Electrostatic Adhesive Layer Formation for Battery Electrodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

The use of solvents in preparing adhesive layers for electrochemical devices increases costs and handling risks, and requires a drying step, which decreases production yield and complicates the process.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus that forms an adhesive layer on a substrate for lithium secondary batteries using electrostatic charging and laser printing, eliminating the need for solvents and drying, and comprising a printing unit with a charging mean, transferring mean, and laminating unit to create an electrode assembly with a cathode, anode, and separator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a solvent-based coating method is used to form an adhesive layer, then the polymer particles can be properly dispersed and the adhesive layer can be formed, but the production cost increases, handling and storage become more difficult, and a drying step is required which decreases productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of handling and storageVSAvoidproduction yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the solvent component from the conventional coating process. Instead of using a polymer slurry in solvent that requires drying, the invention directly applies polymer particles without solvent, eliminating the harmful and problematic solvent entirely while maintaining the adhesive layer formation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional thermal drying process with a mechanical/physical method. By using a corona discharge or electrostatic charging method, polymer particles are directly deposited and adhered to the substrate without requiring thermal evaporation of solvent, thus eliminating the drying step and improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If a solvent-based coating method is used to form an adhesive layer, then the adhesive layer can be formed with proper flexibility and dispersion, but the production cost increases due to solvent handling and storage requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost savingsVSAvoidsolvent usage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state and composition parameters of the coating material. Instead of using a liquid slurry with solvent, the invention uses dry polymer particles directly, fundamentally changing the material parameters to eliminate solvent-related costs and handling issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method allows for cost savings, easier handling and storage, and quick preparation of electrode assemblies with improved adhesiveness and resistance characteristics, reducing production costs and increasing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a charging mean for bringing polymer particles (108) into electric charging to obtain electrically charged polymer particles (108)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic charging: Electrostatics

Implementation Method 2

a transferring mean (109) for coating the electrically charged polymer particles (108) by way of transferring on at least one surface of a substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic deposition: Electrostatic Deposition

Implementation Method 3

a latent image-forming mean for forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser printing: Laser

Implementation Method 4

a polymer particle feed for supplying the polymer particles (108) in the surface of the image carrier so as to develop the electrostatic latent image into the polymer particles (108) in the image carrier

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric effect: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 5

a laminating unit (200) that applies heat and pressure to the substrate for a lithium secondary battery having the adhesive layer (12) formed thereon

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat and pressure lamination: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2819232B1Apparatus for preparing electrode assembly

Publication Date: 2019.03.20 LG CHEM LTD

Figure 1~2
Figure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for preparing an electrode assembly, comprising a printing unit including a charging mean for bringing polymer particles into electric charging to obtain electrically charged polymer particles, and a transferring mean for coating the electrically charged polymer particles by way of transferring on at least one surface of a substrate for an electrochemical device to form an adhesive layer on the substrate, the substrate being at least one of a cathode, an anode and a separator; and a laminating unit that applies heat and pressure to the substrate having the adhesive layer formed thereon so as to obtain the electrode assembly comprising the cathode, the anode and the separator interposed therebetween. In accordance with the present disclosure, in the preparation of an electrode assembly, an adhesive layer is formed on a substrate for an electrochemical device by way of laser printing using electrostatic charging without a solvent, thereby allowing easy handling and storage and needing no drying step of the solvent to provide cost savings effect and quick preparation procedures.