Identification method of battery and manufacturing method of battery

Abstract

To provide a novel method for identifying a battery, and a manufacturing method of the battery including a step for such identifying.SOLUTION: A method for identifying a battery, comprises steps of: (a) acquiring microscopic image information on at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer constructing the battery; and (b) comparing microscopic image information acquired in (a) with the previously acquired microscopic image information on the layer on which the microscopic image information is acquired in (a). The method for manufacturing the battery further comprises: (a) acquiring microscopic image information on at least one layer of the positive electrode active material layer, the solid electrolyte layer, and the negative electrode active material layer at the time of manufacturing the battery; and (b) recording the microscopic image information acquired in (a) in a recording device for identifying the battery at collection of the battery.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for identifying a battery and a method for manufacturing a battery. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, regulations on batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, have been strengthened with regard to carbon footprints, due diligence in material procurement, recycling, etc. Therefore, there is an increasing need to ensure the traceability of batteries.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a battery that has an identification mark composed of an X-ray absorbing filler and a binder, and that allows traceability to be confirmed non-destructively. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-142206 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a novel method for identifying batteries, and a method for manufacturing batteries that includes steps for such identification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by the following means. <Aspect 1> (a) acquiring microscopic image information of at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute a battery; (b) comparing the microscopic image information acquired in step (a) with previously acquired microscopic image information of the at least one layer; A method for identifying a battery, comprising: <Aspect 2> 2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the microscopic image information in step (a) is obtained during battery recovery. <Aspect 3> In the step (b), the previously acquired microscopic image information is acquired during the manufacture of the battery; and Upon collection of the battery, the comparison is performed. 3. The method according to embodiment 1 or 2. <Aspect 4> The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the microscopic image information is microscopic image information of a positive electrode active material layer. <Aspect 5> (a) obtaining microscopic image information of at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute the battery during the manufacture of the battery; (b) recording the microscopic image information acquired in the step (a) in a recording device for identifying the battery when the battery is collected; A method for manufacturing a battery, comprising: Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a novel method for identifying a battery, and a method for manufacturing a battery that includes a step for such identification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] How to identify a battery The disclosed method for identifying a battery includes (a) acquiring microscopic image information for at least one layer among a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute the battery, and (b) comparing the microscopic image information acquired in step (a) with previously acquired microscopic image information for the layer for which microscopic image information was acquired in step (a).

[0010] The present inventors have devised a novel method for identifying batteries, which involves obtaining microscopic image information about a specific layer that constitutes a battery and comparing this microscopic image information with previously obtained microscopic image information about the same layer, and have made this disclosure.

[0011] According to the method of the present disclosure, batteries can be identified based on microscope image information, which is difficult to tamper with.

[0012] <Microscope image information acquisition process> The method disclosed herein includes (a) acquiring microscopic image information of at least one of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute a battery.

[0013] The microscope image information may be microscope image information of the positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material may contain a large amount of metals that are subject to recycling regulations, and therefore, there is a high need to check whether the information on the positive electrode active material layer has been replaced with a non-genuine product, etc.

[0014] Examples of a method for acquiring microscopic image information include a method for capturing an image of a target layer using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), or the like, and acquiring image data.

[0015] In the method of the present disclosure, microscopic image information may be obtained when the battery is recovered. In this case, the microscopic image information is obtained by destroying the battery and extracting the target layer.

[0016] <Microscope image information comparison process> The disclosed method includes (b) comparing the microscopic image information acquired in step (a) with previously acquired microscopic image information for the layer for which the microscopic image information was acquired in step (a).

[0017] In the method of the present disclosure, the previously acquired microscopic image information may be acquired at the time of manufacturing the battery, and the microscopic image information may be compared at the time of collecting the battery.

[0018] By using such a method, it is possible to check, for example, whether or not a battery has been replaced with a non-genuine battery between the time the battery was manufactured and the time the battery was collected.

[0019] An example of a method for comparing microscopic image information is a method for evaluating the identity of batteries recognized from each image information on a database.

[0020] For example, in the method of the present disclosure, information on a specific component of the layer from which the microscopic image information was obtained can be compared. For example, when the layer from which the microscopic image information was obtained is a positive electrode active material layer, information on the positive electrode active material can be compared.

[0021] Specifically, for example, the ratio of the positive electrode active material having a specific cross-sectional shape can be compared. That is, the ratio of the positive electrode active material having a specific cross-sectional shape is controlled in advance, and the ratio can be compared by observing the cross-sectional SEM image. An example of a method for controlling the ratio of the positive electrode active material having a specific cross-sectional shape is a method of granulating the positive electrode active material particles to form secondary particles. In particular, this ratio can be more appropriately controlled by adjusting the conditions during granulation. An example of a granulation method is spray drying.

[0022] In addition, for example, elements that can be analyzed by SEM-EDX can be distributed in the positive electrode active material particles, and the proportion of the positive electrode active material in which the elements are distributed can be compared based on the images analyzed by SEM-EDX. Examples of such elements include calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

[0023] Furthermore, for example, by mixing a metal oxide into the positive electrode active material particles in an amount that does not affect the battery performance and observing a cross-sectional SEM image, it is possible to compare the proportion of the positive electrode active material mixed with this metal oxide. Examples of metal oxides include aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium oxide.

[0024] <Battery manufacturing method> The disclosed method for manufacturing a battery includes: (a) acquiring, during the manufacture of the battery, microscopic image information of at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute the battery; and (b) recording the microscopic image information acquired in step (a) in a recording device for identifying the battery when the battery is recovered.

[0025] <Microscope image information acquisition process> The method of the present disclosure includes (a) acquiring microscopic image information of at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute a battery during the manufacture of the battery. For this step, the above description of the microscopic image information acquiring step in the battery identification method of the present disclosure can be referred to.

[0026] <Microscope image information recording process> (b) Recording the microscopic image information acquired in step (a) in a recording device for identifying the battery when the battery is collected.

[0027] A specific example of the method for recording is a method for recording SEM image data of the positive electrode active material layer in a server. The information recorded in this manner can be used for identifying the battery when the battery is collected. For the method of identification, the above description of the battery identification method of the present disclosure can be referred to.

[0028] A battery having a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer can be produced by a conventional method.

Claims

1. (a) acquiring microscopic image information of at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute a battery; (b) comparing the microscopic image information acquired in step (a) with previously acquired microscopic image information of the at least one layer. A method for identifying a battery, comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microscopic image information in step (a) is obtained during battery recovery.

3. In the step (b), the previously acquired microscopic image information is acquired during the manufacture of a battery; and Upon collection of the battery, the comparison is performed. The method of claim 1.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the microscopic image information is microscopic image information of a positive electrode active material layer.

5. (a) obtaining microscopic image information of at least one layer of a positive electrode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode active material layer that constitute the battery during the manufacture of the battery; (b) recording the microscopic image information acquired in the step (a) in a recording device for identifying the battery when the battery is collected. A method for manufacturing a battery, comprising: