CN107154313A - A kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques - Google Patents

A kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN107154313A
CN107154313A CN201610836864.6A CN201610836864A CN107154313A CN 107154313 A CN107154313 A CN 107154313A CN 201610836864 A CN201610836864 A CN 201610836864A CN 107154313 A CN107154313 A CN 107154313A
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
coating
ultracapacitor
degree
transfer techniques
preparing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CN201610836864.6A
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Other versions
CN107154313B (en
Inventor
阳军亮
郭辉
吴涵
张楚俊
陈小华
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Central South University
Original Assignee
Central South University
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Central South University filed Critical Central South University
Priority to CN201610836864.6A priority Critical patent/CN107154313B/en
Publication of CN107154313A publication Critical patent/CN107154313A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN107154313B publication Critical patent/CN107154313B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01GCAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
    • H01G11/00Hybrid capacitors, i.e. capacitors having different positive and negative electrodes; Electric double-layer [EDL] capacitors; Processes for the manufacture thereof or of parts thereof
    • H01G11/84Processes for the manufacture of hybrid or EDL capacitors, or components thereof
    • H01G11/86Processes for the manufacture of hybrid or EDL capacitors, or components thereof specially adapted for electrodes
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/13Energy storage using capacitors

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Electric Double-Layer Capacitors Or The Like (AREA)
  • Battery Electrode And Active Subsutance (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)

Abstract

The invention discloses a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques;By the binding agent and active material mixed slurry of preparation, electrode plates are prepared into based on coating arts techniques, then foamed nickel current collector are transferred to by pressure transfer techniques, with reference to barrier film and electrolyte or ionic liquid, ultracapacitor are assembled into;The coating transfer techniques preparation method of the ultracapacitor rapidly and efficiently, excellent performance, reproducible, cost it is low, be with a wide range of applications.

Description

A kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques
Technical field
The present invention relates to a kind of method prepared by ultracapacitor, belong to ultracapacitor manufacturing technology field.
Background technology
Ultracapacitor is a kind of a kind of novel green energy storage device between plate condenser and battery, with tradition Capacitor compared with battery, ultracapacitor has that power density and energy density are high, had extended cycle life, operational temperature model Enclose wide, safe and reliable, low cost and other advantages.Particularly ultracapacitor can carry out the fast charging and discharging of high current density, such as Identical energy is stored, several hours may be needed for battery, and ultracapacitor only needs to the time of several seconds. Thus ultracapacitor is widely used in energy storage, electric automobile, mobile communication equipment, health care, military equipment, industry life Produce equipment etc..
In the existing technology for preparing ultracapacitor, knife coating is a kind of common methods for preparing electrode of super capacitor. It is general in knife coating that collector, then the mixture paste that active material and binding agent are formed by a certain percentage are done using metal foil Scratch in metal foil, preformed electrode is formed after drying.But the electrode that this method is prepared has active material distribution The uneven, quality of active material is difficult to control to and has the shortcomings that certain contaminative, limits carrying for performance of the supercapacitor It is high.In addition, if by metal foil directly as collector, the specific capacity of undressed metal foil meeting restricted activity material is led Sending a telegraph pole can not be infiltrated by electrolyte well, and effective rate of utilization is low.Based on this, the present invention for the problems of above-mentioned, A kind of method that coating transfer techniques prepare ultracapacitor is proposed, above-mentioned problem is not only solved well, and And also adapt to serialization, large-scale production process process.
The content of the invention
The method of the present invention for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, based on binding agent and active material The slurry of preparation, electrode plates are prepared into by coating arts techniques, then cut into the pole piece to be transferred of suitable dimension, and are led to Excess pressure is transferred in the foamed nickel current collector of identical size, is assembled into ultracapacitor.
The method of the present invention for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, the binding agent is polyvinylidene fluoride Claim after first PVDF powder is dried 4 hours to 6 hours in 80 degree to 100 degree of baking oven in alkene (PVDF), technology of preparing Amount, is then dissolved in forming the PVDF solution that mass concentration is 2% to 5% in 1-METHYLPYRROLIDONE (NMP), under air-proof condition Magnetic agitation 8 hours to 10 hours, makes its fully dispersed.
The method of the present invention for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, the active material is activity Charcoal, lithium titanate, graphene, CNT, specific surface area are 1500m2/ g to 3000m2Between/g, active material is put using preceding Processing is dried in 80 degree to 100 degree of baking oven, it is to avoid binding agent PVDF, which is met, forms floccule after water, influence caking property Energy.
It is of the present invention based on the coating transfer techniques method for preparing ultracapacitor, the slurry of the preparation is by activity Material adds PVDF solution, and is 5 with PVDF formation mass ratioes:1 to 12:1 mixed solution, then magnetic agitation 2 under normal temperature Hour was by 5 hours.
The method of the present invention for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, the coating is using blade coating skill Art or slot coating technique, in metal aluminum foil or copper foil or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or poly- naphthalenedicarboxylic acid second two On alcohol ester (PEN) or polyimides (PI) substrate, it is coated, can be formed with the speed between 1 m/min to 120 ms/min The active layer thickness of thickness between 1 micron to 15 microns, is then placed into drying process in 80 degree to 100 degree baking ovens.
It is of the present invention based on the coating transfer techniques method for preparing ultracapacitor, the identical size bubbles nickel is Refer to nickel foam identical with pole piece size to be transferred, and nickel foam is ultrasonic with isopropanol, ethanol, deionized water respectively before Dried in cleaning, the drying box for being subsequently placed in 80 degree to 100 degree stand-by.
The method of the present invention for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, the pressure transfer is will first to apply The electrode plates of cloth are combined with foamed nickel current collector, then apply the pressure between 2MPa to 20MPa using hydraulic press, by activity Material is completely transferred in foamed nickel current collector from metal aluminum foil or copper foil or PET or PEN or PI substrates.
The method of the present invention for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, the assembling ultracapacitor During add barrier film polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) (HDPE) or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and concentration for 0.5 mol/L to 1.5 mol/Ls sodium sulphate electrolyte or BF4 ionic liquids or PF6 ionic liquids Body, is assembled into button-shaped ultracapacitor or winding type super capacitor symmetrically or non-symmetrically.
Brief description of the drawings
【Fig. 1】It is coated with transfer techniques schematic diagram.
【Fig. 2】SEM shape appearance figure of the activated carbon of coating on aluminium foil before transfer.
【Fig. 3】The quality of activated carbon of coating and the linear relationship of wet-film thickness.
【Fig. 4】SEM shape appearance figure of the activated carbon in nickel foam after transfer.
【Fig. 5】The ultracapacitor chemical property prepared based on coating transfer techniques:A figures are charging and discharging curve, and b figures are Cyclic voltammetry curve under different scanning speed, c figures are AC impedance curve, and d figures are the specific capacity after 5000 times circulate Retention rate.
【Fig. 6】Charging and discharging curve of 4 ultracapacitors based on coating transfer techniques preparation under 1A/g.
Embodiment and embodiment
Implementation below and embodiment are the further instructions to present invention, rather than limitation guarantor of the invention Protect scope.
Embodiment 1
Detailed technology of preparing such as Fig. 1 of this embodiment.
Selected active material is to use relatively broad activated carbon in this embodiment, and specific surface area is 2000m2/ g, 1 hour of processing is dried using preceding activated carbon is placed in 90 degree of baking oven;
Binder making:PVDF powder is weighed after 6 hours in 80 degree of oven dryings, is dissolved in NMP and is configured to 2% Magnetic agitation 10 hours, make its fully dispersed after PVDF solution, sealing;
Slurry preparation:Activated carbon and PVDF mass ratio are 9:1 is mixed, after sealing bottleneck, at normal temperatures magnetic force Stir 2 hours;
Coating technique:The slurry prepared is scratched onto aluminium foil with blade coating equipment, edge of a knife spacing is 150 microns, coating Speed is set to 15 ms/min, and coated pole piece is placed in 80 degree of vacuum drying chambers and dried, and forms 10 microns of thick porous actives Film, as shown in Figure 2;And during doctor blade technique, it can set up between active layer quality and the wet-film thickness of coating Relation, active layer film quality (milligram)=0.04 × wet-film thickness (micron)+7.49, as shown in Figure 3;
Cut pole piece and barrier film:Dried pole piece is cut into the pole piece to be transferred of circle using sheet-punching machine, cut simultaneously Barrier film, and the diameter of barrier film is bigger than pole piece, occurs short circuit to prevent the ultracapacitor of assembling;
Cut nickel foam:By nickel foam cut into pole piece identical size to be transferred, respectively with isopropanol, anhydrous second Alcohol, deionized water are cleaned by ultrasonic 30 minutes, are subsequently placed in stand-by after being dried in 90 degree of vacuum drying chambers;
Active layer is shifted:The electrode plates cut and foamed nickel current collector are combined, with hydraulic press with 5MPa pressure Pressure, foamed nickel current collector is completely transferred to by active material, and the active layer film morphology after transfer is substantially with shifting previous Sample, keeps loose structure, as shown in Figure 4;
Ultracapacitor is assembled:Two panels symmetry electrode pole piece is tried one's best alignment, barrier film PE is added, implantation concentration is 1.0 to rub You/liter sodium sulphate electrolyte, symmetrical button-shaped ultracapacitor is assembled into, using CHI660e electrochemical workstations to group The symmetrical button-shaped ultracapacitor of dress is tested and characterized, and detailed results are as shown in figure 5, the performance detail parameters of statistics With reference to table 1, and the performance of the supercapacitor prepared by this method is stable, favorable repeatability, 4 super electricity as shown in Figure 6 The performance parameter of container.
Embodiment 2
Selected active material is lithium titanate in this embodiment, and specific surface area is 1800m2/ g, using preceding by lithium titanate 1 hour of processing is dried in the baking oven for being placed in 90 degree;
Binder making:PVDF powder is weighed after 6 hours in 80 degree of oven dryings, is dissolved in NMP and is configured to 2% Magnetic agitation 10 hours, make its fully dispersed after PVDF solution, sealing;
Slurry preparation:The mass ratio of lithium titanate, conductive black and PVDF is 8:1:1 is mixed, after sealing bottleneck, 2 hours of magnetic agitation under normal temperature;
Coating technique:The slurry prepared is scratched onto aluminium foil with blade coating equipment, edge of a knife spacing is 180 microns, coating Speed is set to 10 ms/min, and coated pole piece is placed in 80 degree of vacuum drying chambers and dried, and forms 10 microns of thick active layers;
Cut pole piece and barrier film:Dried pole piece is cut into the pole piece to be transferred of circle using sheet-punching machine, cut simultaneously Barrier film, and the diameter of barrier film is bigger than pole piece, occurs short circuit to prevent the ultracapacitor of assembling;
Cut nickel foam:By nickel foam cut into pole piece identical size to be transferred, respectively with isopropanol, anhydrous second Alcohol, deionized water are cleaned by ultrasonic 30 minutes, are subsequently placed in stand-by after being dried in 90 degree of vacuum drying chambers;
Active layer is shifted:The electrode plates cut and foamed nickel current collector are combined, with hydraulic press with 5MPa pressure Pressure, active material is completely transferred in foamed nickel current collector;
Ultracapacitor is assembled:Two panels symmetry electrode pole piece is tried one's best alignment, barrier film PE is added, implantation concentration is 1.0 to rub You/liter sodium sulphate electrolyte, symmetrical button-shaped ultracapacitor is assembled into, using CHI660e electrochemical workstations to group The symmetrical button-shaped ultracapacitor of dress is tested and characterized, and under 1A/g current density, obtains 56F/g specific volume Amount.
The ultracapacitor detail parameters that table 1 is prepared based on coating transfer techniques
Embodiment 3
Selected active material is graphene in this embodiment, and specific surface area is 2600m2/ g, using preceding by graphene 1 hour of processing is dried in the baking oven for being placed in 90 degree;
Binder making:PVDF powder is weighed after 6 hours in 80 degree of oven dryings, is dissolved in NMP and is configured to 2% Magnetic agitation 10 hours, make its fully dispersed after PVDF solution, sealing;
Slurry preparation:Graphene and PVDF mass ratio are 8:1 is mixed, after sealing bottleneck, at normal temperatures magnetic force Stir 2 hours;
Coating technique:The slurry prepared is applied in PET base with slot coated equipment, spacer thickness is 20 micro- Rice, coating speed is set to 15 ms/min, and coated pole piece is placed in 80 degree of vacuum drying chambers and dried, and forms 12 microns thick Active layer;
Cut pole piece and barrier film:Dried pole piece is cut into the pole piece to be transferred of circle using sheet-punching machine, cut simultaneously Barrier film, and the diameter of barrier film is bigger than pole piece, occurs short circuit to prevent the ultracapacitor of assembling;
Cut nickel foam:By nickel foam cut into pole piece identical size to be transferred, respectively with isopropanol, anhydrous second Alcohol, deionized water are cleaned by ultrasonic 30 minutes, are subsequently placed in stand-by after being dried in 90 degree of vacuum drying chambers;
Active layer is shifted:The electrode plates cut and foamed nickel current collector are combined, with hydraulic press with 10MPa pressure Pressure, active material is completely transferred in foamed nickel current collector;
Ultracapacitor is assembled:Two panels symmetry electrode pole piece is tried one's best alignment, barrier film PE is added, BF4 ionic liquids are injected, Symmetrical button-shaped ultracapacitor is assembled into, using CHI660e electrochemical workstations to the symmetrical button-shaped super of assembling Capacitor is tested and characterized, under 1A/g current density, obtains 230F/g specific capacity.

Claims (8)

1. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques, its feature is as follows, based on binding agent and active matter The slurry that matter is prepared, is prepared into electrode plates by coating arts techniques, then cuts into the pole piece to be transferred of suitable dimension, and In the foamed nickel current collector that identical size is transferred to by pressure, ultracapacitor is then assembled into.
2. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Binding agent is first dried PVDF powder 6 hours in 80 degree to 100 degree of baking oven in Kynoar (PVDF), technology of preparing After weigh, be then dissolved in forming the PVDF solution that mass concentration is 2% to 5% in 1-METHYLPYRROLIDONE (NMP), in sealing strip Magnetic agitation 8 hours to 10 hours, make its fully dispersed under part.
3. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Active material is activated carbon, lithium titanate, graphene, CNT, and specific surface area is 1500m2/ g to 3000m2Between/g, use Processing is dried in preceding active material is placed in 80 degree to 100 degree of baking oven, it is to avoid binding agent PVDF forms cotton-shaped after meeting water Thing, influences adhesive property.
4. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Active material is added PVDF solution by the slurry of preparation, and is 5 with PVDF formation mass ratioes:1 to 12:1 mixed solution, then Magnetic agitation 2 hours to 5 hours under normal temperature.
5. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Coating is to use doctor blade technique or slot coating technique, in metal aluminum foil or copper foil or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Or in PEN (PEN) or polyimides (PI) substrate, with the speed between 1 m/min to 120 ms/min Degree is coated, and can form the active layer thickness of thickness between 1 micron to 15 microns, is then placed into 80 degree to 100 degree baking ovens Drying process.
6. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Identical size bubbles nickel refers to that nickel foam is identical with pole piece size to be transferred, and nickel foam using it is preceding use respectively isopropanol, Ethanol, deionized water are cleaned by ultrasonic, and are dried in the drying box for being subsequently placed in 80 degree to 100 degree stand-by.
7. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Pressure transfer is first to be combined the electrode plates of coating and foamed nickel current collector, then applies 2MPa to 20MPa using hydraulic press Between pressure, active material is completely transferred to nickel foam afflux from metal aluminum foil or copper foil or PET or PEN or PI substrates On body.
8. a kind of method for preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that described Barrier film polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) (HDPE) or super are added during assembling ultracapacitor High molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and sodium sulphate electrolyte or BF that concentration is 0.5 mol/L to 1.5 mol/Ls4Ionic liquid Body or PF6Ionic liquid, is assembled into button-shaped ultracapacitor or winding type super capacitor symmetrically or non-symmetrically.
CN201610836864.6A 2016-09-21 2016-09-21 A method of preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques Active CN107154313B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201610836864.6A CN107154313B (en) 2016-09-21 2016-09-21 A method of preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201610836864.6A CN107154313B (en) 2016-09-21 2016-09-21 A method of preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN107154313A true CN107154313A (en) 2017-09-12
CN107154313B CN107154313B (en) 2018-11-06

Family

ID=59791526

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN201610836864.6A Active CN107154313B (en) 2016-09-21 2016-09-21 A method of preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CN (1) CN107154313B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114103348A (en) * 2021-11-22 2022-03-01 四川大学 Multilayer composite BOPE capacitor film and preparation method thereof

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101178979A (en) * 2007-11-21 2008-05-14 中南大学 Flexible packing super capacitor and its manufacture process
CN102723211A (en) * 2012-05-08 2012-10-10 海博瑞恩电子科技无锡有限公司 High performance super capacitor and manufacturing process thereof
CN103151183A (en) * 2013-03-04 2013-06-12 成都芝田高分子材料有限公司 Methods for manufacturing electrode and energy storage device, and energy storage device
CN105374985A (en) * 2014-08-26 2016-03-02 万星光电子(东莞)有限公司 Electrode slice preparation apparatus and electrode slice preparation method

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101178979A (en) * 2007-11-21 2008-05-14 中南大学 Flexible packing super capacitor and its manufacture process
CN102723211A (en) * 2012-05-08 2012-10-10 海博瑞恩电子科技无锡有限公司 High performance super capacitor and manufacturing process thereof
CN103151183A (en) * 2013-03-04 2013-06-12 成都芝田高分子材料有限公司 Methods for manufacturing electrode and energy storage device, and energy storage device
CN105374985A (en) * 2014-08-26 2016-03-02 万星光电子(东莞)有限公司 Electrode slice preparation apparatus and electrode slice preparation method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114103348A (en) * 2021-11-22 2022-03-01 四川大学 Multilayer composite BOPE capacitor film and preparation method thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN107154313B (en) 2018-11-06

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN109167020B (en) Porous lithium ion pole piece with high energy density, preparation method thereof and lithium ion battery
CN108258323B (en) A kind of production method of high specific energy solid lithium battery
CN107681114B (en) Positive plate, preparation process and lithium slurry battery containing positive plate
CN103700808A (en) Lithium ion battery composite anode pole piece, preparation method and lithium ion battery
CN106252569A (en) A kind of high voltage high volume energy density extended-life lithium ion battery and preparation method thereof
CN105470564A (en) Solid electrolyte membrane, preparation method of solid electrolyte membrane and lithium ion battery
CN104253283A (en) Battery
CN104078246A (en) Lithium ion battery capacitor
CN202333014U (en) Combined diaphragm for battery and battery applying same
CN108270005B (en) Lithium iron phosphate composite positive pole piece and preparation method thereof
CN109192543A (en) A kind of graphene oxide based binder and preparation method thereof and electrode slice
CN109802094A (en) A kind of low temperature ferric phosphate lithium cell and preparation method thereof
CN103247779A (en) Production method of electrochemical active pole piece
CN102306549A (en) Polyimide super capacitor and preparation method thereof
CN110993375A (en) Method for preparing compact-structure RGO/MXene-sulfuric acid supercapacitor flexible electrode in one step and application thereof
CN112086655A (en) Low-temperature high-power lithium-manganese battery and preparation method thereof
US20150235775A1 (en) Electrode material, preparation method thereof and supercapacitor based thereof
CN104638236B (en) A kind of preparation method of the polyaniline of hollow core-shell structure/sulphur composite
CN107452515A (en) A kind of method that electrode of super capacitor is prepared based on nano silver wire
CN109599550A (en) A kind of manufacture craft of all-solid lithium-ion battery
CN114069039A (en) Polymer electrolyte, preparation method and application thereof, solid-state battery and application thereof
CN105895921B (en) A kind of preparation method of the collector of lithium ion battery
CN107154313B (en) A method of preparing ultracapacitor based on coating transfer techniques
CN104779066A (en) Super capacitor using cane-shaped nickel cobaltate as positive electrode material and preparation method of super capacitor
CN105633353A (en) Preparation method of positive pole piece of high-rate lithium-ion battery

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PB01 Publication
PB01 Publication
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
GR01 Patent grant
GR01 Patent grant