JP3150814B2 - Electrolytic metal foil manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing an electrolytic metal foil.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electrolytic metal foils which are produced in the largest quantity today are electrolytic copper foils for printed circuits. The method of producing the electrolytic metal foils is to use an electrolytic solution containing copper sulfate or the like, an insoluble anode such as lead, A method is known in which electrolysis is performed with a rotating cylindrical cathode made of stainless steel, titanium, or the like, copper is deposited on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cathode, and then the copper is separated. In general, an apparatus used in such a manufacturing method consumes lead anode when used for a certain period of time, so that the interval between the rotating cylindrical cathode and the anode becomes non-uniform. There is a disadvantage that the thickness of the formed copper foil is not uniform in the width direction, and there is a problem that wrinkles and the like are easily generated in the copper foil due to a variation in the thickness distribution of the copper foil. Was.

Further, a method is known in which an anode surface used for a predetermined period is cut and polished so that the distance between the rotating cylindrical cathode and the anode is uniform, and then reused. However,
This method has the disadvantage that cutting and polishing cannot be performed during operation of the apparatus, and furthermore, the cutting and polishing requires a long time and the effect is insufficient. Further, there is a method in which a copper foil is deposited on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical cathode while controlling an amount of electricity supplied to each anode by using a device in which an anode facing the rotating cylindrical cathode is divided in a rotation axis direction of the cylindrical cathode. This is known (JP-A-4-36489). However,
The apparatus used in this method has a drawback that it is difficult to insulate between the divided anodes.Moreover, since the amount of electricity supplied to each of the divided anodes must be adjusted, a plurality of rectifiers are required, There is a disadvantage that the equipment cost is high.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention enables the thickness of an electrolytic metal foil to be adjusted during operation of a device.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolytic metal foil manufacturing apparatus capable of obtaining an electrolytic copper foil suitable for a printed circuit having high quality, excellent physical properties, uniform foil thickness distribution and no wrinkles or the like.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a rotating cylindrical cathode on which a metal foil is electrodeposited, an anode opposed to the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cathode, and an electrolytic solution continuously provided in a gap between the rotating cylindrical cathode and the anode. A metal foil manufacturing apparatus, comprising: an electrolytic solution supply device for supplying a liquid to the substrate; and an electrolytic solution supply port of the electrolytic solution supply device having a slit shape parallel to the rotation axis direction of the rotating cylindrical cathode, below the rotating cylindrical cathode. And an electrolytic solution supply port provided with a plurality of electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means over a width section for electrodepositing the metallic foil on the electrolytic solution supply port. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

[0006]

As shown in FIG. 1, the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention continuously feeds an electrolytic solution containing metal ions to be deposited from below into a gap 3 between a rotating cylindrical cathode 1 and an anode 2 by an electrolytic solution supply device 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrolytic solution supplied to the gap 3 is supplied to each of the plurality of electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means 6 provided in the slit-like electrolytic solution supply port 5 of the electrolytic solution supply device 4 as shown in FIG. Increase or decrease the amount.

In a portion of the peripheral surface of the rotating cylindrical cathode 1 where the supply amount of the electrolytic solution is reduced, near the surface of the rotating cylindrical cathode 1, the concentration polarization is increased due to insufficient supply of metal ions, so that the current density is reduced. And the amount of metal deposition on the surface of the rotating cylindrical cathode 1 decreases. On the other hand, in the portion where the supply amount of the electrolytic solution is increased, the supply amount of the metal ions is increased and the concentration polarization is reduced, so that the current density in the portion is increased and the metal deposition amount is increased.

In the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, when the anode is consumed and the distance of the gap 3 fluctuates, the supply amount of the electrolytic solution is adjusted for each of the plurality of electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means 6 as described above. The electrolytic metal foil can be formed to have a uniform thickness.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, for example, a production apparatus of the present invention comprises a rotating cylindrical cathode 1 for electrodepositing a metal foil, an anode 2 opposed to the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cathode 1, a rotating cylindrical cathode 1 And an electrolyte supply device 4 for continuously supplying an electrolyte to a gap 3 between the anode and the anode 2. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pipe 7 for transferring the electrolyte and a projecting hole for allowing the electrolyte to flow from the pipe 7 to the electrolyte supply port 5 side. 8 and a slit-like electrolyte supply port 5
And a pair of partition walls 9 supporting a plurality of electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means 6.

The projecting hole 8 may be a plurality of independent holes as shown in FIG. 4 or a slit-shaped hole as shown in FIG. The pair of partition walls 9 are respectively joined to the pipe 7 so as to be parallel, and a slit-shaped electrolyte solution supply port 5 is formed on the opposite end side. At this time, the pair of partition walls 9 are joined to the pipe 7 so as to sandwich the protruding hole 8, and the distance between the protruding hole 8 and the partition wall 9 shown by a and b in FIGS. It is most preferable that the opening width of the protruding hole 8 is equal to the interval between the partition walls 9. If the intervals a and b are too large, it is not preferable because the electrolyte flowing from the projecting holes 8 may hit the partition walls 9 and make the flow of the electrolyte irregular.

When the electrolytic solution is supplied to the gap 3 from the slit-like electrolytic solution supply port 5, the electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means 6 is independently provided at a plurality of positions in the longitudinal direction of the electrolytic solution supply port 5. There is no particular limitation as long as the liquid flow rate can be adjusted. As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 2, there can be mentioned an electrolyte flow rate adjusting means 6 in which a plurality of pistons are adjacent to one of the partition walls 9 and supported so as to be reciprocally slidable in the direction of the other partition wall 9. . Further, pistons may be provided on both partition walls 9 in the same manner as described above. The cross-sectional shape of the piston is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a circular shape and a rectangular shape. The larger the number of pistons arranged, the better the flow rate adjustment accuracy is, which is preferable. In addition, it is preferable to arrange the pistons so that the distance between the protruding hole 8 and the lower end of the piston is reduced because the flow rate adjustment accuracy can be improved. If the distance cannot be reduced due to the design of the device, as shown in FIG. 6, a partition plate 10 having a height corresponding to the distance interval is arranged between the pistons.
The flow rate adjustment accuracy can be improved. In addition, a step adjusting member 16 that eliminates a step between adjacent pistons at the time of sliding can be provided on the distal end surface of the piston. As the step adjusting member 16, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a soft member 17 such as a sponge attached to a distal end surface of a piston is used.
And an elastic sheet 18 made of fluoro rubber or the like attached via this, or an elastic sheet 18 having a fold 19 on the piston side surface as shown in FIG. be able to. The step adjusting member 16 is
Eliminating a step between adjacent pistons can improve the flow rate adjustment accuracy.

As the means 11 for reciprocally sliding the piston, known means capable of operating the piston from the outside can be used, and examples thereof include a hydraulic type and a hydraulic type. When the piston is reciprocally slid by water pressure, hydraulic pressure, or the like, the material of the piston is preferably a bellows type elastic material. The rotating cylindrical cathode 1 and the anode opposed to the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cathode form a gap 3 as shown in FIG. 1, and the lower part of the anode 2 has the above-mentioned electrolytic solution supply port as shown in FIG. Open corresponding to No. 5. The electrolytic solution passing through the electrolytic solution supply port 5 is discharged from the gap 3 at the upper end of the anode 2 through the opening of the anode 2 while the flow rate is adjusted for each of the plurality of electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means 6.

The cylindrical cathode 1 is partially or entirely immersed in an electrolytic solution and disposed so that the axis of rotation of the cylindrical cathode 1 is horizontal. The material of the cylindrical cathode 1 may be a known material,
For example, stainless steel, titanium and the like can be mentioned. The material of the anode 2 may be a known one, and for example, an insoluble anode such as lead can be used. The material of the electrolytic solution supply device 4 is not particularly limited as long as it has heat resistance and acid resistance, and examples thereof include vinyl chloride, titanium, and rubber materials. In the apparatus of the present invention, in the manufacturing process of the electrolytic metal foil, for example, as shown in FIG. The thickness distribution of the obtained electrolytic metal foil can be automatically controlled by providing a feedback signal to the drive control unit 15 of the electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means 6 by setting the thickness signal c of the electrolytic metal foil. .

Production Example 1 of Electrolytic Metal Foil As shown in FIG. 1, two arc-shaped anodes 2 were formed on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical cathode 1 (diameter: 2200 mm, length: 1250 mm, cylindrical peripheral surface: titanium). (Iridium oxide-coated titanium) was arranged so that the gap 3 was 10 mm, and as shown in FIG. 2, 24 pistons having a circular protruding hole 8 and a rectangular cross section were formed on one of the partition walls 9. An electrolytic solution supply device 4 provided adjacently and provided with a rod for individually reciprocating the pistons (means for reciprocating sliding) 11 was arranged to constitute an apparatus for producing an electrolytic metal foil. Using this manufacturing apparatus, an electrolytic copper foil having a thickness of 35 μm was manufactured. In addition, a sulfuric acid acidic copper sulfate solution was used as the electrolytic solution, and the piston of the electrolytic solution supply device 4 was operated with the rod, and the electrolytic solution flow rate was small at the center of the electrolytic solution supply port 5 and large at both ends. Adjusted to be. The thickness distribution of the obtained electrolytic copper foil was measured. FIG. 9 shows the results. In addition,
In FIG. 9, the vertical axis represents the ratio of the foil thickness at each piston position when the maximum thickness of the copper foil is set to 100, and the horizontal axis represents the number of 24 pistons from the end. As is clear from FIG. 9, the variation in the thickness of the electrolytic copper foil obtained by the conventional manufacturing apparatus was 2 to 3%,
In the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the content was 0.5% or less.

Production Example 2 of Electrolytic Metal Foil A production apparatus similar to that of Production Example 1 was constructed except that the means 11 for reciprocating sliding was changed from a manual operation to a hydraulic operation. Using this production apparatus, an electrolytic copper foil having a thickness of 70 μm was produced. Note that, as the electrolytic solution, an electrolytic solution having the same composition as the electrolytic solution used in Production Example 1 was used, and the piston of the electrolytic solution supply device 4 was operated with hydraulic pressure. It was adjusted so that it was large and small at both ends. The thickness distribution of the obtained electrolytic copper foil was measured. The results are shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, the vertical axis and the horizontal axis are the same as those in FIG. FIG.
As is clear from 0, the variation in the thickness of the obtained electrolytic copper foil was 1% or less.

[0016]

According to the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, in the manufacturing process of the electrolytic metal foil, the thickness of the electrolytic metal foil can be corrected by adjusting the supply amount of the electrolytic solution by the electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means,
Further, the equipment cost is low and the thickness distribution of the electrolytic metal foil can be automatically controlled to a desired distribution.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an electrolytic solution supply device including a partially cut-out portion.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an electrolytic solution supply device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of projecting holes.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement of protruding holes.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a manner of attaching a partition plate.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a step adjusting member.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a step adjusting member.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a thickness distribution of an electrolytic copper foil obtained by the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing a thickness distribution of an electrolytic copper foil obtained by the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cylindrical cathode 2 Anode 3 Gap 4 Electrolyte supply device 5 Electrolyte supply port 6 Electrolyte flow rate adjusting means

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C25D 1/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rotating cylindrical cathode for electrodepositing a metal foil, an anode facing the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cathode, and an electrolytic solution supply device for continuously supplying an electrolytic solution to a gap between the rotating cylindrical cathode and the anode. An electrolytic solution supply port of an electrolytic solution supply device, in the form of a slit parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the rotating cylindrical cathode, opens into the gap from below the rotating cylindrical cathode, and An apparatus for manufacturing an electrolytic metal foil, comprising: a plurality of electrolytic solution flow rate adjusting means in an electrolytic solution supply port over a width section for electrodepositing the metallic foil. 2. The electrolyte flow rate adjusting means is a piston for adjusting an interval between slits of an electrolyte supply port.
An apparatus for producing an electrolytic metal foil according to the above.