Electrode Coating Separation Using CO2 Snow Blasting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for separating materials from electrodes in electrical energy storage cells, such as lithium-ion batteries, are inefficient and environmentally harmful, particularly when dealing with flexible coatings, and result in high facility expenditure.
Innovation Solution
A method using CO2 snow blasting to remove coatings from electrode substrates, employing compressed air with carbon dioxide particles to achieve flexible and low-expenditure separation, adaptable to different adhesion levels and substrate conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If bending with a small bending radius is used to detach coating, then separation of substrate and coating is achieved, but the method fails with flexible coatings and requires high facility expenditure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical bending method with a chemical etching process using sodium hydroxide solution. This substitution allows the separation process to work effectively on flexible coatings that cannot be detached by bending, while also reducing facility expenditure by using a simpler chemical processing setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the separation mechanism from mechanical (bending) to chemical (etching). By using sodium hydroxide solution with controlled concentration and exposure time, the process can adapt to different coating types including flexible coatings, thereby improving versatility while maintaining separation effectiveness.
2Ease of manufacture
If solvents are used to separate coating from substrate, then material separation is achieved, but facility expenditure increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive sodium hydroxide solution as the separation medium instead of expensive specialized solvents. The etching solution can be readily prepared and disposed of or regenerated, significantly reducing facility expenditure while maintaining effective separation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a chemical etching process using sodium hydroxide solution with adjustable concentration and exposure time parameters. This approach achieves effective material separation without requiring complex solvent handling facilities, thereby reducing device complexity and facility expenditure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If coating adhesion is increased through compaction, then coating stability improves, but separation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical separation attempts with chemical etching using sodium hydroxide solution. This chemical approach can effectively break down the adhesive bonds even in compacted coatings with high adhesion, maintaining separation ease while preserving coating stability during the etching process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses controlled chemical etching parameters (sodium hydroxide concentration, temperature, exposure time) to selectively remove coating material. By adjusting these parameters, the process can handle coatings with varying adhesion levels achieved through different compaction degrees, thereby maintaining both coating stability and separation ease.
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 efficient and environmentally friendly recovery of materials from electrodes, reducing waste and facilitating recycling by allowing flexible and low-expenditure separation of coatings from substrates.
Implementation Method 1
removing the coating at least in some areas by snow blasting
Implementation Method 2
carbon dioxide is expanded at the nozzle outlet at ambient temperature. The resulting CO2 snow particles are bundled and accelerated by a jacketed jet of supersonic compressed air
Data Source
AI summary
A method for separating or recovering materials from electrodes includes: providing a substrate, in particular an electrode substrate, to which a coating has been applied; and at least partially stripping the coating from the substrate by snow blasting.