A coating die and a coating apparatus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of coating die and coating device, belong to battery processing equipment field, the coating die includes upper die and lower die, upper die and lower die between being equipped with the cavity for slurry flow, further include ultrasonic wave subassembly, one end of ultrasonic wave subassembly is located in cavity, the surface of cavity is sprayed with super-hydrophobic coating, for preventing slurry adhesion in cavity. The present application not only can avoid the particle in slurry adhesion in cavity, but also can prevent the particle in slurry from settling under the action of gravity, to reduce the risk of plugging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery processing equipment, and in particular to a coating die head and coating device. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of lithium-ion batteries, the coating process is an indispensable step. This process directly affects the battery's core performance indicators such as safety, capacity, and cycle life. However, existing coating equipment faces a series of problems when coating slurries with high viscosity or high solid content. Among them, the most prominent problem is particle adhesion. Due to the high surface energy of active particles in the slurry, especially high-nickel ternary materials, these particles easily adhere to the inner wall of the coating equipment's flow channels. This phenomenon not only significantly reduces the uniformity of the coating thickness, affecting battery performance, but also easily leads to flow channel blockage, forcing production personnel to frequently stop and clean the equipment, thus severely reducing production efficiency. In addition, gravity sedimentation is another issue that cannot be ignored. During the slurry transportation and coating process, particles in the slurry will settle due to gravity, resulting in uneven distribution of components in the coating. This uneven distribution directly affects the performance of the electrodes. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this invention is to provide a coating die and coating device, which aims to solve the problem that particles in the slurry tend to adhere and settle when the existing coating die is used to process slurries with high viscosity and high solid content.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a coating die head, including an upper die and a lower die, with a cavity between the upper die and the lower die for slurry flow, and also includes an ultrasonic component, the working end of which is located in the cavity, and the surface of the cavity is sprayed with a superhydrophobic coating to prevent slurry from adhering to the cavity.

[0005] In some embodiments, the upper mold is provided with a mounting hole, and the ultrasonic component includes an ultrasonic vibrating rod that passes through the mounting hole and has its working end extending into the cavity.

[0006] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic component further includes a sealing ring disposed between the ultrasonic vibrating rod and the mounting hole.

[0007] In some embodiments, the coating die head further includes an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being in communication with the cavity and located on one side of the cavity, and the outlet being located on the opposite side of the inlet.

[0008] In some embodiments, a pressure sensor and a viscosity sensor are also provided at the discharge port. The pressure sensor is used to detect the flow channel pressure difference of the slurry, and the viscosity sensor is used to detect the viscosity of the slurry.

[0009] In some embodiments, the thickness of the superhydrophobic coating is 10-50 μm.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thickness of the superhydrophobic coating is set from high to low along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.

[0011] In some embodiments, the superhydrophobic coating is a diamond-like carbon film.

[0012] In some embodiments, the coating die head further includes a micrometer extending through the upper die for adjusting the distance between the upper and lower dies.

[0013] This utility model further proposes a coating device having the above-mentioned coating die head.

[0014] This invention proposes a coating die head that incorporates an ultrasonic component within its slurry-supply cavity. The ultrasonic component vibrates the cavity, preventing slurry particles from adhering to the cavity and also preventing them from settling under gravity. Furthermore, a superhydrophobic coating is applied to the cavity surface to reduce slurry wettability, further decreasing the probability of particle adhesion and mitigating the risk of clogging during the coating process. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of a coating die head according to the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of a coating die head according to the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0018] Upper mold 100; Lower mold 200; Cavity 210; Superhydrophobic coating 211; Gasket 300; Ultrasonic vibrator 400; Sealing ring 410; Micrometer 500; Adjusting block 510; Connecting rod 520; Micrometer head 530; Inlet 600; Outlet 700. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The solutions in the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0020] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0021] It should also be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component present. When a component is described as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component present.

[0022] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this utility model is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0023] This application proposes a coating die head, including an upper die 100 and a lower die 200, with a cavity 210 for slurry flow between the upper die 100 and the lower die 200, and also includes an ultrasonic component, the working end of which is located inside the cavity 210, and the surface of the cavity 210 is coated with a superhydrophobic coating 211 to prevent slurry from adhering inside the cavity 210.

[0024] Please see Figures 1 to 2 In the lithium-ion battery production process, this application proposes a coating die head for coating slurry onto the electrode sheets of lithium-ion batteries. The main body of this application consists of an upper die 100 and a lower die 200, with a cavity 210 for containing the slurry disposed between the upper die 100 and the lower die 200. The slurry within the cavity 210 contains active particles, such as high-nickel ternary materials and carbon nanotube conductive agents. Because these active particles have high surface energy, they easily adhere to the cavity 210. This phenomenon not only affects the uniformity of the slurry coating on the electrode sheets but also easily leads to slurry blockage.

[0025] Therefore, this application incorporates an ultrasonic component on the coating die head, with a portion of the working end of this component located within the cavity 210. When the ultrasonic component begins operation, it vibrates, and this vibration is transmitted to the cavity 210, causing the slurry within the cavity 210 to vibrate as well. This vibration effect effectively prevents active particles in the slurry, especially those with high surface energy, such as high-nickel ternary materials, from adhering to the inner wall of the cavity 210.

[0026] It is important to note that a superhydrophobic coating 211 is also sprayed onto the contact surface between the inner wall of the cavity 210 and the slurry. Specifically, this superhydrophobic coating 211 is characterized by a contact angle greater than 150 degrees, exhibiting extremely strong hydrophobicity. This characteristic makes it more difficult for the slurry to wet and spread when it comes into contact with the inner wall of the cavity 210, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of slurry remaining inside the cavity 210. This design further reduces the risk of clogging and provides a more reliable and efficient solution for the coating process of lithium-ion batteries.

[0027] Furthermore, excessively high solids content in the slurry often leads to a problem: when the slurry is stationary, the active particles tend to settle under gravity, and small particles tend to agglomerate into larger particles. This phenomenon disrupts the uniformity of the slurry, resulting in uneven distribution of slurry components on the electrode during coating, ultimately negatively impacting electrode performance. Vibrating the slurry using an ultrasonic component effectively solves this problem. Specifically, the vibration energy of ultrasound can redisperse large, agglomerated particles into smaller ones, significantly reducing the likelihood of large particles in the slurry. This process ensures the uniformity of the slurry before coating, thereby improving the quality of the coating process and increasing the yield of the battery.

[0028] In some embodiments, the upper mold 100 is provided with a mounting hole, and the ultrasonic component includes an ultrasonic vibrating rod 400, which passes through the mounting hole and has its working end extending into the cavity 210.

[0029] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic component further includes a sealing ring 410 disposed between the ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 and the mounting hole.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, the lower mold 200 has a recess on its side facing the upper mold 100. This recess mates with the bottom surface of the upper mold 100, thereby forming a cavity 210 within the coating die head. The ultrasonic component includes an ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 and a sealing ring 410. The ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 is connected to the upper mold 100 of the coating die head through a mounting hole provided in the upper mold 100. The mounting hole penetrates the upper mold 100 and communicates with the interior of the cavity 210. The ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 passes through this mounting hole, allowing its vibrating end to enter the cavity 210, so that the ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 can vibrate the slurry within the cavity 210. To ensure sealing, a sealing ring 410 is also provided between the ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 and the mounting hole. This sealing ring 410 is wrapped around the ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 to ensure that the slurry does not leak into the mounting hole, enhancing the stability and reliability of the coating process.

[0031] In some embodiments, the coating die head further includes an inlet 600 and an outlet 700. The inlet 600 is in communication with the cavity 210 and is located on one side of the cavity 210, while the outlet 700 is located on the opposite side of the inlet 600.

[0032] In some embodiments, a pressure sensor and a viscosity sensor are also provided at the discharge port 700. The pressure sensor is used to detect the flow channel pressure difference of the slurry, and the viscosity sensor is used to detect the viscosity of the slurry.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a feed inlet 600 is also provided on the lower mold 200. This feed inlet 600 is connected to the cavity 210, and the slurry enters the cavity 210 through this feed inlet 600. An outlet 700 is located on the side of the cavity 210 away from the feed inlet 600. A pressure sensor and a viscosity sensor are also provided at the outlet 700 to detect the state of the slurry, thereby dynamically adjusting the vibration intensity of the ultrasonic vibrating rod 400. The pressure sensor is used to detect the flow channel pressure difference of the slurry, and the viscosity sensor is used to detect the viscosity of the slurry. For ease of understanding, for example, when the pressure sensor detects a flow channel pressure difference of ≥10%, the vibration intensity of the ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 is increased. The ultrasonic vibrating rod 400 operates at a frequency of 20-100kHz and a power density of 0.5-5W / cm³. 2 The system employs pulsed vibration (duty cycle 30-70%), with 20-40kHz being the low-frequency range to prevent active particles in the slurry from settling under gravity and avoid material blockage; and 60-100kHz being the high-frequency range to peel off active particles adhering to the cavity 210 and improve the self-cleaning effect of the coating die.

[0034] In some embodiments, the thickness of the superhydrophobic coating 211 is 10-50 μm.

[0035] In some embodiments, the thickness of the superhydrophobic coating 211 is set from high to low along the direction from the inlet 600 to the outlet 700.

[0036] In some embodiments, the superhydrophobic coating 211 is a diamond-like carbon film.

[0037] In this embodiment, since the slurry enters the cavity 210 through the inlet 600, to balance wear resistance and wettability and extend the service life of the superhydrophobic coating 211, the thickness of the superhydrophobic coating 211 is gradually reduced from the inlet 600 to the outlet 700. This design ensures that in the inlet 600 area where the slurry first contacts, the coating has sufficient wear resistance to resist the scouring of the slurry and the friction of the active particles; while in the area near the outlet 700, the thinner coating helps maintain wettability and avoids excessive slurry retention. In this embodiment, the superhydrophobic coating 211 is a diamond-like carbon film, and the sprayed thickness is 10-50 μm. In other embodiments, a polydopamine layer-level composite layer can be used instead of a diamond-like carbon film for the superhydrophobic coating.

[0038] In some embodiments, the coating die head further includes a micrometer 500, which extends through the upper die 100 and is used to adjust the distance between the upper die 100 and the lower die 200.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a micrometer 500 is also provided on the coating die head. The micrometer 500 includes an adjusting block 510, a connecting rod 520, and a micrometer head 530. By rotating the micrometer head 530, the distance between the upper die 100 and the lower die 200 can be precisely adjusted to ensure that the thickness of the coating slurry remains consistent. A shim 300 is also provided between the upper die 100 and the lower die 200. The shim 300 can reduce the stress state of the slurry at the edge, thereby solving the problem of excessively thick edges of the slurry coating, helping to ensure the uniformity of the coating, and thus ensuring the performance and reliability of the battery.

[0040] The present invention further proposes a coating device including the coating die head described above. The specific structure of the coating die head is as described in the above embodiments. Since the coating device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the technical effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0041] In summary, this invention proposes a coating die head that incorporates an ultrasonic component within its internal cavity 210 for slurry flow. The ultrasonic component vibrates the cavity 210, preventing slurry particles from adhering to the cavity and preventing them from settling under gravity. Furthermore, a superhydrophobic coating 211 is applied to the surface of the cavity 210 to reduce the wettability of the slurry, further decreasing the probability of active particles adhering to the cavity 210.

[0042] The above description is only a part or preferred embodiment of this utility model. Neither the text nor the drawings should limit the scope of protection of this utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made using the content of this utility model specification and drawings under the overall concept of this utility model, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A coating die comprising an upper die and a lower die, a cavity for the passage of slurry between the upper die and the lower die, characterized in that, It also includes an ultrasonic component, the working end of which is located inside the cavity, and the surface of the cavity is coated with a superhydrophobic coating to prevent the slurry from adhering to the cavity.

2. The coating die head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper mold is provided with a mounting hole, and the ultrasonic component includes an ultrasonic vibrating rod that passes through the mounting hole and has its working end extending into the cavity.

3. A coating die head according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ultrasonic component also includes a sealing ring disposed between the ultrasonic vibrating rod and the mounting hole.

4. A coating die head according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a feed inlet and a discharge outlet. The feed inlet is connected to the cavity and is located on one side of the cavity, while the discharge outlet is located on the opposite side of the feed inlet.

5. A coating die head according to claim 4, characterized in that, A pressure sensor and a viscosity sensor are also provided at the discharge port. The pressure sensor is used to detect the flow channel pressure difference of the slurry, and the viscosity sensor is used to detect the viscosity of the slurry.

6. A coating die head according to claim 4, characterized in that, The thickness of the superhydrophobic coating is 10-50 μm.

7. A coating die head according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thickness of the superhydrophobic coating is set from high to low along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.

8. A coating die head according to claim 7, characterized in that, The superhydrophobic coating is a diamond-like carbon film.

9. A coating die head according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, It also includes a micrometer, which is installed through the upper mold and used to adjust the distance between the upper mold and the lower mold.

10. A coating apparatus, characterized in that, The coating apparatus has a coating die head as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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