Apparatus and method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides a manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing positive electrode materials for solid-state batteries that can shorten manufacturing time. [Solution] The positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus 100 for the solid-state battery 1 comprises a classifier 110 that classifies a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder into coarse powder and fine powder, and a kneader 120 that kneads the fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry. The classifier 110 has a first container 111 into which the mixed powder is fed, with a plurality of openings 112 formed on the bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass, and a transducer 113 attached to the first container 111 that can vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing positive electrode materials for solid-state batteries and a method for manufacturing positive electrode materials. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, research and development has been conducted on rechargeable batteries that contribute to energy efficiency, in order to ensure that more people have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy.

[0003] Among secondary batteries, solid-state secondary batteries using solid electrolytes are attracting particular attention due to their advantages in terms of improved safety because the solid electrolyte is non-flammable and their higher energy density. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose methods for manufacturing electrode materials (positive electrode material and negative electrode material) for solid-state batteries. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 116654897 Specification [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6116315 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Patent document 2 describes a method for manufacturing small quantities of cathode material on a laboratory scale. On the other hand, when considering large-scale manufacturing methods for producing large quantities of cathode material, it is necessary to consider technologies that can shorten manufacturing time in order to improve manufacturing efficiency.

[0006] This invention relates to the manufacture of positive electrode materials for solid-state batteries and provides a manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing positive electrode materials for solid-state batteries that can shorten the manufacturing time. Ultimately, this contributes to energy efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention A classifier that separates a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder into coarse powder and fine powder, A solid-state battery positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus comprising a kneader that kneads the aforementioned fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, The aforementioned classifier is, A container into which the mixed powder is introduced has a plurality of openings formed on its bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass, The device includes a transducer attached to the aforementioned container and capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention is A classification process for classifying a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder into coarse powder and fine powder, A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery, comprising a kneading step of kneading the aforementioned fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, The classification process involves classifying the mixed powder by vibrating a container into which the mixed powder is placed, which has multiple openings formed in its bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass, with a transducer capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The positive electrode active material (mixed powder) coated with a solid electrolyte becomes larger in particle size due to aggregation. However, according to the present invention, by classifying the mixed powder before kneading to produce the positive electrode slurry, larger particles that negatively affect the performance of the solid-state battery can be removed early in the manufacturing line. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the classification process time can be shortened by performing the classification of the mixed powder using a transducer capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies. As a result, the manufacturing time of the cathode material can be shortened. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a solid-state battery 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a positive electrode material according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a classifier 110. Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus and a positive electrode material manufacturing method for a solid-state battery of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. First, the solid-state battery will be described. In this specification, the solid-state battery refers to a battery in which the entire battery is solidified.

[0012] [1. Solid-State Battery] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a solid-state battery 1. The solid-state battery 1 includes a positive electrode layer 2, a negative electrode layer 3, and a solid electrolyte layer 4 disposed between the positive electrode layer 2 and the negative electrode layer 3. The positive electrode layer 2, the solid electrolyte layer 4, and the negative electrode layer 3 are laminated in this order. The solid-state battery 1 is not particularly limited, but is a lithium-ion solid secondary battery or a lithium metal secondary battery.

[0013] The positive electrode layer 2 has a positive electrode current collector 21 and a positive electrode active material layer 22 laminated on each other. In this specification, the sheet-like member constituting the positive electrode layer 2 before being laminated on the solid electrolyte layer 4 or the negative electrode layer 3 may also be referred to as a positive electrode material.

[0014] The positive electrode current collector 21 has a function of collecting current of the positive electrode active material layer 22. The positive electrode current collector 21 is preferably composed of at least one substance having a high conductivity. Examples of substances having high conductivity include aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, nickel, iron, and titanium.

[0015] Examples of the shape of the positive electrode current collector 21 include foil-like, plate-like, mesh-like, non-woven fabric-like, and foam-like forms. Furthermore, the surface of the positive electrode current collector 21 may be roughened to improve adhesion with the positive electrode active material layer 22.

[0016] The positive electrode active material layer 22 includes, for example, a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte. The positive electrode active material layer 22 is formed by kneading the positive electrode active material and solid electrolyte together with a dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, which is then applied to the positive electrode current collector 21 and dried. Here, the dispersion medium includes a conductive additive, a binder, and a solvent.

[0017] The positive electrode active material can be the same as that used in the positive electrode material of a typical solid-state battery. Examples of positive electrode active materials include lithium-cobalt composite oxide, lithium-nickel composite oxide, lithium-nickel-cobalt composite oxide, lithium-nickel-manganese composite oxide, lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese composite oxide, and lithium-nickel-cobalt-aluminum composite oxide. Specifically, the positive electrode active material can be LiCoO2 or LiNi p Mn q Co r O2(p+q+r=1), LiNi p Al q Co r Examples include O2 (p+q+r=1). The positive electrode active material may also be a substance containing metallic elements such as Cr, Fe, V, Mg, Ca, Na, Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, W, Cu, Zn, Ga, In, Sn, La, and Ce.

[0018] The solid electrolyte contained in the positive electrode active material layer 22 can be the same as that used in general solid-state batteries, and is similar to the solid electrolyte (described later) contained in the solid electrolyte layer 4. For example, the solid electrolyte contained in the positive electrode active material layer 22 is a sulfide-based solid electrolyte.

[0019] The conductive additives contained in the dispersion medium can be the same as those used in general solid-state batteries, and examples include carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphite particles.

[0020] The binder contained in the dispersion medium can be the same as that used in general solid-state batteries, and examples include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyisobutene (PIB), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (PEVA), nitrile rubber (NBR), and hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR).

[0021] The solvent contained in the dispersion medium can be the same as that used in general solid-state batteries, and examples include organic solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), toluene, butyl butyrate, or alcohol, or water.

[0022] The negative electrode layer 3 comprises a negative electrode current collector 31 and a negative electrode active material layer 32 that are stacked on top of each other. In this specification, the sheet-like members that constitute the negative electrode layer 3 before being stacked on the solid electrolyte layer 4 and the positive electrode layer 2 are sometimes referred to as the negative electrode material.

[0023] The negative electrode current collector 31 has the function of collecting current from the negative electrode active material layer 32. Preferably, the negative electrode current collector 31 is composed of at least one material with high conductivity. Examples of materials with high conductivity include copper, nickel, and stainless steel.

[0024] Examples of the negative electrode current collector 31's shape include foil, plate, mesh, nonwoven fabric, and foam. Furthermore, the surface of the negative electrode current collector 31 may be roughened to improve adhesion with the negative electrode active material layer 32.

[0025] The negative electrode active material layer 32 includes, for example, a negative electrode active material and a solid electrolyte. The negative electrode active material layer 32 is formed by kneading the negative electrode active material and solid electrolyte together with a dispersion medium to produce a negative electrode slurry, which is then applied to the negative electrode current collector 31 and dried. The dispersion medium includes a conductive additive, a binder, and a solvent, and each of these materials can be the same as those used in general solid-state batteries.

[0026] The negative electrode active material can be the same as that used in the negative electrode material of a typical solid-state battery. Examples of negative electrode active materials include silicon-based active materials such as lithium metal, lithium alloy, Si, and Si alloy, and lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O 12 Examples include lithium transition metal oxides such as ), transition metal oxides such as TiO2, Nb2O3, and WO3, metal sulfides, metal nitrides, carbon materials such as graphite, soft carbon, and hard carbon, and metallic indium.

[0027] The solid electrolyte contained in the negative electrode active material layer 32 can be the same as that used in general solid-state batteries, and is similar to the solid electrolyte (described later) contained in the solid electrolyte layer 4. For example, the solid electrolyte contained in the negative electrode active material layer 32 is a sulfide-based solid electrolyte.

[0028] The solid electrolyte layer 4 is formed between the positive electrode layer 2 and the negative electrode layer 3. The solid electrolyte layer 4 may be composed of multiple layers. The material constituting the solid electrolyte layer 4 can be the same as that used for the solid electrolyte of a general solid-state battery, for example, a sulfide-based solid electrolyte material. A sulfide-based solid electrolyte material usually contains a metal element (M) that acts as a conductive ion and sulfur (S). Examples of M include Li, Na, K, Mg, and Ca, with Li being preferred. In particular, the sulfide-based solid electrolyte material preferably contains Li, A (A is at least one selected from the group consisting of P, Si, Ge, Al, and B), and S, with phosphorus (P) being more preferred for A. Furthermore, the sulfide-based solid electrolyte material may contain halogens such as Cl, Br, and I. This is because the inclusion of halogens improves ionic conductivity. The sulfide-based solid electrolyte material may also contain O.

[0029] Examples of sulfide-based solid electrolyte materials having ionic conductivity include, for example, Li2S-P2S5, Li2S-P2S5-LiI, Li2S-P2S5-Li2O, Li2S-P2S5-Li2O-LiI, Li2S-SiS2, Li2S-SiS2-LiI, Li2S-SiS2-LiBr, Li2S-SiS2-LiCl, Li2S-SiS2-B2S3-LiI, Li2S-SiS2-P2S5-LiI, Li2S-B2S3, Li2S-P2S5-Z m S n (where m and n are positive numbers. Z is any one of Ge, Zn, Ga.), Li2S-GeS2, Li2S-SiS2-Li3PO4, Li2S-SiS2-Li x MO y (where x and y are positive numbers. M is any one of P, Si, Ge, B, Al, Ga, In). In addition, the description of "Li2S-P2S5" above means a sulfide-based solid electrolyte material formed using a raw material composition containing Li2S and P2S5, and the same applies to other descriptions.

[0030] In addition, as other examples of the material constituting the solid electrolyte layer 4, for example, oxide solid electrolytes, halide solid electrolytes, inorganic solid electrolytes such as lithium-containing salts, and polymer-based solid electrolytes such as polyethylene oxide can be mentioned. The material constituting the solid electrolyte layer 4 may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0031] The solid battery 1 may further include an intermediate layer disposed between the negative electrode layer 3 and the solid electrolyte layer 4. The intermediate layer has, for example, a function of uniformly depositing lithium metal when the solid battery 1 is a lithium metal secondary battery. The substance constituting the intermediate layer is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include metals that can be alloyed with lithium and amorphous carbon.

[0032] [2. Positive Electrode Material Manufacturing Apparatus, Manufacturing Method] Subsequently, a positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus and a positive electrode material manufacturing method for manufacturing the positive electrode material used in the solid battery 1 described above will be described in detail.

[0033] In the positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus and positive electrode material manufacturing method of this embodiment, a positive electrode active material is used in which particles of the positive electrode active material are pre-coated with particles of a solid electrolyte. In the following description, the positive electrode active material coated with a solid electrolyte is also referred to as the coated positive electrode active material. The coated positive electrode active material is a mixed powder produced by mixing powder of the positive electrode active material and powder of the solid electrolyte in a dry method without using a dispersion medium. The solid electrolyte used for coating can be the same as that used in general solid-state batteries, for example, a sulfide-based solid electrolyte. However, the solid electrolyte used for coating may be a solid electrolyte other than a sulfide-based solid electrolyte, for example, an oxide-based solid electrolyte.

[0034] Coated positive electrode active material may contain larger particles due to aggregation. However, to improve the battery characteristics of solid-state battery 1, it is desirable that the positive electrode slurry generated during the manufacturing process of the positive electrode material does not contain large particles. Therefore, it is desirable to homogeneously disperse the coated positive electrode active material before generating the positive electrode slurry to prevent the inclusion of large particles in the coated positive electrode active material.

[0035] Therefore, in the cathode material manufacturing apparatus and cathode material manufacturing method of this embodiment, the coated cathode active material is classified in advance to remove particles with a large particle size.

[0036] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the positive electrode material manufacturing method. The positive electrode material manufacturing method comprises a classification step S1 in which the coated positive electrode active material is classified into fine powder and coarse powder, a mixing step S2 in which the fine powder, solid electrolyte and dispersion medium are mixed to produce a positive electrode slurry, and a coating step S3 in which the positive electrode slurry is applied to the positive electrode current collector 21.

[0037] Classification step S1 classifies the coated positive electrode active material into fine powder with a particle size of a predetermined size or less and coarse powder with a particle size larger than the fine powder. As will be described in detail later, in this embodiment, classification step S1 classifies the coated positive electrode active material using a transducer 113 that can vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency.

[0038] In addition, in the classification process S1, the mass of the fine powder obtained by classification is weighed. After a predetermined amount of fine powder is obtained in the classification process S1, the fine powder is introduced into the mixing process S2.

[0039] The mixing step S2 generates a positive electrode slurry by mixing the fine powder, solid electrolyte, and dispersion medium in a mixer for a predetermined time. The solid electrolyte used in the mixing step S2 may be the same as or different from the solid electrolyte used when coating the particles of the positive electrode active material.

[0040] The coating process S3 involves coating the positive electrode current collector 21 with positive electrode slurry. The coating process S3 may involve coating one side of the positive electrode current collector 21 with positive electrode slurry, or coating both sides of the positive electrode current collector 21 with positive electrode slurry. After the coating process S3, the coated positive electrode current collector 21 is dried to produce a sheet-like positive electrode material. Alternatively, after the coating process S3, a step of rolling the positive electrode slurry may be performed.

[0041] Each step S1 to S3 of the cathode material manufacturing method must be carried out in an inert atmosphere with an extremely low dew point and low oxygen. The dew point substantially indicates the degree of dryness of the space; the lower the dew point, the drier the space. This is because when the materials constituting the cathode material react with moisture, oxygen, nitrogen, etc. in the atmosphere and the lithium-containing crystals on the surface of the material, an insulating film is formed on the particle surface, reducing the ionic conductivity of the cathode material.

[0042] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a cathode material manufacturing apparatus 100 that implements the cathode material manufacturing method described above. The cathode material manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a classifier 110 that classifies the coated cathode active material into fine powder and coarse powder, a kneader 120 that mixes the fine powder, solid electrolyte, and dispersion medium to produce a cathode slurry, and a coating machine 130 that coats the cathode slurry onto the cathode current collector 21. Known devices can be used for the kneader 120 and coating machine 130, and their details are omitted. The cathode material manufacturing apparatus 100 is installed in an environment with an extremely low dew point and low oxygen.

[0043] Figure 4 shows the configuration of the classifier 110. The classifier 110 has a first container 111 into which coated positive electrode active material is introduced, with multiple openings 112 formed on the bottom surface; a transducer 113 attached to the first container 111 and capable of vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency; and a second container 115 that receives the fine powder that has been classified through the multiple openings 112 of the first container 111. The classifier 110 is composed of an ultrasonic vibrator that classifies the coated positive electrode active material at an ultrasonic frequency. Specifically, the ultrasonic frequency is 20 kHz or higher.

[0044] The classifier 110 is a device that performs the classification process S1 described above. In other words, the classification process S1 classifies the coated positive electrode active material by vibrating a first container 111, which has multiple openings 112 formed on its bottom surface through which fine powder can pass, with a transducer 113 that can vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies.

[0045] The first container 111 is, for example, a container with a bottom. The multiple openings 112 formed on the bottom surface of the first container 111 are formed in a mesh-like or perforated shape, for example, but their shape is not particularly limited. Each opening 112 is sized to allow fine powder to pass through and to prevent coarse powder from passing through.

[0046] The transducer 113 is attached to the outer surface of the first container 111 and vibrates the first container 111. The transducer 113 is configured to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. Furthermore, the transducer 113 is configured to vibrate at frequencies lower than ultrasonic frequencies. In other words, the transducer 113 is configured to vibrate at 20 kHz or higher, and also at frequencies below 20 kHz.

[0047] The second container 115 is located below the first container 111 and receives the fine powder that has been sorted through the multiple openings 112 of the first container 111. The fine powder received by the second container 115 is fed into the kneader 120. On the other hand, the powder that remains in the first container 111 without passing through the multiple openings 112 is the coarse powder.

[0048] As mentioned above, coated positive electrode active material may contain larger particles due to aggregation. However, since coarse powder is removed from the coated positive electrode active material in the classifier 110 before it is fed into the kneader 120, the inclusion of coarse powder into the kneader 120 can be suppressed. Therefore, larger particles that could negatively affect the performance of the solid-state battery 1 can be removed early in the production line of the positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0049] The classifier 110, which is composed of an ultrasonic shaker, can shorten the time of the classification process S1 and prevent clogging compared to classification using a general sieve shaker that applies amplitude to the entire apparatus. This is presumed to be because, compared to a sieve shaker, the particle movement area on the first container 111 with the opening 112 becomes narrower and contact between particles is reduced during operation of the classifier 110, making it easier for particles to pass through the opening 112 by their own weight. By shortening the time of the classification process S1 and preventing clogging, the manufacturing time of the cathode material can be shortened as a result.

[0050] When classifying the coated positive electrode active material, the classifier 110 preferably vibrates the oscillator 113 at a frequency of 10 kHz or higher. By vibrating the oscillator 113 within this frequency range, the time of the classification process S1 can be shortened.

[0051] When classifying coated positive electrode active material, the classifier 110 more preferably vibrates the oscillator 113 at a frequency between 10 kHz and 35 kHz. By vibrating the oscillator 113 at a frequency within this range, the time reduction of the classification process S1 can be optimized. Furthermore, when the oscillator 113 is vibrated at a frequency within this range, contact between particles is relatively reduced, which can suppress the occurrence of defects such as peeling of the coating from the coated positive electrode active material.

[0052] The size of each opening 112 in the first container 111 is preferably designed based on the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22 of the solid-state battery 1 to be finally manufactured. Specifically, the size of each opening 112 is preferably designed to be half or less of the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22. To give an example, when finally manufacturing a solid-state battery 1 in which the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22 is 100 μm, by setting the size of each opening 112 to 50 μm, the classifier 110 can classify the coated positive electrode active material into fine particles with a particle size of 50 μm or less and coarse powder with a particle size larger than 50 μm. In this way, the size of each particle constituting the fine powder can be made sufficiently small relative to the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22.

[0053] Furthermore, the size of each opening 112 may be designed to be at least half the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22, as long as it is less than the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22. To give an example, when ultimately manufacturing a solid-state battery 1 in which the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22 is 100 μm, by setting the size of each opening 112 to 70 μm, the classifier 110 can classify the coated positive electrode active material into fine particles with a particle size of 70 μm or less and coarse powder with a particle size larger than 70 μm. With this configuration as well, the size of each particle constituting the fine powder can be made small relative to the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22.

[0054] The processing speed of the classifier 110 varies depending on the size of the aperture 112; the larger the aperture 112, the faster the processing speed, and the smaller the aperture 112, the slower the processing speed. Here, the processing speed is, for example, the amount of coated positive electrode active material classified per unit time. With this in mind, it is more preferable that the size of each aperture 112 be designed based not only on the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22, but also on the desired processing speed.

[0055] The processing speed of the classifier 110 is preferably set based on, for example, the time required for the coating process in which solid electrolyte particles are coated onto the positive electrode active material particles. For example, it is preferable that the processing speed be set so that the classification process S1 by the classifier 110 is completed between the time when the coated positive electrode active material generated in one coating process is fully fed into the classifier 110 and the time when the coated positive electrode active material generated in the next coating process is started to be fed into the classifier 110. For example, it is preferable that the processing speed be set to 1.0 kg / h or more.

[0056] The classifier 110 preferably further includes a weighing unit 116 for weighing the mass of the fine powder. In other words, in the classification process S1, it is preferable to weigh the mass of the fine powder obtained by classification. More specifically, the weighing unit 116 is provided in the second container 115 and weighs the mass of the fine powder received by the second container 115.

[0057] Since a weighing unit 116 is provided, an appropriate amount of fine powder can be fed into the kneader 120. Furthermore, because the classifier 110 has a weighing unit 116, classification and weighing can be performed simultaneously, thereby improving the manufacturing efficiency of the cathode material.

[0058] The classifier 110 is preferably installed immediately before the kneader 120 in the production line of the cathode material manufacturing apparatus 100. In other words, the classification process S1 is preferably carried out immediately before the kneading process S2. This configuration makes it possible to suppress the inclusion of coarse powder particles before kneading.

[0059] The first container 111 of the classifier 110 is preferably large enough to accommodate 1 kg or more of coated positive electrode active material. In other words, the classification process S1 is preferably large enough to classify 1 kg or more of coated positive electrode active material in a single process. More specifically, the first container 111 is preferably large enough to accommodate 1 kg to 50 kg of coated positive electrode active material. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the first container 111 is large enough to accommodate 15 kg to 50 kg of coated positive electrode active material.

[0060] Thus, the first container 111 can accept a large amount of coated cathode active material, and a large amount of coated cathode active material can be classified at once, making it possible to efficiently manufacture a large amount of cathode material in a short time.

[0061] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these are also understood to naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiment may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0062] This specification includes at least the following: The components and other elements corresponding to those in the embodiments described above are shown in parentheses as examples, but are not limited thereto.

[0063] (1) A classifier (classifier 110) that classifies a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder into coarse powder and fine powder, A positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus (positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus 100) for a solid battery (solid battery 1) comprises a kneader (kneader 120) that kneads the fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, The aforementioned classifier is, A container (first container 111) into which the mixed powder is introduced has multiple openings (openings 112) formed on its bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass, The container is attached to a transducer (transducer 113) capable of vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency, A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

[0064] The mixed powder of the positive electrode active material and the solid electrolyte may contain larger particles due to aggregation. According to (1), the mixed powder is classified into coarse and fine powders in a classifier before being fed into the kneader, so that only the fine powder is fed into the kneader, and the inclusion of coarse powder into the positive electrode slurry can be suppressed. Therefore, larger particles that would negatively affect the performance of the solid-state battery can be removed early in the manufacturing line. Furthermore, by performing the classification of the mixed powder using a transducer capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies, the classification process time can be shortened.

[0065] (2) A apparatus for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid batteries as described in (1), When classifying the mixed powder, the classifier vibrates the vibrator at a frequency of 10 kHz or more and 35 kHz or less. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

[0066] According to (2), the time reduction of the classification process can be optimized. In addition, the vibration frequency described in (2) can suppress the peeling of the coating from the coated positive electrode active material (positive electrode active material coated with a solid electrolyte) contained in the mixed powder.

[0067] (3) A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in (1) or (2), The solid battery ultimately manufactured has a positive electrode active material layer (positive electrode active material layer 22) formed from the positive electrode slurry, The size of each opening in the classifier is less than or equal to half the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

[0068] According to (3), the size of each opening in the classifier is designed taking into account the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer of the solid-state battery that will be ultimately manufactured, so that the inclusion of coarse powder in the solid-state battery can be reliably suppressed.

[0069] (4) A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in any of (1) to (3), The classifier further includes a weighing unit (weighing unit 116) for weighing the mass of the fine powder. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

[0070] According to (4), classification and weighing can be performed simultaneously, thus improving the manufacturing efficiency of cathode materials.

[0071] (5) A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in any of (1) to (4), The classification machine is located immediately before the mixing machine in the production line of the cathode material manufacturing apparatus. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

[0072] According to (5), since the classifier is installed directly in front of the kneader, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of coarse powder before kneading.

[0073] (6) A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in any of (1) to (5), The container is sized to accommodate 1 kg or more of the mixed powder. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

[0074] According to (6), since a large amount of mixed powder is classified at once, a large amount of cathode material can be manufactured efficiently in a short time.

[0075] (7) A classification step (classification step S1) in which a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder is classified into coarse powder and fine powder, A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery (solid battery 1), comprising a kneading step (kneading step S2) to knead the fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, The classification process involves classifying the mixed powder by vibrating a container (first container 111) containing the mixed powder with a transducer (transducer 113) that can vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies, the container having a plurality of openings (openings 112) formed on its bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

[0076] The mixed powder of the positive electrode active material and the solid electrolyte may contain larger particles due to aggregation. According to (1), the mixed powder is classified into coarse and fine powder in the classification process before being introduced into the kneading process, so that only the fine powder, excluding the coarse powder, can be introduced into the kneading process, thereby suppressing the inclusion of coarse powder in the positive electrode slurry. Furthermore, by performing the classification of the mixed powder with a transducer capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies, the time of the classification process can be shortened.

[0077] (8) A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in (7), The classification process involves vibrating the oscillator at a frequency of 10 kHz or more and 35 kHz or less. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

[0078] According to (8), the time reduction of the classification process can be optimized. In addition, the vibration frequency described in (8) can suppress the peeling of the coating from the coated positive electrode active material (positive electrode active material coated with a solid electrolyte) contained in the mixed powder.

[0079] (9) A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in (7) or (8), The solid battery ultimately manufactured has a positive electrode active material layer formed from the positive electrode slurry, The size of each opening in the container is less than or equal to half the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

[0080] According to (9), the size of each opening in the container is designed taking into account the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer of the solid-state battery that will be ultimately manufactured, so that the inclusion of coarse powder into the solid-state battery can be reliably suppressed.

[0081] (10) A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in any of (7) to (9), In the classification process, the mass of the fine powder obtained by classification is weighed. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

[0082] According to (10), classification and weighing can be performed simultaneously, thus improving the manufacturing efficiency of cathode materials.

[0083] (11) A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in any of (7) to (10), The classification process is carried out immediately before the mixing process. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

[0084] According to (11), since the classification process is carried out immediately before the mixing process, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of coarse powder before mixing.

[0085] (12) A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery as described in any of (7) to (11), The classification process classifies 1 kg or more of the mixed powder in a single step. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

[0086] According to (12), since a large amount of mixed powder is classified at once, a large amount of cathode material can be manufactured efficiently in a short time. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 1 solid state battery 22 Cathode active material layer 100 Positive Electrode Manufacturing Equipment 110 Classifier 111 1st container (container) 112 Opening 113 Oscillator 116 Weighing Department 120 mixer S1 Classification Project S2 Mixing Project

Claims

1. A classifier that separates a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder into coarse powder and fine powder, A solid-state battery positive electrode material manufacturing apparatus comprising a kneader that kneads the aforementioned fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, The aforementioned classifier is, A container into which the mixed powder is introduced has a plurality of openings formed on its bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass, The container is equipped with a transducer capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies, A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

2. A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery according to claim 1, When classifying the mixed powder, the classifier vibrates the vibrator at a frequency of 10 kHz or more and 35 kHz or less. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

3. A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery according to claim 1 or 2, The solid battery ultimately manufactured has a positive electrode active material layer formed from the positive electrode slurry, The size of each opening in the classifier is less than or equal to half the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

4. A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery according to claim 1 or 2, The classifier further includes a weighing unit for weighing the mass of the fine powder. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

5. A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery according to claim 1 or 2, The classification machine is located immediately before the mixing machine in the production line of the cathode material manufacturing apparatus. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

6. A apparatus for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery according to claim 1 or 2, The container is sized to accommodate 1 kg or more of the mixed powder. A manufacturing device for positive electrode materials of solid-state batteries.

7. A classification process for classifying a mixed powder of positive electrode active material powder and solid electrolyte powder into coarse powder and fine powder, A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid battery, comprising a kneading step of kneading the aforementioned fine powder and dispersion medium to produce a positive electrode slurry, The classification process involves classifying the mixed powder by vibrating a container into which the mixed powder is placed, which has multiple openings formed in its bottom surface through which the fine powder can pass, with a transducer capable of vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

8. A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid-state battery according to claim 7, The classification process involves vibrating the oscillator at a frequency of 10 kHz or more and 35 kHz or less. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

9. A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid-state battery according to claim 7 or 8, The solid battery ultimately manufactured has a positive electrode active material layer formed from the positive electrode slurry, The size of each opening in the container is less than or equal to half the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

10. A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid-state battery according to claim 7 or 8, In the classification process, the mass of the fine powder obtained by classification is weighed. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

11. A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid-state battery according to claim 7 or 8, The classification process is carried out immediately before the mixing process. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

12. A method for manufacturing a positive electrode material for a solid-state battery according to claim 7 or 8, The classification process classifies 1 kg or more of the mixed powder in a single step. A method for manufacturing positive electrode material for solid-state batteries.

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