Modular Lamination of Lithium Foil for Wide Metal Anodes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium foil manufacturers are unable to produce widths greater than 100-150 mm, limiting the fabrication of wide and continuous lithium metal anodes required for large format batteries, which restricts the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of battery cell assembly.
Innovation Solution
A modular lamination system that unwinds and laminates lithium foil and collector material in multiple stages, using rollers with adjustable pressure and heat to create a laminate with lithium foil on both sides of a collector material, effectively increasing the width of the lithium metal anode beyond the limitations of individual lithium foil widths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If lithium foil is used with width greater than 100-150 mm, then the width of lithium metal anode can be increased for large format batteries, but lithium manufacturers are unable to produce lithium foil above this limited width
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the wide lithium metal anode into multiple narrower lithium foil strips (each within the manufacturable 100-150 mm width range) that are laminated side-by-side onto a single current collector. This segmentation allows the final product to achieve widths exceeding 200 mm while using only commercially available narrow lithium foil strips.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple narrow lithium foil strips with a current collector into a single integrated wide lithium metal anode structure. By merging these components through lamination, the system achieves the desired wide format (greater than 200 mm) that cannot be obtained from single-piece lithium foil manufacturing.
2Length of stationary object
If multiple lithium foil laminations are used to achieve width greater than 200 mm, then large format lithium metal anodes can be produced, but the fabrication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary lamination by attaching multiple lithium foil strips to the current collector in a controlled sequence before final assembly. This preliminary action ensures proper alignment and positioning, simplifying subsequent processing steps and reducing overall fabrication complexity despite the multi-component nature of the wide anode.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector serves as an intermediary substrate that facilitates the combination of multiple narrow lithium foil strips into a wide anode structure. This intermediary component provides a stable base for lamination, enabling the integration of multiple strips without requiring complex direct joining methods between the lithium foils themselves.
3Productivity
If wide and continuous lithium metal anode roll is manufactured, then the number of individual cells required can be reduced for battery pack requirements, but lithium foil manufacturers cannot produce lithium foil above defined width
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the wide lithium metal anode into multiple narrow lithium foil strips that can be individually manufactured by existing lithium foil producers. This segmentation enables the use of current manufacturing capabilities while still achieving the wide continuous roll format needed for high-productivity battery assembly and reduced cell counts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal fabrication approach that works with the existing lithium foil production infrastructure (producing narrow foils) while enabling new applications (wide continuous rolls for large format batteries). This multi-functional solution maintains compatibility with current manufacturing capabilities while achieving future productivity goals.
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 the production of lithium metal anodes with widths at least three times that of the incoming lithium foil, enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of battery cell assembly by overcoming the width restrictions of standard lithium foil production.
Implementation Method 1
producing a first laminate by laminating the first material to the collector material with a first lamination roller positioned downstream of the collector spool
Implementation Method 2
using rollers with adjustable pressure and heat to create a laminate
Implementation Method 3
using rollers with adjustable pressure and heat to create a laminate
Data Source
AI summary
A lamination system is contemplated. The system may have a modular design configured to fabricate a laminate from an incoming material. The system may be configured to produce the laminate with an outer layer comprising the incoming material such that the resulting layer has a width greater than a width of the incoming material prior to lamination.