JP2012082497A - Copper-alloy foil, electrode for lithium-ion secondary battery using the same, and method for manufacturing copper-alloy foil - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a copper-alloy foil having high adhesion property, to provide an electrode for a lithium-ion secondary battery using the copper-alloy foil, and to provide a method for manufacturing the copper-alloy foil.SOLUTION: The copper-alloy foil is effectively manufactured by performing processing in order by one series of steps of a melting step, a hot-rolling step, a first cold-rolling step, a solution-treating step, a second cold-rolling step and an aging-treating step in this order. The copper-alloy foil contains the total of Cr of 0.01-0.5 wt.% and the balance is composed of Cu and inevitable impurities, and on the surface of the copper-alloy foil, a Cr precipitate exists.

Description

  The present invention relates to a copper alloy foil, an electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery using the same, and a method for producing the copper alloy foil, and in particular, a copper alloy foil having a roughened surface with excellent adhesion, and It is related with the manufacturing method of the electrode for lithium ion secondary batteries used, and copper alloy foil.

  Lithium ion secondary batteries are used as batteries for electronic devices such as mobile personal computers and portable terminals because they can obtain high voltage and have high energy density. In addition to such batteries for electronic devices, expectations for applying lithium-ion secondary batteries as driving batteries for hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles are also increasing, and research and development are actively conducted.

  This lithium ion secondary battery has a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are insulated via a separator, and is based on a mechanism in which charging and discharging are repeated as lithium ions in the electrolyte move between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. Yes. In order to realize this mechanism with high cycle characteristics, it is important to find the composition and manufacturing conditions of the positive electrode, electrolyte, and negative electrode materials.

  The negative electrode used for the lithium ion secondary battery is generally composed of a current collector made of copper foil or copper alloy foil and a negative electrode active material layer formed on the current collector. is there. In order to extend the life of the battery, it is required to improve the adhesion between the current collector and the negative electrode active material layer. This negative electrode active material layer is mixed with a resin solvent called a binder, a conductive aid, and the like, and applied to the current collector surface.

  As an example of means for improving the adhesion between the current collector and the negative electrode active material layer, a method of applying plating having a specific structure to the surface of the copper foil as the current collector has been proposed (for example, a patent Reference 1).

  As another example of the means for improving the adhesion between the current collector and the negative electrode active material layer, a method using a chemical bonding force with a binder using a silane coupling material or the like has been proposed (for example, (See Patent Document 2).

JP 2009-87561 A JP 2008-226800 A

  However, the means described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are expensive, leading to an increase in the price of the lithium ion secondary battery. This hinders the general spread of lithium ion secondary batteries to electronic devices and electric vehicles.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a copper alloy foil having high adhesion, an electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery using the same, and a method for producing the copper alloy foil.

  The inventors of the present invention conducted an enthusiastic examination to achieve the above object. As long as Cr precipitates can be deposited on the surface of the copper alloy in a specific amount, the Cr oxides formed by the Cr precipitates can be obtained. It was found that the peeling energy was increased and the adhesion was improved, and unexpected results could be obtained, and it was found that an excellent product that does not cause any practical problems can be formed.

[1] That is, the present invention contains 0.01% or more and 0.5% by weight or less of Cr, the balance is made of Cu and unavoidable impurities, and the precipitate containing Cr is present on the surface of the foil material. It exists in the copper alloy foil characterized by existing.

[2] The average particle size of the precipitate containing Cr present on the surface of the foil material according to [1] is 30 nm or less.

[3] The copper alloy foil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the foil material according to [1] or [2] has a thickness of 20 μm or less.

[4] The present invention further provides an electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery, wherein the copper alloy foil according to any one of [1] to [3] is used as a lithium ion secondary battery current collector. is there.

[5] In the present invention, further, a melting step of casting a copper alloy material by dissolving 0.01% by weight or more and 0.5% by weight or less of Cr added to Cu, and the copper alloy material A hot rolling step of forming a plate by hot rolling, a first cold rolling step of cold rolling the plate subjected to the hot rolling, and the cold rolling A solution treatment step for subjecting the plate material to a solution treatment; a second cold rolling step for forming a foil material by cold rolling the plate material subjected to the solution treatment; and the second cold treatment. An aging treatment step of applying an aging treatment to a rolled foil material, and depositing the Cr-containing precipitate on the surface of the aging treatment foil material, A manufacturing method is provided.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, adhesiveness is favorable, the copper alloy foil which can contribute to the lifetime improvement and safety | security of a lithium ion secondary battery, the electrode for lithium ion secondary batteries using the same, and copper A method for producing an alloy foil is obtained.

It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the manufacturing process of the copper alloy foil which concerns on suitable embodiment of this invention.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Components of copper alloy foil)
The copper alloy foil in this embodiment uses Cu (copper) as a parent phase, contains Cr (chromium), and the remainder is made up of unavoidable impurities as a basic composition component. As Cu, it is preferable to use oxygen-free copper.

  This Cu-Cr-based copper alloy foil is suitably used as a material for a lithium ion secondary battery current collector. Peeling of the copper foil serving as the current collector and the binder made of resin applied to the current collector surface is likely to occur due to oxidation of the copper foil surface. This is because the peeling energy between the Cu oxide and the resin binder is low.

  The basic configuration according to this embodiment is to uniformly distribute fine precipitates containing Cr on the surface of the copper alloy foil. This configuration utilizes the fact that the Cr oxide formed by the Cr precipitates present on the surface of the copper alloy foil has a higher peeling energy for the resin binder than the Cu oxide. A high release energy of Cr oxide indicates high adhesion. This makes it possible to improve the adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the resin binder without requiring a complicated surface treatment such as etching.

  The average particle size of the precipitate containing Cr present on the surface of the copper alloy foil is preferably 30 nm or less. When the average particle size of the Cr precipitate exceeds 30 nm, the adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the resin binder is lowered, which is not preferable.

  The Cr content is preferably 0.01% by weight or more and 0.5% by weight or less. If the Cr content is less than 0.01% by weight, the effect of adhesion cannot be expected because of insufficient precipitation. On the other hand, if the Cr content exceeds 0.5% by weight, undissolved Cr during solution treatment forms coarse-grained second phase precipitates. Therefore, it is not preferable because not only the uniform distribution of precipitates is hindered but the adhesion becomes unstable, but the workability of the copper alloy is deteriorated.

  The thickness of the copper alloy foil is preferably 20 μm or less, but even when the thickness of the copper alloy foil exceeds 20 μm by adjusting the degree of cold rolling so as to have a predetermined thickness. Good adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the resin binder can be obtained. Although the binder is not particularly limited, a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, or the like can be suitably used as the resin binder.

(Method for producing copper alloy foil)
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows a typical manufacturing process for manufacturing a copper alloy foil according to this embodiment. The process for producing the copper alloy foil is a series of processes (steps) of a melting process, a hot rolling process, a first cold rolling process, a solution treatment process, a second cold rolling process, and an aging treatment process. 10 to 60, hereinafter, the step is referred to as “S”). By carrying out the treatment sequentially in these steps, the initial intended copper alloy foil can be effectively obtained.

(Melting process)
In this melting step, Cu and a predetermined amount of Cr added to Cu are melted using a melting furnace to manufacture an ingot that is a copper alloy material (S10 in FIG. 1). In the melting step, a copper alloy material containing 0.01 wt% or more and 0.5 wt% or less of Cr is cast. As Cu, oxygen-free copper can be used.

(Hot rolling process)
In this hot rolling step, the ingot is hot rolled at a temperature of about 900 ° C. to form a plate material (S20 in FIG. 1).

(First cold rolling process)
In this first cold rolling step, the hot rolled sheet material is cold rolled (S30 in FIG. 1). In this cold rolling, the degree of cold rolling process is adjusted so as to have a predetermined thickness.

(Solution treatment process)
In this solution treatment step, solution treatment is performed on the cold-rolled plate material (S40 in FIG. 1). The solution treatment is a function of solid-dissolving Cr in the plate material in the Cu matrix. While the distribution state in the copper alloy of the precipitate containing Cr produced | generated in the aging treatment process used as the last process can be made more uniform, the precipitate containing Cr can be maintained in a fine state.

(Second cold rolling process)
In the second cold rolling step, the sheet material after the solution treatment is cold rolled with a working degree of 90% or more (S50 in FIG. 1). In this cold rolling, for example, a foil material having a thickness required as a current collector for a lithium ion secondary battery is formed. The thickness of the foil material is preferably 20 μm or less, but by adjusting the degree of cold rolling so as to obtain a predetermined thickness, even if the foil thickness exceeds 20 μm, the same characteristics are obtained. Obtainable.

  By this second cold rolling step, a large number of lattice defects are introduced into the foil material, and function as a starting point for precipitation of precipitates generated by the aging treatment step as the final step. By cold rolling at a workability of 90% or more, the density of lattice defects in the foil material can be increased, and the precipitate containing Cr generated in the aging treatment can be kept in a fine state.

(Aging process)
In the aging treatment step as the final step, the aging treatment is performed on the cold-rolled copper alloy foil material at a temperature of 350 ° C. or higher and lower than 550 ° C. for a predetermined time (S60 in FIG. 1). If the aging temperature is less than 350 ° C., the ductility cannot be improved, and if the temperature is 550 ° C. or more, the strength is lowered. By this aging precipitation, the precipitate containing Cr is uniformly distributed in the foil material in a fine state for the purpose of suppressing peeling of the copper alloy foil material. Since the adhesiveness of the precipitate containing Cr distributed on the surface of the copper alloy foil material is high, peeling can be prevented, and the adhesiveness with the resin binder can be improved.

  Hereinafter, examples and comparative examples will be described in detail as more specific embodiments of the present invention. In this example, a typical example of the copper alloy foil according to the above embodiment is given, and the present invention is of course not limited to these examples and comparative examples.

  The copper alloy foils of Examples 1 to 3 and the copper alloy foils of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were produced under the conditions described in detail below, and the compositions of the obtained copper alloy foils were compared and evaluated. Table 1 below shows the compositions of the copper alloy foils in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, the manufacturing process, the thickness after aging treatment, the average particle size of the precipitates, and the results of the cross cut test. Shown together.

  In Table 1, Comparative Example 1 is a copper foil containing no Cr, Comparative Example 2 is a copper foil containing Cr outside the allowable specified range, and Comparative Example 3 is a copper foil manufactured by a manufacturing process outside the specified range. is there. Step A is a step of performing processing in the order of first cold rolling, solution treatment, second cold rolling, and aging treatment. Process B is a process of manufacturing a copper foil only by cold rolling without performing an aging treatment.

(Copper alloy foil production)
Using oxygen-free copper as a base material, copper alloys having the alloy components shown in Table 1 below were melted and cast into ingots. In the copper alloy foils of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, a plate material obtained by subjecting an ingot to hot rolling was manufactured by Process A, and the copper alloy foil of Comparative Example 3 was manufactured by Process B.

  As a method for observing Cr precipitates on the surface of the copper alloy foil, the copper alloy foils of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were subjected to thin film treatment and observed with an electron microscope. From an image taken with an electron microscope, an average value of 100 particle diameters was calculated as an average particle diameter of precipitates.

  As an evaluation of the adhesion between the copper alloy foil material and the resin binder, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which is a typical resin binder, is used for the copper alloy foil materials of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3. After coating and drying, a sample was manufactured by hot roll pressing, and a cross-cut test was performed based on this sample.

  Using a cutter, make 25 squares (1 mm square) on the surface of the PVDF layer according to JIS H8602, adhere the cellophane tape to the surface of this PVDF layer, and then peel off the cellophane tape, Adhesiveness was evaluated by the number of grids that were not peeled off. The case where even one square was not peeled was evaluated as “◯”, and the case where even one square was peeled off was evaluated as “×”. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 below.

[Examples 1 to 3]
As is apparent from Table 1, Examples 1 to 3 satisfy the requirements for the composition and manufacturing process of the copper alloy foil. In Examples 1 to 3, Cr precipitates having an average particle size of 30 nm or less, which is the initial target, are uniformly distributed on the surface of the copper alloy foil, thereby improving the adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the PVDF layer. I knew that I could do it.

[Comparative Example 1]
The composition of the copper alloy foil of Comparative Example 1 does not contain Cr. In Comparative Example 1, as in Examples 1 to 3, a foil thickness of 20 μm or less is obtained. However, since there was no Cr precipitate on the surface of the copper alloy foil, the adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the PVDF layer was poor.

[Comparative Example 2]
The composition of the copper alloy foil of Comparative Example 2 contains Cr outside the allowable specified range. In Comparative Example 2, as in Examples 1 to 3, a foil thickness of 20 μm or less is obtained. However, since Cr outside the allowable specified range is contained, the average particle size of the Cr precipitates greatly exceeds the initial allowable specified range, and the adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the PVDF layer is poor. It was.

[Comparative Example 3]
The composition of the copper alloy foil of Comparative Example 3 contains Cr within the allowable specified range. However, the initial production conditions are not satisfied. In Comparative Example 3, the presence of Cr precipitates was not confirmed on the surface of the copper alloy foil, and the adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the PVDF layer was poor.

  From these results, in Examples 1 to 3, the Cr content was set to 0.01 wt% or more and 0.5 wt% or less, and the melting, hot rolling, first cold rolling, solution treatment, By performing the second cold rolling and the aging treatment in order, a copper alloy foil is obtained that satisfies the allowable prescribed range of 30 nm or less, which is the initial target, of the average particle diameter of Cr precipitates on the surface of the foil material, It has been found that good adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the PVDF layer can be realized.

  On the other hand, as in Comparative Examples 1 to 3, if the Cr content or the manufacturing conditions deviate from the initial definition, it is difficult to achieve good adhesion between the copper alloy foil and the PVDF layer. Can understand.

Claims (5)

  A copper alloy comprising 0.01% or more and 0.5% by weight or less of Cr, the balance being made of Cu and inevitable impurities, and a precipitate containing Cr existing on the surface of the foil material Foil.   2. The copper alloy foil according to claim 1, wherein an average particle diameter of a precipitate containing Cr existing on a surface of the foil material is 30 nm or less.   The copper alloy foil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thickness of the foil material is 20 µm or less.   The electrode for lithium ion secondary batteries using the copper alloy foil in any one of the said Claims 1-3 as a lithium ion secondary battery electrical power collector. A melting step of casting a copper alloy material by dissolving Cu and 0.01 wt% or more and 0.5 wt% or less of Cr added to Cu;
A hot rolling step of forming a plate by hot rolling the copper alloy material;
A first cold rolling step of performing cold rolling on the plate subjected to the hot rolling;
A solution treatment step of performing a solution treatment on the cold-rolled plate material; and
A second cold rolling step of forming a foil material by performing cold rolling on the plate material subjected to the solution treatment;
An aging treatment step of performing an aging treatment on the foil material subjected to the second cold rolling,
A method for producing a copper alloy foil, comprising depositing a precipitate containing Cr on a surface of a foil material subjected to the aging treatment.

Images