Apparatus for pre-lithiation of negative electrode and method for pre-lithiation of negative electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12334535-B2
Application number	US-202117770829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2021
Priority date	Aug 21, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for pre-lithiating a negative electrode includes a pre-lithiation reactor having a pre-lithiation solution accommodated therein, a high-pressure chamber surrounding the pre-lithiation reactor, wherein an internal air pressure of the high-pressure chamber is configured to exceed atmospheric pressure, at least one lithium metal counter electrode disposed in the pre-lithiation solution, the lithium metal counter electrode being disposed to face a negative electrode receivable in the pre-lithiation solution in a state that the lithium metal counter electrode is spaced apart from the negative electrode by a predetermined interval, and a charge and discharge unit being connectable to the negative electrode and the lithium metal counter electrode to provide a circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for pre-lithiating a negative electrode, the apparatus comprising:
a pre-lithiation reactor having a pre-lithiation solution accommodated therein;
a high-pressure chamber surrounding the pre-lithiation reactor, wherein an internal air pressure of the high-pressure chamber is configured to exceed atmospheric pressure;
at least one lithium metal counter electrode disposed in the pre-lithiation solution, the lithium metal counter electrode being disposed to face a negative electrode receivable in the pre-lithiation solution in a state that the lithium metal counter electrode is spaced apart from the negative electrode by a predetermined interval; and
a charge and discharge unit being connectable to the negative electrode and the lithium metal counter electrode to provide a circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a transfer unit configured to transfer the negative electrode into the pre-lithiation reactor or to remove the negative electrode from the pre-lithiation reactor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the transfer unit includes a transfer roll to support a lower surface of the negative electrode and moves the negative electrode through rotary motion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the internal air pressure of the high-pressure chamber is 1.1 to 10 atm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an air blower to supply gas to an interior of the high-pressure chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the gas is at least one inert gas selected from the group consisting of argon (Ar), neon (Ne), helium (He) and nitrogen (N 2 ).

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the high-pressure chamber includes an opening through which the negative electrode is inserted into the high-pressure chamber or through which the negative electrode is removed out of the high-pressure chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a sealing member to seal a gap between the opening and the negative electrode.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sealing member is made of silicon rubber.

10. A method of pre-lithiating a negative electrode, the method comprising:
preparing a negative electrode and the apparatus for pre-lithiating the negative electrode according to claim 1 ;
moving the negative electrode into the pre-lithiation reactor in the high-pressure chamber and immersing the negative electrode in the pre-lithiation solution, wherein the negative electrode is spaced apart from the at least one lithium metal counter electrode;
sealing the high-pressure chamber and injecting gas into the high-pressure chamber to cause an internal air pressure in the high-pressure chamber to exceed atmospheric pressure; and
pre-lithiating the negative electrode by charging and discharging the negative electrode to provide a pre-lithiated negative electrode.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the internal air pressure of the high-pressure chamber is 1.1 to 10 atm.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gas is at least one inert gas selected from the group consisting of argon (Ar), neon (Ne), helium (He) and nitrogen (N 2 ).

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising removing the pre-lithiated negative electrode from the high-pressure chamber, and washing and drying the pre-lithiated negative electrode.

14. A method for manufacturing a secondary battery including the method of pre-lithiating a negative electrode according to claim 10 .

Assignees

• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Seung Hae
• Kim Ye Ri
• Lee Su Yeon
• Chae Oh Byong
• Jeon Seo Young

Classifications

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/058

  Construction or manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/139 Primary

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/0416

  involving impregnation with a solution, dispersion, paste or dry powder (H01M4/0438 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title