Method of manufacturing electrode assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016013468-A1
Application number	US-201414417910-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a method of manufacturing an electrode assembly which is different from a stack folding method and a stack method. The method includes forming a unit structure, which comprises a stacked structure formed by sequentially stacking a first electrode, a first separator, a second electrode, and a second separator, or a structure formed by repeatedly forming the stacked structure a plurality of times (operation S 10 ), forming the electrode assembly by repeatedly stacking the unit structure into a plurality of layers (operation S 20 ), and discharging gas interposed between the layers by pressing the electrode assembly (operation S 30 ).

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing an electrode assembly which comprises electrodes and separators, the method comprising:
forming a unit structure, which comprises a stacked structure formed by sequentially stacking a first electrode, a first separator, a second electrode, and a second separator, or a structure formed by repeatedly forming the stacked structure a plurality of times (operation S 10 ); forming the electrode assembly by repeatedly stacking the unit structure into a plurality of layers (operation S 20 ); and discharging gas interposed between the layers by pressing the electrode assembly (operation S 30 ).

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operation S 30 is performed using a roll type press.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the roll type press presses an end part of an upper surface of the electrode assembly and moves to another end part thereof, thereby discharging the gas interposed between the layers of the electrode assembly.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the roll type press presses a vertex disposed at an end part of an upper surface of the electrode assembly and moves to a vertex diagonally opposite to the first vertex and disposed at another end part thereof, thereby discharging the gas interposed between the layers of the electrode assembly.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the unit structure is formed through a laminating process using pressing in operation S 10 .

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the unit structure is formed through a laminating process using pressing and heating in operation S 10 .

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the laminating process has a pressure ranging from 800 kgf/cm 2 to 1000 kgf/cm 2 .

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the laminating process has a temperature ranging from 60° C. to 80° C.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operation S 30 further comprises a process of heating the electrode assembly.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a pressure applied to the electrode assembly in operation S 30 ranges from 500 kgf/cm 2 to 700 kgf/cm 2 .

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a temperature applied to the electrode assembly in operation S 30 ranges from 45° C. to 55° C.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the unit structure is formed by adhering the first electrode, the first separator, the second electrode, and the second separator to one another.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a surface of the first and second separators is coated with a coating material having adhesive force.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the coating material comprises a mixture of inorganic particles and a binder polymer.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein both surfaces of the first separator facing the first electrode and the second electrode are coated with the coating material, and only a surface of the second separator facing the second electrode is coated with the coating material.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a first auxiliary unit disposed as a layer on a first distal end electrode as the first electrode disposed on the uppermost or lowermost side of the electrode assembly, and
when the first electrode is a cathode, and the second electrode is an anode, the first auxiliary unit is formed by sequentially stacking a separator, an anode, a separator, and a cathode from the first distal end electrode, and when the first electrode is an anode, and the second electrode is a cathode, the first auxiliary unit is formed by sequentially stacking a separator and a cathode from the first distal end electrode.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cathode of the first auxiliary unit comprises:
a collector; and a cathode active material applied to only one surface of both surfaces of the collector, the one surface facing the unit structure.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a first auxiliary unit disposed as a layer on a first distal end electrode as the first electrode disposed on the uppermost or lowermost side of the electrode assembly, and
when the first electrode is a cathode, and the second electrode is an anode, the first auxiliary unit is formed by sequentially stacking a separator, an anode, and a separator from the first distal end electrode.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a second auxiliary unit disposed as a layer on a second distal end separator as the second separator disposed on the uppermost or lowermost side of the electrode assembly, and
when the first electrode is a cathode, and the second electrode is an anode, the second auxiliary unit is formed as a cathode, and when the first electrode is an anode, and the second electrode is a cathode, the second auxiliary unit is formed by sequentially stacking an anode, a separator, and a cathode from the second distal end separator.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the cathode of the second auxiliary unit comprises:
a collector; and a cathode active material applied to only one surface of both surfaces of the collector, the one surface facing the unit structure.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a second auxiliary unit disposed as a layer on a second distal end separator as the second separator disposed on the uppermost or lowermost side of the electrode assembly, and
when the first electrode is a cathode, and the second electrode is an anode, the second auxiliary unit is formed by sequentially stacking a first cathode, a separator, an anode, a separator, and a second cathode from the second distal end separator, and the second cathode of the second auxiliary unit comprises a collector and a cathode active material applied to only one surface of both surfaces of the collector, the one surface facing the unit structure.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a second auxiliary unit disposed as a layer on a second distal end separator as the second separator disposed on the uppermost or lowermost side of the electrode assembly, and
when the first electrode is an anode, and the second electrode is a cathode, the second auxiliary unit is formed by sequentially stacking an anode, a separator, a cathode, a separator, and an anode from the second distal end separator.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Ku Dae Geun
• Kim Hyuk Su
• Huh Jun Woo

Classifications

• H01M10/0481

  Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators · CPC title

• H01M10/0413

  Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/0468

  Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators · CPC title

• H01M4/0435 Primary

  Rolling or calendering · CPC title

• H01M10/0436 Primary

  Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment · CPC title