Solvent-free dry powder coating process for low-cost manufacturing of LiNi 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 O 2 cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. Power Sources 352, 187–193 (2017).
As modern energy storage needs become more demanding, the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) represents a sizable area of growth of the technology. Specifically, wet processing of electrodes has matured such that it is a commonly employed industrial technique.
Can lamination improve the efficiency of lithium-ion battery manufacturing?
In lithium-ion battery manufacturing, wetting of active materials is a time-critical process. Consequently, the impact of possible process chain extensions such as lamination needs to be explored to potentially improve the efficiency of the electrode and separator stacking process in battery cell manufacturing.
In terms of production, the electrodes and packaging of lithium-ion batteries are the key elements. There are majorly two main technologies used to manufacture electrodes. Wet electrode coating technology, first utilized by Sony in the 1990s and still used today, is the most popular and basic technology.
Figure 1 introduces the current state-of-the-art battery manufacturing process, which includes three major parts: electrode preparation, cell assembly, and battery electrochemistry activation. First, the active material (AM), conductive additive, and binder are mixed to form a uniform slurry with the solvent.
As a vital part of a battery, an electrode is essential to the storage and discharge of the battery. The electrodes in a lithium battery pack comprise the largest percentage of the pack's weight, accounting for around 45–50% [1, 2].
The wet coating also enables the production of thicker electrodes, resulting in higher energy–density batteries. However, using solvents in the wet coating can result in environmental and safety concerns, and the drying and pressing steps can increase the processing time and cost [16, 17, 18].