Intermittent Dry Electrode Lamination for Adhesion and Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy storage devices, such as batteries and capacitors, face challenges in increasing operating power and energy storage capacity, particularly in compact and efficient forms required for emerging applications like electric vehicles, due to limitations in electrode material distribution, adhesiveness, and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
The development of intermittently coated dry electrodes, where an electrochemically active free-standing film is intermittently formed on a metal layer using a dry processing method, enhancing film strength, adhesiveness, and electrical performance while reducing defects like holes and cracks, through a process involving dry blending, fibrillization, and lamination techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuously coated electrodes are used, then electrical performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode coating is segmented into discrete intermittent segments along the length of the electrode, rather than being continuous. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing discontinuous coating operations while maintaining electrical performance through proper segment spacing and connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating is applied in a periodic manner with regular intervals between coated segments, creating a patterned electrode structure. This periodic coating reduces manufacturing complexity by enabling simpler, discontinuous coating processes while maintaining the necessary electrical pathways through the periodic pattern.
2Strength
If more adhesive is used to improve adhesion, then film strength is improved, but electrical performance deteriorates due to increased insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is applied locally only at specific positions where the active material film contacts the current collector, rather than as a continuous layer. This localized adhesive application provides sufficient bonding strength while minimizing the insulating material that would otherwise impede electrical pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying adhesive across the entire surface, adhesive is applied partially only at critical bonding points. This partial action achieves the necessary film strength while avoiding the excessive adhesive that would create insulating barriers and reduce electrical performance.
3Quantity of substance
If electrode material is distributed more densely, then energy storage capacity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode material is distributed in segmented regions rather than requiring uniform continuous distribution. This segmentation allows for higher local material density in coated regions while simplifying manufacturing precision requirements, as the coating process only needs to achieve proper distribution within each segment rather than across the entire electrode surface.
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
This approach results in improved film strength, adhesiveness, and electrical performance, enabling more efficient energy storage and power delivery in energy storage devices, particularly in compact forms like lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors, while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The electrochemically active free-standing film is placed over the metal layer so that the electrochemically active free-standing film is laminated onto the metal layer
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed are methods for manufacturing intermittently coated dry electrodes for energy storage devices and energy storage devices including the intermittently coated dry electrodes. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a metal layer and providing an electrochemically active free-standing film formed of a dry active material. The method also includes combining the electrochemically active free-standing film and the metal layer to form a combined layer. The method further includes removing a portion of the electrochemically active free-standing film from the combined layer so that the electrochemically active free-standing film is intermittently formed on the metal layer in a longitudinal direction of the metal layer.