JP2023003068A - Battery electrode manufacturing device and method for manufacturing battery electrode - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a battery electrode manufacturing device and a method for manufacturing a battery electrode that can increase the efficiency of manufacturing a battery electrode and the quality of a battery electrode.SOLUTION: The battery electrode manufacturing device includes: a separator supply unit for supplying a separator to an active material laminated on a band-like collector to be carried in a chamber with reduced pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure in the inside; and a compression unit for compressing the active material supplied to the band-like collector, through the separator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a battery electrode manufacturing apparatus and a battery electrode manufacturing method.

Lithium ion batteries are high-capacity secondary batteries and have been used in various applications in recent years. For example, a lithium ion battery is constructed by using a plurality of single cells in which current collector layers, active material layers and separators are laminated. Such single cells can be manufactured in single wafers, as described, for example, in US Pat. Specifically, as described in Patent Literature 2, a current collector, an active material, and a separator are laminated and surface-pressed to individually manufacture battery electrodes in a single cell. However, such a single-wafer method generally takes time and cannot be said to be highly efficient in terms of manufacturing efficiency.

From the viewpoint of improving production efficiency, it is conceivable to continuously produce battery electrodes. For example, it is conceivable to efficiently form an active material layer of a battery electrode by continuously supplying an active material to a sheet-like current collector and continuously roll-pressing them.

Japanese Patent No. 6633866 JP 2019-186003 A

When compressing the active material by roll pressing, the active material may adhere to the surface of the roller for roll pressing. If the active material adheres to the roller surface during compression, there is concern that the surface of the formed active material layer may become uneven, or the amount of active material in the battery electrode may become unstable. An object of the present invention is to provide a battery electrode manufacturing apparatus and a battery electrode manufacturing method capable of improving the manufacturing efficiency and quality of battery electrodes.

The present invention is a separator that is an active material laminated on a strip-shaped current collector and that supplies a separator to the active material that is transported in the transport direction in a chamber whose interior is evacuated below atmospheric pressure. The battery electrode manufacturing apparatus includes a supply unit and a compression unit that compresses the active material supplied to the strip-shaped current collector through the separator.

According to the battery electrode manufacturing apparatus and the battery electrode manufacturing method of the present invention, it is possible to improve the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the battery electrode.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a single cell of a battery manufactured using the battery electrode manufacturing apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the same battery electrode manufacturing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same battery electrode manufacturing apparatus. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the battery electrode manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a separator impregnated with the electrolytic solution of the second embodiment.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the drawings used in the following explanations, characteristic parts may be enlarged for the sake of convenience for the purpose of emphasizing the characteristic parts, and the dimensional ratios, etc. of each component may not necessarily be the same as the actual ones. Absent. Also, for the same purpose, some parts may be omitted from the drawings.

<Assembled battery (secondary battery)>
The battery electrode manufacturing apparatus and the battery electrode manufacturing method of the embodiments are applied, for example, to the manufacture of lithium ion batteries. Lithium ion batteries are assembled batteries that are modularized by combining a plurality of lithium ion single cells (also referred to as single cells or battery cells), or battery packs that are made by combining multiple such assembled batteries and adjusting the voltage and capacity. used in the form.

<Single cell (battery cell)>
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a single cell 10. FIG. By combining a plurality of unit cells 10, the above assembled battery can be produced. For example, the single cell 10 has a positive electrode 20 a and a negative electrode 20 b as two electrodes (battery electrodes) and a separator 30 .

The separator 30 is arranged between the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b. In the assembled battery, the plurality of unit cells 10 are stacked with the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b directed in the same direction.

The separator 30 holds an electrolyte. Thereby, the separator 30 functions as an electrolyte layer. The separator 30 is arranged between the electrode active material layers 22 of the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b to prevent them from coming into contact with each other. Thereby, the separator 30 functions as a partition wall between the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b.

The electrolyte retained in the separator 30 includes, for example, an electrolytic solution or a gel polymer electrolyte. High lithium ion conductivity is ensured by using these electrolytes. Examples of the form of the separator include porous sheet separators and non-woven fabric separators made of a polymer or fiber that absorbs and retains the electrolyte.

The positive electrode 20 a and the negative electrode 20 b each have a current collector 21 , an electrode active material layer 22 and a frame 35 . The electrode active material layer 22 and the current collector 21 are arranged in this order from the separator 30 side. The frame 35 is frame-shaped (annular). The frame 35 surrounds the electrode active material layer 22 . The frame 35 of the positive electrode 20a and the frame 35 of the negative electrode 20b are welded together and integrated. In the following description, when distinguishing between the electrode active material layers 22 of the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b, they are referred to as a positive electrode active material layer 22a and a negative electrode active material layer 22b, respectively.

<Specific example of positive electrode current collector>
As the positive electrode current collector that constitutes the positive electrode current collector layer 21a, a known current collector used in a lithium-ion single battery can be used. A resin current collector (such as the resin current collector described in JP-A-2012-150905 and International Publication No. 2015-005116) can be used. The positive electrode collector constituting the positive electrode collector layer 21a is preferably a resin collector from the viewpoint of battery characteristics and the like.

Metal current collectors include, for example, copper, aluminum, titanium, nickel, tantalum, niobium, hafnium, zirconium, zinc, tungsten, bismuth, antimony, alloys containing one or more of these metals, and the group consisting of stainless alloys. and one or more metal materials selected from These metal materials may be used in the form of thin plates, metal foils, or the like. Alternatively, a metal current collector formed by forming the above metal material on the surface of a base material other than the above metal material by sputtering, electrodeposition, coating, or the like may be used.

The resin current collector preferably contains a conductive filler and a matrix resin. Examples of the matrix resin include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polymethylpentene (PMP) and the like, but are not particularly limited. Also, the conductive filler is not particularly limited as long as it is selected from materials having conductivity. The conductive filler may be a conductive fiber having a fibrous shape.

The resin current collector may contain other components (dispersant, cross-linking accelerator, cross-linking agent, colorant, ultraviolet absorber, plasticizer, etc.) in addition to the matrix resin and the conductive filler. Also, a plurality of resin current collectors may be laminated and used, or a resin current collector and a metal foil may be laminated and used.

Although the thickness of the positive electrode current collector layer 21a is not particularly limited, it is preferably 5 to 150 μm. When a plurality of resin current collectors are laminated and used as the positive electrode current collector layer 21a, the total thickness after lamination is preferably 5 to 150 μm. The positive electrode current collector layer 21a can be obtained, for example, by molding a conductive resin composition obtained by melt-kneading a matrix resin, a conductive filler, and a dispersing agent for a filler used if necessary into a film by a known method. can be done.

<Specific example of positive electrode active material>
The positive electrode active material layer 22a is preferably a non-bound mixture containing a positive electrode active material. Here, the non-bound body means that the position of the positive electrode active material is not fixed in the positive electrode active material layer, and the positive electrode active materials and the positive electrode active materials and the positive electrode active material and the current collector are irreversibly means not fixed. When the positive electrode active material layer 22a is a non-bound body, the positive electrode active materials are not irreversibly fixed to each other. Even when stress is applied to the material layer 22a, the positive electrode active material moves, which is preferable because the destruction of the positive electrode active material layer 22a can be prevented. The positive electrode active material layer 22a, which is a non-binder, can be obtained by a method such as changing the positive electrode active material layer 22a into a positive electrode active material layer 22a containing a positive electrode active material and an electrolytic solution but not containing a binder. can. In this specification, the binder means an agent that cannot reversibly fix the positive electrode active materials together and the positive electrode active material and the current collector, and includes starch, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxyl Known solvent-drying type binders for lithium ion batteries such as methylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, tetrafluoroethylene, styrene-butadiene rubber, polyethylene and polypropylene can be used. These binders are used by dissolving or dispersing them in a solvent, and by volatilizing and distilling off the solvent, the surface solidifies without exhibiting stickiness. cannot be reversibly fixed.

Examples of the positive electrode active material include, but are not particularly limited to, a composite oxide of lithium and a transition metal, a composite oxide containing two transition metal elements, and a composite oxide containing three or more metal elements. .

The positive electrode active material may be a coated positive electrode active material in which at least part of the surface is coated with a coating material containing a polymer compound. When the positive electrode active material is covered with the coating material, the volume change of the positive electrode is moderated, and the expansion of the positive electrode can be suppressed.

As the polymer compound constituting the coating material, those described as active material coating resins in JP-A-2017-054703 and WO-2015-005117 can be preferably used.

The coating material may contain a conductive agent. As the conductive agent, the same conductive filler as contained in the positive electrode current collector layer 21a can be preferably used.

The positive electrode active material layer 22a may contain an adhesive resin. As the adhesive resin, for example, a non-aqueous secondary battery active material coating resin described in JP-A-2017-054703 is mixed with a small amount of an organic solvent to adjust its glass transition temperature to room temperature or lower. Also, those described as adhesives in JP-A-10-255805 can be preferably used. In addition, adhesive resin is a resin that does not solidify even if the solvent component is volatilized and dried, and has adhesiveness (the property of adhering by applying a slight pressure without using water, solvent, heat, etc.) means On the other hand, a solution-drying type electrode binder used as a binder is one that dries and solidifies by volatilizing a solvent component, thereby firmly adhering and fixing active materials to each other. Therefore, the binder (solution-drying type electrode binder) and the adhesive resin described above are different materials.

The positive electrode active material layer 22a may contain an electrolytic solution containing an electrolyte and a non-aqueous solvent. As the electrolyte, those used in known electrolytic solutions can be used. As the non-aqueous solvent, those used in known electrolytic solutions (eg, phosphate esters, nitrile compounds, mixtures thereof, etc.) can be used. For example, a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) or a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) can be used.

The positive electrode active material layer 22a may contain a conductive aid. As the conductive aid, a conductive material similar to the conductive filler contained in the positive electrode current collector layer 21a can be preferably used.

Although the thickness of the positive electrode active material layer 22a is not particularly limited, it is preferably 150 to 600 μm, more preferably 200 to 450 μm, from the viewpoint of battery performance.

<Specific example of negative electrode current collector>
As the negative electrode current collector constituting the negative electrode current collector layer 21b, the same one as the positive electrode current collector can be appropriately selected and used, and can be obtained by the same method. The negative electrode current collector layer 21b is preferably a resin current collector from the viewpoint of battery characteristics and the like. Although the thickness of the negative electrode current collector layer 21b is not particularly limited, it is preferably 5 to 150 μm.

<Specific example of negative electrode active material>
The negative electrode active material layer 22b is preferably a non-bonded mixture containing a negative electrode active material. The reason why the negative electrode active material layer is preferably a non-binder and the reason why the positive electrode active material layer 22a is preferably a non-binder is the method for obtaining the negative electrode active material layer 22b which is a non-binder. , and the method for obtaining the positive electrode active material layer 22a which is a non-binder.

As the negative electrode active material, for example, a carbon-based material, a silicon-based material, a mixture thereof, or the like can be used, but the material is not particularly limited.

The negative electrode active material may be a coated negative electrode active material in which at least part of the surface is coated with a coating material containing a polymer compound. When the periphery of the negative electrode active material is covered with the coating material, the volume change of the negative electrode is moderated, and the expansion of the negative electrode can be suppressed.

As the coating material, the same coating material as that constituting the coated positive electrode active material can be suitably used.

The negative electrode active material layer 22b contains an electrolytic solution containing an electrolyte and a non-aqueous solvent. As for the composition of the electrolytic solution, an electrolytic solution similar to the electrolytic solution contained in the positive electrode active material layer 22a can be suitably used.

The negative electrode active material layer 22b may contain a conductive aid. As the conductive aid, a conductive material similar to the conductive filler contained in the positive electrode active material layer 22a can be preferably used.

The negative electrode active material layer 22b may contain an adhesive resin. As the adhesive resin, the same adhesive resin as an optional component of the positive electrode active material layer 22a can be preferably used.

Although the thickness of the negative electrode active material layer 22b is not particularly limited, it is preferably 150 to 600 μm, more preferably 200 to 450 μm, from the viewpoint of battery performance.

<Specific example of separator>
The electrolyte retained in the separator 30 includes, for example, an electrolytic solution or a gel polymer electrolyte. By using these electrolytes, the separator 30 ensures high lithium ion conductivity. Examples of the form of the separator 30 include, but are not particularly limited to, polyethylene or polypropylene porous films.

<Specific example of frame>
The material for the frame 35 is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that is durable against the electrolytic solution. For example, a polymer material is preferable, and a thermosetting polymer material is more preferable. As a material for forming the frame 35, any material having insulating properties, sealing properties (liquid-tightness), heat resistance under the battery operating temperature, and the like may be used, and a resin material is preferably employed. More specifically, examples of the frame 35 include epoxy-based resins, polyolefin-based resins, polyurethane-based resins, and polyvinylidene fluoride resins. preferable.

<Manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing battery electrode>
Next, a manufacturing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a battery electrode (hereinafter abbreviated as a manufacturing method) of this embodiment will be described. For example, in the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method, the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b are first manufactured. The method of manufacturing the positive electrode 20 a and the method of manufacturing the negative electrode 20 b mainly differ in the electrode active material contained in the electrode active material layer 22 . Here, as a method for manufacturing the electrode 20, a method for manufacturing the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b will be collectively described.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing apparatus 1000. As shown in FIG. For example, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 includes a chamber 100 , a frame supply device 200 , an active material supply device 300 , a separator supply device 400 , rollers 500 and a separator collection device 600 . A separator feeder is an example of a separator feeder. Roller 500 is an example of a compression section.

The chamber 100 is a room whose interior can be kept under a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. The pressure inside the chamber 100 is reduced below atmospheric pressure by a decompression pump (not shown). The standard atmospheric pressure is approximately 1013 hPa (approximately 10 ⁵ Pa).

For example, a current collector roll 21R is arranged outside the chamber 100, and a strip-shaped current collector 21B pulled out from the current collector roll 21R is transported into the chamber 100 through a slit. The current collector 21B is the one before the current collector 21 is cut into a predetermined shape. The current collector 21B is transported along the transport direction D. As shown in FIG. For example, the current collector 21B is transported at a predetermined speed by a transport device such as a belt conveyor. Hereinafter, the direction in which the current collector 21B is conveyed will be described as the downstream side D1, and the opposite direction as the upstream side D2. The external space of the chamber 100 in which the current collector roll 21R is arranged may be at normal pressure, or may be decompressed by a chamber different from the chamber 100 .

The frame supply device 200 supplies the frame 35 to the conveyed current collector 21B. Although FIG. 2 shows the case where the frame supply device 200 is arranged inside the chamber 100 , the frame supply device 200 may be arranged outside the chamber 100 . For example, the frame supply device 200 has a robot arm, and places the pre-manufactured frame 35 at a predetermined position on the transported current collector 21B. After placing the frame 35 on the current collector 21B, the current collector 21B and the frame 35 may be compressed by a roll press different from the roller 500 so as to sandwich the current collector 21B and the frame 35 .

The method for manufacturing the frame 35 is not particularly limited. For example, the frame 35 can be formed into a predetermined shape by cutting a sheet or block made of a predetermined material such as a polymeric material. For example, the frame 35 is obtained by punching out a material sheet made of a predetermined material.

Further, for example, the frame body 35 can be formed into a predetermined shape by a method using a frame mold such as injection molding. For example, a mold having an internal space of a predetermined shape is prepared in advance, and the frame body 35 can be formed into a predetermined shape by performing injection molding on the mold.

Further, for example, the frame body 35 can be formed into a predetermined shape by discharging or applying a predetermined material onto the base material. For example, the frame 35 can be formed into a predetermined shape by a dispenser. That is, the frame 35 can be formed by discharging a predetermined amount of a predetermined material from a nozzle onto the substrate under the control of the dispenser. To give another example, the frame 35 can be formed by applying a predetermined material in a predetermined shape onto the base material using a coater such as a screen printer.

More specifically, the frame body 35 can be formed by discharging or applying a predetermined material onto the base material in a predetermined shape using a dispenser, a coater, or the like, and peeling it off from the base material after drying. can be done. Alternatively, the frame body 35 is formed by discharging or applying a predetermined material such as a two-liquid curing resin or a UV curing resin onto the base material using a dispenser, a coater, or the like so as to form a predetermined shape, and peeling off from the base material after curing. It can be formed by letting

In addition, the frame body 35 can be formed into a predetermined shape by various methods. For example, the frame 35 may be formed into a predetermined shape by assembling sheets or blocks made of a predetermined material so as to have a predetermined shape. Alternatively, for example, the frame body 35 may be formed into a predetermined shape by arranging a sheet made of a predetermined material in the longitudinal direction of the base material and ejecting or applying the material in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the frame 35 can be manufactured by any type of 3D printer.

In addition, in FIG. 2, the prefabricated frame 35 is described as being placed on the current collector 21B, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the frame 35 may be manufactured on the current collector 21B. As an example, the current collector 21B is used as a base material, and a predetermined material is discharged or applied in a predetermined shape onto the current collector 21B using a dispenser, a coater, or the like, thereby forming the frame 35 on the current collector 21B. can be formed.

The active material supply device 300 supplies the active material 22c onto the current collector 21B transported within the chamber 100, as shown in FIG. The active material 22c means a plurality of electrode granulated particles containing an electrode active material and a conductive aid. For example, the active material supply device 300 includes a hopper that holds the active material inside and a shutter that opens and closes the opening of the hopper. The active material supply device 300 can supply a desired amount of the active material 22c to a desired position in the transport direction D on the transported current collector 21B by opening and closing the shutter.

After each step shown in FIG. 2, the current collector layer 21 shown in FIG. 1 is formed by dividing the strip-shaped current collector 21B into predetermined units. The active material supply device 300 supplies the active material 22c to the current collector layer 21 (that is, the current collector 21B) before being divided, thereby forming a member including the current collector layer 21 and the active material 22c. manufactures a member sheet in which a plurality of

The separator supply device 400 supplies the separator 30 to the member sheet. Specifically, the separator supply device 400 supplies the separator 30 to the active material 22c laminated on the current collector 21B. For example, the separator supply device 400 is composed of a separator roll 30R and a driving mechanism for pulling out the separator sheet 30B from the separator roll 30R. The separator supply device 400 superimposes the separator sheet 30B on the active material 22c conveyed at a predetermined speed along the conveying direction D while conveying the separator sheet 30B at the same predetermined speed. More specifically, the separator supply device 400 includes a roller as a driving mechanism positioned above the conveyed member sheet, and the roller presses the separator sheet 30B against the member sheet while conveying the separator sheet 30B at a predetermined speed. , the separator 30 can be supplied to the active material 22c.

The roller 500 forms the active material layer 22 shown in FIG. 1 by compressing the active material 22c supplied onto the current collector 21B. Specifically, the rollers 500 sandwich and compress the member sheet and the separator 30 with the active material 22 c sandwiched between the current collector layer 21 and the separator 30 . That is, the roller 500 compresses the active material 22c with the separator 30 interposed therebetween. As a result, a member comprising one of the electrodes 20 and the separator 30 of the unit cell 10 shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured.

The separator recovery device 600 recovers the surplus portion of the separator sheet 30B. That is, the entire separator sheet 30B is not used as the separator 30, and there are cases where portions such as the ends of the separator sheet 30B are not cut out as the separator 30. FIG. The separator recovery device 600 recovers such surplus portions. Note that the manufacturing apparatus 1000 may not include the separator recovery apparatus 600 when there is no surplus portion.

As shown in FIG. 2, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can continuously manufacture members of the single cell 10 including the current collector layer 21, the active material layer 22, the separator 30, and the frame 35. FIG. In other words, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can continuously manufacture the electrodes 20 in a state of being overlapped with the separators 30 . Further, as shown in FIG. 2, in the manufacturing apparatus 1000, the compression of the active material 22c is performed by sandwiching the separator 30 between the roller 500 and the active material 22c. Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can prevent the active material 22c from adhering to the roller 500. FIG. That is, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 prevents the surface of the active material layer 22 formed by compressing the active material 22c from becoming uneven and the amount of the active material 22c contained in the electrode 20 from becoming unstable. be able to. Thus, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can improve manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electrode 20 .

After the compression process by the rollers 500, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 may further perform various post-treatments. For example, manufacturing apparatus 1000 includes post-processing apparatus 700 shown in FIG. Post-processing device 700 is an example of a post-processing section. In FIG. 3, as the post-processing device 700, a heat sealing device 701 and a shaping and cutting device 702 are exemplified. The heat sealing device 701 heat seals the separator 30 to the frame 35 . Further, the shaping and cutting device 702 cuts out the separator 30 from the transported separator sheet 30B.

Specifically, the heat-sealing device 701 heats and presses the edges of the portion of the transported separator sheet 30</b>B to be cut out as the separator 30 , thereby bonding the separator sheet 30</b>B to the frame 35 . As a result, in the single cell 10, it is possible to prevent leakage of the electrolytic solution or the like from the gap between the separator 30 and the frame 35. FIG. Further, the shaping and cutting device 702 cuts out the separator 30 from the separator sheet 30B. More specifically, the shaping and cutting device 702 cuts the outside of the portion of the separator sheet 30B that has been adhered to the frame 35 by the heat sealing device 701, so that the separator sheet 30B is bonded to the frame 35. A separator 30 can be cut out.

Here, the post-treatment device 700 may perform the post-treatment while moving in the transport direction in synchronization with the movement of the active material 22c and the separator 30 transported in the transport direction D. That is, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 performs post-processing by moving the heat-sealing device 701 and the shaping/cutting device 702 to fix their relative positions with respect to the separator 30 without stopping transportation for post-processing. may Thereby, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can further improve the manufacturing efficiency of the electrode 20 .

Further, when the transport is stopped for post-processing, it is necessary to shorten the stop time from the viewpoint of manufacturing efficiency. Then, it becomes necessary to execute the post-processing within the limited stop time. On the other hand, when the heat-sealing device 701 and the shaping/cutting device 702 are moved and the post-processing is executed without stopping the transportation, such a time limit does not occur. Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can perform various post-treatments over a sufficient period of time to further improve the quality of the electrode 20 .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 , a ladder-like surplus portion remains on the separator sheet 30</b>B after the separator 30 is cut out by the shaping/cutting device 702 . As shown in FIG. 3, the separator collecting device 600 can wind up and collect the ladder-shaped surplus portion. That is, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 cuts out the separator sheet 30B so that both ends of the separator sheet 30B are left, so that the surplus portion becomes continuous and can be easily collected.

(Second embodiment)
As described above, the separator 30 in the single cell 10 holds, for example, an electrolytic solution as an electrolyte. Such an electrolytic solution is injected into the separator 30 after each step shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example.

In the second embodiment, a case will be described in which the process of injecting the electrolytic solution into the separator 30 is eliminated and the manufacturing efficiency of the electrode 20 is further improved. A manufacturing apparatus 1000 according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the manufacturing apparatus 1000 described in the first embodiment. In the following, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 to 3 are assigned to the points explained in the first embodiment, and the explanation is omitted.

In the second embodiment, the active material 22c described above contains an electrolytic solution. The rollers 500 sandwich and compress the current collector 21B, the active material 22c, and the separator 30, thereby allowing the electrolyte contained in the active material 22c to permeate the separator 30 from the active material 22c.

For example, the active material 22c carries an electrolyte within a polymer. Specifically, each particle of the active material 22c can be provided with a resin layer. That is, the active material 22c may be a coated active material in which at least part of the surface is coated with a coating material containing a polymer compound. In this case, the resin layer can support the electrolytic solution.

Alternatively, the active material 22c and the electrolytic solution may simply be mixed without forming a resin layer on each particle of the active material 22c. That is, the active material supply device 300 may supply a slurry obtained by mixing the active material 22c and the electrolytic solution to the strip-shaped current collector 21B.

The rollers 500 sandwich and compress the active material 22c containing the electrolytic solution and the separator 30 . As a result, the electrolytic solution permeates into the regions of the separator 30 indicated by broken lines in FIGS. 4 and 5 . That is, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 according to the second embodiment can eliminate the electrolyte injection process.

As shown in FIG. 4, the post-treatment by the post-treatment device 700 and the recovery of the surplus portion by the separator recovery device 600 can be executed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Here, it is preferable that the heat-sealing device 701 heat-seal the region of the separator 30 outside the region soaked with the electrolytic solution. That is, the electrolyte may be flammable, and unnecessary risk can be avoided by excluding the electrolyte-soaked area from the heat-sealed area.

After the various steps described above, the electrode 20 is manufactured by appropriately cutting out the current collector 21 from the strip-shaped current collector 21B. Also, the unit cell 10 is manufactured by stacking a pair of electrodes 20 (that is, the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b) so as to face each other with the separator 30 interposed therebetween. For example, a member in which the separator 30 and the electrode 20, which is one of the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b, and the separator 30 are laminated is manufactured by the various steps shown in FIG. By superimposing the other electrode 20 on the member, the unit cell 10 can be manufactured. In addition, the manufacturing method of the other electrode 20 is not particularly limited. Also, a battery is manufactured by stacking a plurality of unit cells 10 in the thickness direction and sealing the plurality of unit cells 10 with an outer package.

As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 of the embodiment is configured such that the active material 22c laminated on the strip-shaped current collector 21B is transported in the conveying direction D in the chamber 100 whose inside pressure is reduced below the atmospheric pressure. A separator supply device 400 for supplying the separator 30 to the conveyed active material 22c, and a roller 500 for compressing the active material 22c supplied to the current collector 21B with the separator 30 interposed therebetween. Thereby, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can improve the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electrode 20 .

Further, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 supplies the active material 22c onto the current collector 21B and compresses the active material 22c in the chamber 100 whose inside is evacuated below the atmospheric pressure. Thereby, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can make it difficult for air to be included in the active material 22c. Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 can avoid the formation of irregularities on the surface of the active material layer 22 due to the expansion of air in various processes after the active material 22c is compressed and when the battery is used.

As described above, the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. change, combination, deletion, etc. of Furthermore, it goes without saying that the configurations shown in the respective embodiments can be used in combination as appropriate. For example, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the frame supply device 200 may be arranged downstream D1 of the active material supply device 300 . That is, the frame 35 may be supplied onto the current collector 21B after the active material 22c is supplied onto the current collector 21B. In this case, the frame supply device 200 supplies the frame 35 onto the current collector 21B so that the active material 22c supplied onto the current collector 21B enters the internal space of the frame 35. FIG. By configuring as in this modification, the frame 35 can be supplied onto the current collector 21B after the active material 22c is supplied onto the current collector 21B. Alternatively, a mask may be formed on the current collector 21B before the frame 35 is supplied to the current collector 21B, and the frame 35 may be supplied to the position of the mask at an arbitrary timing thereafter. Alternatively, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 may not include the frame supply device 200 .

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 unit cell 21B current collector 22c active material 35 frame 100 chamber 200 frame supply device 300 active material supply device 400 separator supply device 500 roller 600 separator recovery device 700 post-treatment device 701 heat sealing device 702 shaping and cutting device 1000 manufacturing device (Manufacturing equipment for battery electrodes)
D Conveying direction D1 Downstream side D2 Upstream side

Claims (8)

a separator supply unit that supplies a separator to the active material that is laminated on the strip-shaped current collector and that is transported in the transport direction in a chamber whose interior is evacuated below atmospheric pressure;
A battery electrode manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a compression unit that compresses the active material supplied to the strip-shaped current collector through the separator. The active material contains an electrolyte,
2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the compressing portion sandwiches and compresses the strip-shaped current collector, the active material, and the separator, thereby allowing the electrolyte to permeate the separator from the active material. Electrode manufacturing equipment. 3. The battery electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said electrolytic solution is contained in a resin layer provided for each particle of said active material. 4. The separator supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the separator supply unit supplies the separator to the active material by superimposing a strip-shaped separator sheet on the active material while conveying it in the conveying direction. 11. The battery electrode manufacturing apparatus according to Item 1. The separator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a post-processing section that performs post-processing including at least one of heat sealing and shaping cutting on the separator after being compressed by the compression section. Battery electrode manufacturing equipment. 6. The battery electrode manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the post-processing unit performs the post-processing while moving in the transport direction in synchronization with movements of the active material and the separator transported in the transport direction. Device. 4. The battery electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a post-processing unit for heat-sealing a region of said separator after being compressed by said compressing unit, outside the region soaked with said electrolytic solution. Supplying a separator to the active material stacked on the strip-shaped current collector and transported in the transport direction in a chamber whose interior is evacuated below atmospheric pressure,
A method for manufacturing a battery electrode, comprising compressing the active material supplied to the strip-shaped current collector through the separator.

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