Continuous Wave Laser Cutting for Secondary Battery Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to neatly cut electrode precursors at high speeds, leading to reduced productivity and potential short circuits due to wavy cuts and exposure of core body surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A secondary-battery electrode manufacturing method using a continuous wave laser to cut electrode precursors, forming a neat linear cut portion with controlled protrusion marks, which increases productivity and prevents short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a pulsed-system laser oscillator is used to cut electrode precursors, then the cutting process can be performed, but the cut portions become wavy and the core body surface is exposed, resulting in poor cutting quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the laser oscillation mode from pulsed system to continuous wave system, and optimizes laser beam parameters (power 50-200W, spot diameter 0.03-0.1mm, scanning speed 10-1000mm/s) to achieve both neat linear cuts and high cutting speed, resolving the contradiction between cutting quality and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces periodic dithering motion of the laser beam at the cut portion with specific frequencies (50-5000Hz) and amplitudes (0.01-10μm), which prevents wavy cuts and maintains linear cut quality while enabling high-speed cutting, thus resolving the contradiction between cutting quality and cutting speed
2Productivity
If the scanning speed is increased to improve productivity, then the cutting speed increases, but the cut quality deteriorates and becomes wavy
Solution Approach 1:
By applying periodic dithering motion to the laser beam during high-speed scanning, the patent maintains effective melting and vaporization of materials even at high scanning speeds (10-1000mm/s), preventing wavy cuts and ensuring linear cut quality while achieving high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic dithering motion parameters (frequency 50-5000Hz, amplitude 0.01-10μm) that adapt to the cutting process, allowing the laser beam to effectively interact with the electrode precursor material at high scanning speeds while maintaining cut quality, thus resolving the contradiction between cutting speed and cutting quality
3Productivity
If the laser power is increased to improve cutting speed, then the productivity increases, but the protrusion size increases causing potential short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes laser power to a specific range (50-200W) that provides sufficient energy for high-speed cutting while preventing excessive material accumulation that forms large protrusions, thus achieving both high productivity and reliability by preventing short circuits
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic dithering motion distributes the laser energy more evenly along the cut path, preventing localized overheating and excessive material melting that would form large protrusions, thereby maintaining reliable cuts with minimal protrusions while enabling high cutting speeds
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables stable, high-speed manufacturing of electrodes with neat linear cuts, enhancing productivity and maintaining battery performance by reducing protrusion sizes and preventing short circuits.
Implementation Method 1
a second step of cutting an electrode precursor into a predetermined shape by using a continuous wave laser
Implementation Method 2
by irradiating a laser beam to a long electrode precursor
Implementation Method 3
the shape of a cut portion of the electrode precursor becomes wavy
Implementation Method 4
active material layers at a cut portion are removed
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary-battery electrode manufacturing method that allows a secondary-battery electrode including a neat linear cut portion to be stably manufactured at a high speed is provided. A method of manufacturing a secondary-battery electrode (10), which is an example of an embodiment, comprises a first step of forming an active material layer (22) on at least one surface of a long core body (21). The method of manufacturing the secondary-battery electrode (10), which is an example of the embodiment also comprises a second step of cutting an electrode precursor (20) into a predetermined shape by using a continuous wave laser, the electrode precursor (20) being the long core body (21) having the active material layer (22) formed thereon.