the present invention is applied to the vacuum coating device according to the first aspect of the present invention, and the process method comprises:

[0017] Step S10, placing film material in each evaporation chamber as required;

[0018] Step S20, placing the base film on the unwinding mechanism of the conveying mechanism, and the base film passes through the cleaning mechanism and each evaporation chamber in sequence;

[0019] Step S30: The plated base film is taken back by the winding mechanism.

[0020] Furthermore, after step S10, the method further includes: step S11, preparing passivation steam in a passivation mechanism;

[0021] After step S20, the method further includes: step S21, the base film passes through a passivation mechanism.

[0022] Further, in step S20, after the base film is placed on the unwinding mechanism of the conveying mechanism, the air pressure in the vacuum chamber is pumped down to 10 -3 Pa.

[0023] The process method for coating a thin film according to the present invention improves the preparation efficiency and quality of flexible thin film battery electrode materials, reduces production costs, and ensures smooth progress of the entire process.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vacuum coating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a vacuum coating device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the evaporation chamber shown in;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cold roller shown in;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a melt feeding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a continuous wire feeding mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the passivation mechanism shown in;

[0032] Figure 8 It is through Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the base film after coating by the vacuum coating device shown in FIG.

[0033] Reference numerals:

[0034] 100. Vacuum coating device;

[0035] 1. Vacuum chamber;

[0036] 2. Conveying mechanism; 21. Unwinding mechanism; 22. Rewinding mechanism; 23. Adjusting roller;

[0037] 3. Coating mechanism; 31. Evaporation chamber; 32. Evaporation table; 33. Inner baffle; 34. Molecular pump exhaust port;

[0038] 31a, first evaporation chamber; 31b, second evaporation chamber; 31c, third evaporation chamber;

[0039] 31d, fourth evaporation chamber; 31e, fifth evaporation chamber; 31f, sixth evaporation chamber;

[0040] 4. Cooling mechanism; 41. Cold roller;

[0041] 42. cooling channel; 421. water inlet section; 422. cooling section; 423. water outlet section; 424. transverse plate;

[0042] 43. Water inlet; 44. Water outlet;

[0043] 5. Passivation mechanism; 51. Passivation chamber; 52. Vacuum chamber; 53. Tensioning device; 54. Reaction gas inlet; 55. Vacuum outlet;

[0044] 6. Continuous feeding mechanism; 61. Melting feeding mechanism; 611. Film material pre-melting chamber; 612. Film material buffer chamber; 613. Overflow chamber; 614. Inert gas inlet; 615. Feeding pump; 616. Regulating valve;

[0045] 62. Continuous wire feeding mechanism; 621. Metal wire / rope unloading mechanism; 622. Metal wire / rope introducing mechanism; 623. Metal wire / rope;

[0046] 7. Film lining mechanism; 71. Film stripping device; 72. Film laminating device;

[0047] 8. Cleaning mechanism; 9. Film thickness measuring device;

[0048] 200, base film; 201, first coating; 202, second coating; 203, third coating; 204, passivation layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0050] Reference below Figure 1-Figure 8 A vacuum coating apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0051] like Figure 1-Figure 8 As shown, the vacuum coating device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a vacuum chamber 1, a conveying mechanism 2, a coating mechanism 3, a cooling mechanism 4 and a passivation mechanism 5.

[0052] Specifically, the conveying mechanism 2 is arranged in the vacuum chamber 1 for conveying the base film, the coating mechanism 3 is arranged in the vacuum chamber 1 for coating a predetermined film layer on the surface of the base film, the cooling mechanism 4 is arranged in the vacuum chamber 1 and located above the coating mechanism 3, and the passivation mechanism 5 is arranged in the vacuum chamber 1 and located downstream of the coating mechanism 3 in the conveying direction of the base film for passivating the predetermined film layer. It can be understood that the vacuum chamber 1 provides an almost dust-free and airless environment to ensure the purity and accuracy of the coating process. The conveying mechanism 2 transfers the base film from one position to another, usually entering and leaving the vacuum chamber 1 in the form of a roll, which is conducive to maintaining the flatness of the base film. The coating mechanism 3 converts the target material from a solid or liquid state to a gaseous state, and uniformly deposits it on the surface of the base film to form the desired film layer. The cooling mechanism 4 is arranged above the coating mechanism 3, and is used to quickly cool the base film that has just been coated with the predetermined film layer to prevent the material properties from changing or the base film from deforming due to high temperature. The passivation mechanism 5 is located downstream of the coating mechanism 3, and is mainly used to treat the surface of the newly formed film layer to improve its stability or improve certain physical and chemical properties. For example, a protective layer is formed through chemical treatment or plasma treatment to reduce the reaction between the film layer and the external environment and extend the service life of the battery.

[0053] According to the vacuum coating device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, by arranging a cooling mechanism 4 above the coating mechanism 3, the base film that has just been coated can be quickly cooled to prevent the material properties of the base film from changing due to high temperature, or to prevent the base film from thermal deformation, and to avoid wrinkles on the base film, thereby improving the preparation efficiency and quality of flexible thin-film battery electrode materials, reducing production costs, and ensuring the smooth progress of the entire process.

[0054] Furthermore, a vacuum pump and a cryogenic collector are provided in the vacuum chamber 1. The vacuum chamber 1 is provided with a sealed door that can be opened and closed. The vacuum chamber 1 has an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a baffle, including an outer chamber where the winding and unwinding mechanism 21 is located and an inner chamber where the evaporation source is located. An adjustable baffle is provided between the inner and outer chambers, and the adjustment distance is 3 to 10 mm, so as to avoid the release of gas adsorbed by the base film during unwinding, destroying the internal vacuum and affecting the stability of the coating. The vacuum chamber 1 can be single-sided or double-sided coated as required, see Figure 1 For single-sided coating, see Figure 2 It is double-sided coating.

[0055] The vacuum pump includes a primary vacuum pump, a secondary vacuum pump and a maintenance pump. The primary vacuum pump is composed of a dry screw pump and a Roots pump, which is used to draw a rough vacuum to reduce the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 1 from the atmosphere to 1 Pa; the secondary vacuum pump is composed of a molecular pump, which is used to draw a high vacuum to further reduce the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 1 to 10 -4 Pa, meeting the requirements of the vacuum coating process; the maintenance pump is composed of a two-stage rotary vane pump, which is used to maintain the low pressure in the vacuum chamber 1 and extract the gas remaining in the vacuum chamber 1 to support the normal operation of the main pump.

[0056] The cryogenic collector uses liquid nitrogen or liquid helium as a refrigerant, and the lowest refrigeration temperature can reach -135°C. It is used to capture the residual water vapor or oil vapor in the vacuum chamber 1, condense or freeze it, and then remove it from the vacuum chamber 1, further improving the vacuum degree in the vacuum chamber 1.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coating mechanism 3 includes a plurality of evaporation chambers 31, which are arranged along the conveying direction of the base film. Each evaporation chamber 31 is provided with an evaporation table 32 and a heat source. The evaporation table 32 is used to carry the film material, and inner baffles 33 are provided on both sides of the evaporation table 32. It can be understood that the plurality of evaporation chambers 31 are arranged along the conveying direction of the base film, so that continuous coating of multiple layers or multiple materials can be achieved. Each layer of film can be completed independently in a different evaporation chamber 31 to ensure that each step achieves the best effect, and each evaporation chamber 31 can independently control the temperature, pressure and gas composition, so as to optimize the deposition conditions of different materials. The evaporation table 32 is used to carry the film material, which is usually metal, metal oxide or metal salt; common heat sources include resistance heating, electron beam heating and laser heating; the inner baffles 33 on both sides of the evaporation table 32 can prevent the material from scattering during the evaporation process, ensure that the material is concentrated on the base film and deposited, and improve the uniformity and density of the film layer.

[0058] Thus, the layout of multiple evaporation chambers 31 allows the deposition of multiple layers of film to be completed in the same process flow, which is very beneficial for the preparation of complex electrode structures. For example, a conductive layer, an active material layer and a protective layer can be deposited on the base film in sequence; by continuously conveying the base film and passing through multiple evaporation chambers 31 in sequence, efficient continuous production can be achieved, which greatly improves the production speed and output compared with the traditional single-time coating method; each evaporation chamber 31 can independently optimize the deposition conditions to ensure the quality of each layer of film. The inner baffle 33 reduces the scattering of materials and further improves the uniformity and density of the film layer; multiple evaporation chambers 31 make it possible to adjust the coating materials and process parameters as needed to meet the needs of different products. For example, the composition and thickness of the film layer can be changed by replacing the film material on the evaporation table 32 or adjusting the power of the heat source; the inner baffle 33 can effectively reduce the scattering of materials, avoid cross contamination between film layers, and reduce the defect rate. At the same time, independently controlling the conditions of each evaporation chamber 31 helps to reduce thermal and mechanical stresses, and reduce wrinkles and thermal deformation of the film layer.

[0059] Specifically, the coating mechanism 3 includes an evaporation source / sputtering source. The evaporation source has an evaporation table 32 and a heat source. The heat source can be flexibly selected from electron beam heating, resistance heating or other heating methods according to the changes in the film material. The evaporation table 32 is made of a material that is resistant to high temperatures and does not react with the film material, and is used to carry the film material. The sputtering source is composed of a target material and a target power supply. The target power supply can be flexibly selected from a DC power supply, an intermediate frequency power supply, a radio frequency battery or other electric sputtering power supply according to the properties of the film material, and is used to sputter the target material so that it is deposited on the surface of the base film.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vacuum coating device 100 further includes: a continuous feeding mechanism 6, which is connected to the evaporation table 32 to feed the film material to the evaporation table 32. The continuous feeding mechanism 6 preferably inputs molten liquid, and then uses electron beam heating to evaporate the film material for deposition to achieve continuous coating, so as to ensure the uniformity of the film layer and improve the coating efficiency. The film material can be a low melting point metal, including aluminum, magnesium, indium, zinc, tin, lithium, gallium, etc.

[0061] Optionally, according to the characteristics of the film material, sputtering is preferably used for oxides, salts or their high melting point film materials such as MgO, LiF, NaCO3, Au, Mn, Co, Ni, Ti, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Pb, Cd, Bi, Ge, Si, metal alloys, etc., to obtain a high-purity film layer.

[0062] Reference Figure 5As shown, the continuous feeding mechanism 6 is a melt feeding mechanism 61, including a film material pre-melting chamber 611, a film material buffer chamber 612, an overflow chamber 613, an inert gas inlet 614, a feeding pump 615 and a regulating valve 616. The film material pre-melting chamber 611, the film material buffer chamber 612 and the overflow chamber 613 are connected in sequence, and a regulating valve 616 and a feeding pump 615 are provided between the film material pre-melting chamber 611 and the film material buffer chamber 612 and between the film material buffer chamber 612 and the overflow chamber 613. A molecular pump exhaust port is provided at the evaporation table 32. Figure 6 As shown, the continuous feeding mechanism 6 is a continuous wire feeding mechanism 62 , including a metal wire / rope 623 unloading mechanism 621 and a metal wire / rope 623 introducing mechanism 622 , and the free end of the metal wire / rope 623 is arranged on the evaporation table 32 .

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cooling mechanism 4 includes a plurality of cold rollers 41, which are arranged one by one with a plurality of evaporation chambers 31 and are located above the evaporation table 32. A cooling channel 42 and a water inlet 43 and a water outlet 44 connected to the cooling channel 42 are formed in each cold roller 41. It can be understood that each cold roller 41 is arranged corresponding to an evaporation chamber 31 and is located above the evaporation table 32. The main function of the cold roller 41 is to quickly cool the base film after passing through the evaporation chamber 31 to prevent deformation or performance degradation of the film layer caused by high temperature; a cooling channel 42 is formed inside the cold roller 41, and the heat is taken away by the cooling medium (usually water) in the cooling channel 42 to achieve rapid cooling. The cooling channel 42 of each cold roller 41 is connected with a water inlet 43 and a water outlet 44. The water inlet 43 is used to introduce cooling water, and the water outlet 44 is used to discharge hot water that has absorbed heat. The cooling water enters the cooling channel 42 inside the cold roller 41 from the water inlet 43, flows along the channel, absorbs the heat on the surface of the cold roller 41, and then is discharged from the water outlet 44. The temperature of the cooling water is kept constant by the external cooling water circulation system; after the base film passes through the evaporation chamber 31, it immediately contacts the surface of the cold roller 41, and the cold roller 41 quickly takes away the heat on the base film by conduction, achieving rapid cooling and ensuring the quality and performance of the film layer.

[0064] Specifically, the cooling water at -20 to 20°C is produced by the hot and cold exchanger, and the cooling water is used to cool down the coating system in time through the cooling channel to prevent the base film temperature from being too high, which will cause the heat generated by the deposition process to be unable to be dissipated in time. Excessive temperature will damage the base film and reduce the coating deposition efficiency.

[0065] Furthermore, if Figure 4As shown, the cooling channel 42 includes a water inlet section 421, a cooling section 422 and a water outlet section 423 which are connected in sequence. The water inlet section 421 and the water outlet section 423 extend along the axial direction of the cold roller 41, and the cooling section 422 extends reciprocatingly in the radial direction of the cold roller 41. A plurality of cross plates 424 are provided in the cooling channel 42. The cross plates 424 extend along the axial direction of the cold roller 41 to define the cooling section 422 extending reciprocatingly in the radial direction of the cold roller 41. Thus, the reciprocatingly extending cooling section 422 increases the contact area between the cooling water and the wall of the cold roller 41, improves the heat exchange efficiency, ensures that the temperature of the surface of the cold roller 41 drops rapidly, can effectively improve the cooling efficiency and the uniformity of cooling, and rapid cooling can shorten the residence time of the base film in a high temperature state, improve the efficiency of the entire production process, and is suitable for large-scale continuous production.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 7 As shown, the passivation mechanism 5 includes a passivation chamber 51, a vacuum chamber 52 and a tensioning device 53. The vacuum chamber 52 is arranged on the outside of the passivation chamber 51. A reaction gas inlet 54 is provided in the passivation chamber 51 to allow the reaction gas to pass through. An exhaust port 55 is provided in the vacuum chamber 52 to exhaust the gas in the vacuum chamber 52. The tensioning device 53 cooperates with the cold roller 41 to tighten the base film. Through the synergistic effect of the passivation chamber 51, the vacuum chamber 52 and the tensioning device 53, the stability and durability of the film layer can be effectively improved, ensuring the flatness and quality of the base film during the passivation process. Specifically, the passivation chamber 51 is the main area for the film passivation treatment. A reaction gas inlet 54 is provided inside. By introducing the reaction gas, the newly formed film layer is surface treated to improve its chemical stability and durability. The vacuum chamber 52 is provided outside the passivation chamber 51 to isolate and protect it. A vacuum port 55 is provided inside the vacuum chamber 52 to extract the gas in the chamber to maintain a high vacuum environment. The vacuum chamber 52 can prevent external gas from entering the passivation chamber 51, ensuring that the passivation process is carried out in a pure environment to avoid interference from impurities. The tensioning device 53 cooperates with the cold roller 41 to maintain the tension of the base film, ensuring that the base film remains flat during the passivation process, and avoiding film quality problems caused by relaxation. In this way, the passivation treatment can form a stable passivation layer, improve the chemical stability and durability of the film layer, and extend the service life of the battery.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vacuum chamber 1 includes an inner chamber and an outer chamber, the coating mechanism 3 is arranged in the inner chamber, and the conveying mechanism 2 includes: a unwinding mechanism 21, the unwinding mechanism 21 is arranged in the outer chamber for unwinding the base film, the unwinding mechanism 21 is driven by a motor, and is used to send the base film to the inner chamber for coating; a winding mechanism 22, the winding mechanism 22 is arranged in the outer chamber for winding the base film after being coated with a predetermined film layer; a plurality of adjusting rollers 23, the plurality of adjusting rollers 23 are spaced apart between the unwinding mechanism 21 and the winding mechanism 22 in the conveying direction of the base film, and are used to convey the base film and adjust the surface tension of the base film, thereby adjusting the uniformity of the surface tension of the base film to avoid wrinkles and breakage problems.

[0068] Specifically, the inner chamber includes a coating mechanism 3, a cooling mechanism 4 and a passivation mechanism 5, which ensure that the base film is coated, cooled and passivated in a high vacuum environment; the outer chamber provides a relatively open environment, which is convenient for the unwinding and rewinding operations of the base film, and at the same time ensures the tension and transmission accuracy of the base film by adjusting the roller 23. The unwinding mechanism 21 is arranged in the outer chamber for unwinding the base film, ensuring that the base film can smoothly enter the inner chamber for coating; the unwinding mechanism 21 usually includes an unwinding shaft and a tension control system, and the tension of the base film is adjusted by the tension control system to ensure the flatness of the base film when entering the inner chamber. The rewinding mechanism 22 is arranged in the outer chamber for rewinding the base film that has been coated with a predetermined film layer, ensuring that the base film can be neatly rolled up, which is convenient for subsequent processing and storage; the rewinding mechanism 22 usually includes a rewinding shaft and a tension control system, and the tension of the base film is adjusted by the tension control system to ensure the flatness and tension of the base film when rewinding. The adjusting roller 23 is arranged between the unwinding mechanism 21 and the winding mechanism 22 in the conveying direction of the base film; the adjusting roller 23 is used to convey the base film and adjust the surface tension of the base film to ensure that the base film remains flat and tensioned during the entire conveying process; the adjusting roller 23 generally includes a plurality of rollers and a tension adjusting device, and the rotation of the rollers and the adjustment of the tension adjusting device ensure that the tension of the base film is evenly distributed to avoid loosening or excessive tension.

[0069] It can be understood that, through the coordinated action of the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22 and the adjusting roller 23, the base film is ensured to remain flat and tensioned during the entire transmission process, avoiding film quality problems caused by relaxation or excessive tension; continuous base film transmission and tension control can achieve efficient continuous production and improve production efficiency; the automated unwinding mechanism 21 and winding mechanism 22 reduce the need for manual operation, reduce the workload of operators, and reduce human errors; the design of the adjusting roller 23 can effectively adjust the tension of the base film, ensure the transmission accuracy of the base film, and improve the stability and reliability of the system; the design of the unwinding mechanism 21, the winding mechanism 22 and the adjusting roller 23 are independent and easy to maintain, which improves the reliability and flexibility of the device.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vacuum coating device 100 further includes: a lining film mechanism 7, which is arranged adjacent to the winding mechanism 22 to cover the lining film with the base film after coating with a predetermined film layer. The lining film mechanism 7 includes a film stripping device 71 and a film covering device 72. The film covering device 72 performs film coating on the plated product to prevent it from being contaminated or sticking during winding; the film stripping device 71 performs film stripping on the incoming material that has been coated or reworked products, and then performs subsequent coating operations.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vacuum coating device 100 also includes: a cleaning mechanism 8, which is arranged upstream of the coating mechanism 3 in the direction of base film transmission to clean the base film; a film thickness measuring device 9, which is arranged downstream of the coating mechanism 3 in the direction of base film transmission and upstream of the passivation mechanism 5 in the direction of base film transmission, and is used to measure the thickness of the base film after coating with a predetermined film layer. In other words, the cleaning mechanism 8 is arranged upstream of the coating mechanism 3 in the direction of base film transmission to ensure that the base film has been thoroughly cleaned before entering the coating mechanism 3. The cleaning mechanism 8 is used to remove dust, oil and other pollutants on the surface of the base film, ensure the cleanliness of the surface of the base film, and improve the coating quality. The film thickness measuring device 9 is arranged downstream of the coating mechanism 3 in the direction of base film transmission and upstream of the passivation mechanism 5 in the direction of base film transmission; the film thickness measuring device 9 is used to measure the thickness of the base film after coating with a predetermined film layer to ensure that the uniformity and thickness of the film layer meet the requirements. In this way, the cleanliness of the base film before coating and the precise control of the film layer thickness after coating are ensured, which helps to improve production efficiency and product quality.

[0072] Optionally, the cleaning mechanism 8 can be a cleaning roller, a spray device, a drying device and a dust collecting device. Cleaning roller: used for physical cleaning, the rotating cleaning roller contacts the surface of the base film to remove the particles on the surface. Spray device: used for chemical cleaning, the cleaning agent is sprayed through the spray device to remove the oil and organic matter on the surface of the base film. Drying device: used to remove moisture after cleaning, ensure that the surface of the base film is dry, and avoid residual moisture affecting the quality of the coating. Dust collecting device: used to absorb dust and particles generated during the cleaning process to maintain a clean environment.

[0073] Preferably, the cleaning mechanism 8 is an ion source.

[0074] Specifically, the film thickness measuring device 9 may include a sensor, a data processing unit, and a display alarm device. Sensor: A non-contact optical sensor or ultrasonic sensor is usually used to measure the film thickness by reflection or transmission principle. Data processing unit: used to process the data collected by the sensor and calculate the actual thickness of the film. Display alarm device: used to display the film thickness in real time and issue an alarm when the thickness exceeds the set range.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vacuum coating device 100 further includes: a control mechanism, which is electrically connected to at least the vacuum chamber 1, the conveying mechanism 2, the coating mechanism 3, the cooling mechanism 4, the passivation mechanism 5, the cleaning mechanism 8 and the film thickness measuring device 9 to realize the automatic control and monitoring of the entire coating process. Specifically, the control mechanism may include: a central processing unit (CPU), an input / output interface (I / O interface), a human-machine interface (HMI) and data storage and recording. The central processing unit (CPU) is the core of the control mechanism, responsible for processing and coordinating the data and instructions of each subsystem; the input / output interface (I / O interface) is used to connect various sensors, actuators and other devices to realize data collection and control signal transmission; the human-machine interface (HMI) provides a user-friendly operation interface, which is convenient for operators to monitor and adjust the coating process; the data storage and recording is used to store and record various data in the production process, which is convenient for subsequent analysis and tracing.

[0076] Furthermore, the control mechanism is electrically connected to the vacuum chamber 1 to control the start and stop of the vacuum pump and the adjustment of the vacuum degree;

[0077] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the conveying mechanism 2 to control the movement of the unwinding mechanism 21, the rewinding mechanism 22 and the adjusting roller 23 to ensure the smooth transmission of the base film;

[0078] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the coating mechanism 3 to control the evaporation table 32 and the heat source in the evaporation chamber 31 to ensure uniform evaporation and deposition of the film material;

[0079] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the cooling mechanism 4 to control the cooling water circulation of the cold roller 41 to ensure rapid cooling of the base film;

[0080] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the passivation mechanism 5 to control the introduction of the reaction gas into the passivation chamber 51 and the exhaust of the vacuum chamber 52 to ensure the smooth progress of the passivation process;

[0081] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the cleaning mechanism 8 to control the cleaning roller, the spray device, the drying device and the dust collecting device to ensure the cleanliness of the base film;

[0082] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the film thickness measuring device 9, reads the data of the film thickness sensor, monitors the film thickness in real time, and issues an alarm when necessary;

[0083] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the continuous feeding mechanism 6 to control the feeding speed and ensure timely supply of film material;

[0084] The control mechanism is electrically connected to the lining film mechanism 7 to control the running speed of the lining film mechanism 7 to ensure that the lining film can accurately cover the coating of the base film.

[0085] The process method for coating a thin film according to the second aspect of the present invention is applied to the vacuum coating device according to the first aspect of the present invention, and the process method includes:

[0086] Step S10, placing film material in each evaporation chamber as required;

[0087] Step S20, placing the base film on the unwinding mechanism of the conveying mechanism, and the base film passes through the cleaning mechanism and each evaporation chamber in sequence;

[0088] Step S30: The plated base film is taken back by the winding mechanism.

[0089] Furthermore, after step S10, the method further includes: step S11, preparing passivation steam in a passivation mechanism;

[0090] After step S20, the method further includes: step S21, the base film passes through a passivation mechanism.

[0091] Specifically, in step S20, after the base film is placed on the unwinding mechanism of the conveying mechanism, the air pressure in the vacuum chamber is pumped down to 10 -3 Pa.

[0092] The process method for coating a thin film according to the embodiment of the present invention improves the preparation efficiency and quality of flexible thin film battery electrode materials, reduces production costs, and ensures smooth progress of the entire process.

[0093] The following will refer to Figure 1-Figure 3 The coating process of the vacuum coating device 100 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0094] First, as shown in the figure, the evaporation chamber 31 includes a first evaporation chamber 31a, a second evaporation chamber 31b and a third evaporation chamber 31c, and the first evaporation chamber 31a, the second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c are arranged in sequence in the direction of base film transmission, and a cold roller 41 is respectively arranged above the first evaporation chamber 31a, the second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c to cool the base film coated with a preset film layer, and the passivation mechanism 5 is arranged downstream of the third evaporation chamber 31c in the direction of base film transmission.

[0095] Embodiment 1,

[0096] Reference Figure 1 , first coating 201 (metallic silver) + second coating 202 (metallic magnesium) + third coating 203 (metallic magnesium) + passivation layer 204;

[0097] The vacuum coating device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can complete single-sided or double-sided coating of the base film through reasonable layout. The coating method of the second surface film layer of the double-sided coating is the same as the first surface coating method. In order to simplify the introduction process, the embodiment is described using a single-sided coating device as a processing example, and subsequent implementation cases are carried out in accordance with this and will not be repeated.

[0098] First, according to the coating instructions, silver ropes are placed in the first evaporation chamber 31a, magnesium ropes are placed in the second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c, and the reaction gas inlet 54 of the passivation chamber 51 is connected to the passivation vapor composed of inorganic acid, oxidant and complexing agent;

[0099] Next, a copper foil coil with a thickness of 3 to 6 μm and a width of 100 to 1000 mm is placed on the conveying mechanism 2, the sealing door of the vacuum chamber 1 is closed, and the vacuum chamber 1 is evacuated to 10 -2 ~10 -4 Pa, turn on the Ar ion source (cleaning mechanism 8) to bombard and clean the base of the base membrane before the base membrane enters the inner chamber;

[0100] Then, an 800nm ​​silver layer is plated in the first evaporation chamber 31a, and after the film layer is subjected to the temperature reduction annealing process, a 2μm magnesium layer is plated in the second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c, respectively. The three-stage vacuum evaporation and annealing process is adopted to fully release the residual stress of the film layer, increase the limit film thickness under the premise of ensuring the quality of the film layer, and do not affect the overall coating efficiency;

[0101] Further, the plated film layer enters the passivation chamber 51, and the passivation reaction vapor is slowly introduced into the passivation chamber 51 to fully contact the surface of the film layer, and the residual gas of the reaction is promptly extracted from the vacuum chamber 52 to maintain the vacuum degree required for the film coating;

[0102] Finally, after the film layer processing is completed, the winding mechanism 22 retracts the coated base film and the liner film together onto the finished coil, and the liner film is used to prevent the film layer from being contaminated or sticking.

[0103] Embodiment 2:

[0104] like Figure 1 As shown, the first plating layer 201 (metal lithium) + the second plating layer 202 (metal lithium) + the third plating layer 203 (metal indium)

[0105] First, according to the coating instructions, a molten metal lithium source is connected to the first evaporation chamber 31a and the second evaporation chamber 31b, and an indium rope is placed in the third evaporation chamber 31c;

[0106] Next, a copper foil coil with a thickness of 3 to 6 μm and a width of 100 to 1000 mm is placed on the unwinding mechanism 21, the vacuum coating chamber sealing door is closed, and the vacuum is evacuated to 10 -2 ~10-4 Pa, turn on the Ar ion source (cleaning mechanism 8) to bombard and clean the base film before it enters the coating chamber;

[0107] Then, a 2 μm lithium layer is plated in the first evaporation chamber 31 a, a 2 μm lithium layer is plated in the second evaporation chamber 31 b, and a 500 nm indium layer is plated in the third evaporation chamber 31 c to form a lithium-indium alloy layer, which can reduce film stress, reduce cracks, film collapse and other problems for thick films, and effectively protect lithium from oxidation;

[0108] Finally, after the film layer processing is completed, the winding mechanism 22 retracts the coated base film and the liner film together onto the finished coil, and the liner film is used to prevent the film layer from being contaminated or sticking.

[0109] Embodiment 3,

[0110] like Figure 1 As shown, the first coating layer 201 (metal zinc) + the second coating layer 202 (metal sodium) + the third coating layer 203 (metal sodium) + the passivation layer 204;

[0111] First, according to the coating instructions, a zinc rope is placed in the first evaporation chamber 31a, molten metal sodium is connected to the second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c, and the reaction gas inlet 54 of the passivation chamber is connected to the ethylene glycol inlet device;

[0112] Then, a copper foil coil with a thickness of 3 to 6 μm and a width of 100 to 1000 mm is placed on the unwinding mechanism 21, the vacuum coating chamber sealing door is closed, and the vacuum is evacuated to 10 -2 ~10 -4 Pa, turn on the Ar ion source (cleaning mechanism 8) to bombard and clean the base film before it enters the coating chamber;

[0113] Next, a 1 μm zinc layer is plated in the first evaporation chamber 31 a , and a 2.5 μm metal sodium layer is plated in the second evaporation chamber 31 b and the third evaporation chamber 31 c to form an alloy layer to improve the performance of the film layer.

[0114] Furthermore, the coated film layer enters the passivation chamber, and the reaction gas ethylene glycol heated to form vapor is slowly introduced into the passivation chamber 51 so that it fully contacts the surface of the film layer, and the residual gas of the reaction is promptly extracted from the vacuum chamber 52 to maintain the vacuum degree required for coating.

[0115] Finally, after the film layer processing is completed, the winding mechanism 22 retracts the coated base film and the liner film together onto the finished coil, and the liner film is used to prevent the film layer from being contaminated or sticking.

[0116] Specifically, 1. The first evaporation chamber 31a uses a metal with good conductivity, including one or more of Ag, Au, Cu, and Al; the second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c use magnesium metal, and the passivation chamber 51 uses a passivation treatment agent for surface modification;

[0117] 2. The first evaporation chamber 31a and the second evaporation chamber 31b use lithium metal, and the third evaporation chamber 31c uses a passivation film material, including one or more of Ag, Mg, In, Al, Zn, As, Au, Mn, Co, Ni, Ti, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Ga, Pb, Cd, Bi, Ge, Sn, Si, P, and B;

[0118] 3. The first evaporation chamber 31a uses inactive metals, including one or more of Ag, Mg, In, Al, Zn, As, Au, Mn, Co, Ni, Ti, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Ga, Pb, Cd, Bi, Ge, Sn, Si, P, and B. The second evaporation chamber 31b and the third evaporation chamber 31c use sodium metal. The passivation chamber 51 uses nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carboxylic acid compound vapor, alcohol compound vapor, ester compound vapor, and amine compound vapor. One or more.

[0119] The above embodiments are all about coating the first surface of the base film. The following describes coating the second surface of the base film.

[0120] In another embodiment, the evaporation chamber 31 also includes a fourth evaporation chamber 31d, a fifth evaporation chamber 31e and a sixth evaporation chamber 31f, and the fourth evaporation chamber 31d, the fifth evaporation chamber 31e and the sixth evaporation chamber 31f are arranged in sequence in the direction of base film transmission, the fourth evaporation chamber 31d, the fifth evaporation chamber 31e and the sixth evaporation chamber 31f are all arranged on one side of the second surface of the base film, a cold roller 41 is respectively arranged above the fourth evaporation chamber 31d, the fifth evaporation chamber 31e and the sixth evaporation chamber 31f to cool the base film coated with a preset film layer, and the third evaporation chamber 31c is also provided with a passivation mechanism 5 downstream in the base film transmission direction.

[0121] The following describes the method of using the vacuum coating device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention:

[0122] Step S1, in a drying room, put the active metal film material into the pre-melting chamber that supplies materials to the evaporation table 32, and pass an inert gas to heat and melt it, or put the inactive metal wire on the winding feeding table, and connect the air inlet of the passivation chamber to the corresponding reaction gas pipeline; open the sealed door of the vacuum chamber 1, put the base film coil into the unwinding mechanism 21, put the single-sided release film coil into the lining film mechanism 7, and pull out a part of the base film and the release film according to the coating route and connect them to the winding roller;

[0123] Step S2, close the sealing door, turn on the maintenance pump and the primary vacuum pump, and when the vacuum is evacuated to about 1Pa, turn on the secondary vacuum pump to evacuate the air pressure in the vacuum chamber 1 to 10 -3 Pa around;

[0124] Step S3, start the conveying mechanism 2 and the coating mechanism 3, so that the base film passes through the ion source cleaning area, the coating chamber, and the passivation chamber in sequence. After the coating is completed, the base film is attached with a single-sided release liner film by the liner mechanism 7 for protection, and then is wound up and recovered together with the conveying mechanism 2;

[0125] Step S4, after the coating of the whole roll of base film is completed, first close the coating mechanism 3, then close the molecular pump, and then close the high valve and the first-stage pump in sequence, for about 5 to 30 minutes. Note that dry inert gas must be introduced to protect the vacuum to avoid oxidation of the film layer;

[0126] Step S5: placing the processed coiled material into a sealed container for storage.

[0127] In the present invention, a plurality refers to two or more.

[0128] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0129] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0130] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0131] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0132] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A vacuum coating device, characterized in that: include: Vacuum chamber; A conveying mechanism, the conveying mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is used to convey the base film; A coating mechanism, the coating mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber and is used to coat a predetermined film layer on the surface of the base film; A cooling mechanism, the cooling mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber and above the coating mechanism; A passivation mechanism is disposed in the vacuum chamber and located downstream of the coating mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film for passivating the predetermined film layer.

2. The vacuum coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating mechanism includes a plurality of evaporation chambers arranged along the conveying direction of the base film, each of the evaporation chambers is provided with an evaporation table and a heat source, the evaporation table is used to carry the film material, and inner baffles are provided on both sides of the evaporation table.

3. The vacuum coating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: A continuous feeding mechanism is connected to the evaporation table to feed the film material to the evaporation table.

4. The vacuum coating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cooling mechanism includes a plurality of cold rollers, which are arranged one-to-one with the plurality of evaporation chambers and are located above the evaporation table. A cooling channel and a water inlet and a water outlet connected to the cooling channel are formed in each of the cold rollers.

5. The vacuum coating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cooling channel comprises a water inlet section, a cooling section and a water outlet section which are connected in sequence, the water inlet section and the water outlet section extend along the axial direction of the cold roller, and the cooling section reciprocates along the radial direction of the cold roller.

6. The vacuum coating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The passivation mechanism includes a passivation chamber, a vacuum chamber and a tensioning device. The vacuum chamber is arranged on the outside of the passivation chamber. A reaction gas inlet is provided in the passivation chamber to allow the reaction gas to enter. An exhaust port is provided in the vacuum chamber to exhaust the gas in the vacuum chamber. The tensioning device cooperates with the cold roller to tighten the base film.

7. The vacuum coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum chamber comprises an inner chamber and an outer chamber, the coating mechanism is arranged in the inner chamber, and the conveying mechanism comprises: An unwinding mechanism, the unwinding mechanism is arranged in the outer chamber and is used for unwinding the base film; A winding mechanism, the winding mechanism is arranged in the outer chamber and is used for winding the base film after being coated with the predetermined film layer; A plurality of adjustment rollers are arranged at intervals between the unwinding mechanism and the winding mechanism in the conveying direction of the base film for conveying the base film and adjusting the surface tension of the base film.

8. The vacuum coating device according to claim 7, characterized in that: Also includes: A lining film mechanism is arranged adjacent to the winding mechanism to cover the base film with a lining film after the predetermined film layer is plated.

9. The vacuum coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: Also includes: A cleaning mechanism, the cleaning mechanism being arranged upstream of the coating mechanism in a direction in which the base film is conveyed to clean the base film; The film thickness measuring device is arranged downstream of the coating mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film and upstream of the passivation mechanism in the direction of conveying the base film, and is used to measure the thickness of the base film after the predetermined film layer is coated.

10. The vacuum coating device according to claim 9, characterized in that: Also includes: A control mechanism is electrically connected to at least the vacuum chamber, the conveying mechanism, the coating mechanism, the cooling mechanism, the passivation mechanism, the cleaning mechanism and the film thickness measuring device.

11. A process for coating a thin film, characterized in that: The vacuum coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the process method comprises: Step S10, placing film material in each evaporation chamber as required; Step S20, placing the base film on the unwinding mechanism of the conveying mechanism, and the base film passes through the cleaning mechanism and each evaporation chamber in sequence; Step S30: The plated base film is taken back by the winding mechanism.

12. The process according to claim 11, characterized in that: After step S10, the method further includes: step S11, preparing passivation vapor in a passivation mechanism; after step S20, the method further includes: step S21, passing the base film through the passivation mechanism.

13. The process according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: In step S20, after the base film is placed on the unwinding mechanism of the conveying mechanism, the air pressure in the vacuum chamber is pumped down to 10 -3 Pa.

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