Calendering of electrodes with enhanced edge quality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025096225-A1
Application number	US-202318469720-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2023
Priority date	Sep 19, 2023
Publication date	Mar 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure include an electrode calendering system for manufacturing electrodes with enhanced edge quality. An exemplary system includes an active material supply including an electrode material and a coating roll coupled to the active material supply. The coating roll is positioned to coat a current collector with the electrode material. A back roll is positioned to transfer the current collector to the coating roll. The system includes at least one of a bare foil supporting material roll and a coated foil supporting material roll. The bare foil supporting material roll is positioned to apply a support material onto a first portion of the current collector prior to the current collector being coated with the electrode material. The coated foil supporting material roll is positioned to apply the support material onto the first portion of the current collector after the current collector is coated with the electrode material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for manufacturing electrodes with enhanced edge quality, the system comprising:
an active material supply comprising an electrode material; a coating roll coupled to the active material supply, the coating roll positioned to coat a current collector with the electrode material; a back roll positioned to transfer the current collector to the coating roll; and at least one of a bare foil supporting material roll and a coated foil supporting material roll; wherein the bare foil supporting material roll is positioned to apply a support material onto a first portion of the current collector prior to the current collector being coated with the electrode material; wherein the coated foil supporting material roll is positioned to apply the support material onto the first portion of the current collector after the current collector is coated with the electrode material; and wherein the support material is applied at a thickness selected to evenly distribute stress across bare portions and coated portions of the current collector during a calendering process, thereby forming a pressed electrode having enhanced edge quality.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more collection rollers positioned to recover the support material after the calendering process.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more collection rollers comprises a top support material rewind roller positioned to recover the support material from a top surface of the pressed electrode.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more collection rollers further comprises a bottom support material rewind roller positioned to recover the support material from a bottom surface of the pressed electrode.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the support material comprises one or more of a polyimide, a polymer, a silicone-based adhesive, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and metal foil.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a comma roll separated from the coating roll by a gap, the gap defining an amount of the electrode material coated onto the current collector.

7 . A method comprising:
providing a current collector; applying a support material onto a first portion of the current collector; coating the current collector and the support material with an electrode material; calendering the current collector, the support material, and the electrode material; and removing the support material from the first portion of the current collector.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the support material is applied at a thickness selected to evenly distribute calendering stress across bare portions and coated portions of the current collector.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising applying additional support material over the first portion of the current collector after calendering.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the additional support material is applied directly onto the electrode material.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the support material comprises one or more of a polyimide, a polymer, a silicone-based adhesive, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and metal foil.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein applying the support material onto the first portion of the current collector comprises providing a bare foil supporting material roll positioned to apply the support material onto the first portion of the current collector prior to the current collector being coated with the electrode material.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein coating the current collector and the support material with the electrode material comprises:
providing an active material supply comprising the electrode material; and providing a coating roll coupled to the active material supply, the coating roll positioned to coat the current collector with the electrode material.

14 . A method comprising:
providing a current collector; coating a first portion of the current collector with an electrode material; applying a support material onto a second portion of the current collector; calendering the current collector, the support material, and the electrode material; and removing the support material from the second portion of the current collector.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the support material is applied at a thickness selected to evenly distribute calendering stress across the first portion and the second portion of the current collector.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the support material comprises one or more of a polyimide, a polymer, a silicone-based adhesive, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and metal foil.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein applying the support material onto the second portion of the current collector comprises providing a coated foil supporting material roll positioned to apply the support material onto the second portion of the current collector after the first portion of the current collector is coated with the electrode material.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein coating the first portion of the current collector with the electrode material comprises:
providing an active material supply comprising the electrode material; and providing a coating roll coupled to the active material supply, the coating roll positioned to coat the current collector with the electrode material.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein removing the support material comprises providing a top support material rewind roller positioned to recover the support material from a top surface of the current collector.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein removing the support material further comprises providing a bottom support material rewind roller positioned to recover the support material from a bottom surface of the current collector.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Ellison Nicole
• Toner Joel G
• Huang Xiaosong
• Ryan Daniel

Classifications

• H01M4/0409

  by a doctor blade method, slip-casting or roller coating · CPC title

• H01M4/0404

  by coating on electrode collectors · CPC title

• H01M4/0435 Primary

  Rolling or calendering · CPC title

• H01M4/139

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• H01M4/0402

  Methods of deposition of the material · CPC title