Pre-Coated Electrode Powders for Solvent-Free Battery Film Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating electrodes in lithium ion batteries using slurry methods are complex and non-uniform, requiring extensive time and energy for solvent evaporation and drying.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the combination of core particles with a binder and supercritical carbon dioxide to form pre-coated particles, which are then deposited as a dry powder onto a substrate, eliminating the need for solvent evaporation and drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If slurry methods are used to coat electrodes, then the electrochemical material can be deposited onto the substrate, but the process becomes complex and requires extensive time and energy for solvent evaporation and drying
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the solvent component from the conventional slurry coating process. By using a dry powder mixture of electrochemical material and binder instead of a solvent-based slurry, the process removes the need for solvent evaporation and extensive drying steps, thereby reducing energy consumption and process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the coating material from a liquid slurry to a dry powder form. This parameter change eliminates the solvent phase entirely, allowing direct deposition of the binder and electrochemical material mixture without subsequent evaporation or drying requirements
2Ease of manufacture
If slurry methods are used to coat electrodes, then the electrochemical material can be deposited onto the substrate, but the coating becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The binder is pre-mixed with the electrochemical material in a dry powder state before deposition. This preliminary mixing ensures uniform distribution of the binder throughout the electrochemical material, which then coats the substrate uniformly when deposited, eliminating the non-uniformity problems associated with slurry methods
3Productivity
If conventional slurry coating is used, then electrodes can be produced, but enormous amounts of time and energy are expended in drying
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the solvent from the coating formulation and using a dry powder mixture instead, the invention eliminates the drying step entirely. This removes the time-consuming oven drying and vacuum drying processes, significantly reducing production time and increasing productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention skips the entire solvent evaporation and drying phase that is mandatory in conventional slurry coating. The dry powder mixture can be deposited and used immediately without requiring time for solvent removal, effectively rushing through the production process by eliminating unnecessary steps
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 simplifies the deposition process, reduces complexity and energy consumption, and achieves a more uniform dispersion of the binder, leading to improved electrode performance and battery efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
combining a plurality of core particles with a binder and super critical carbon dioxide to form a mixture, wherein the core particles comprise at least one of an electrochemical material and an ionically conductive material, and wherein the binder comprises a thermoplastic polymer; dissolving the binder in the super critical carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
removing the super critical carbon dioxide solvent to form coatings of the binder on the plurality of core particles that at least partially encapsulate the plurality of core particles
Implementation Method 3
wherein the binder comprises a thermoplastic polymer
Implementation Method 4
applying a charge to the spray of particles; and applying the charged spray of particles to the heated substrate to form a film of the particles on the substrate
Implementation Method 5
heating a substrate; and applying the charged spray of particles to the heated substrate to form a film of the particles on the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of forming encapsulated electrochemical and/or ionically conducting particles as well as their use in manufacturing electrochemical cells are described.