KR20120082365A - Electrode production apparatus and electrode production method and computer storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode, and a method thereof, and a computer storage medium are provided to adjust a film thickness of an active material mixture by adjusting a distance between a surface of a corresponding roller itself and the surface of a metal film. CONSTITUTION: A unwind roll(10) unwinds a strip-shaped metal film. A coating part(11) applies an active material mixture on both sides of the metal film. A drying part(12) forms the active material layer by drying the active material mixture on the metal film. A winding roll(13) winds the metal film. The dryer part is arranged in a long direction of the metal film side by side. A plurality of LEDs(30a,30b,30c) emits infrared rays. The drying part is divided into a plurality of regions(Ta,Tb,Tc).

Description

ELECTRODE PRODUCTION APPARATUS AND ELECTRODE PRODUCTION METHOD AND COMPUTER STORAGE MEDIUM

The present invention relates to an electrode manufacturing apparatus for forming an electrode by forming an active material layer on both surfaces of a strip-shaped substrate, an electrode manufacturing method using the electrode manufacturing apparatus, a program, and a computer storage medium.

In recent years, lithium ion capacitors (LIC: Lithium Ion Capacitor), electric double layer capacitors (EDLC: Electric Double Layer Capacitor) and lithium ion batteries (LIB) The demand for electrochemical devices such as lithium ion batteries is rapidly expanding.

Lithium ion batteries are used in fields such as mobile phones and notebook personal computers because of their relatively high energy density. In addition, since the electric double layer capacitor can be rapidly charged and discharged, it is used as a memory backup small power supply such as a personal computer. Electric double layer capacitors are also expected to be used as large power sources for electric vehicles. In addition, lithium ion capacitors that combine the advantages of lithium ion batteries and the advantages of electric double layer capacitors have attracted attention because of their high energy density and output density.

The electrode of such an electrochemical element is manufactured by coating an active material mixture containing an active material or a solvent on the surface of a metal foil as a current collector as a base material, and then drying the active material mixture to form an active material layer. do. In the production of such an electrode, for example, an electrode production apparatus in which a coating device and a dryer are disposed between a take-up roll and a take-up roll is used. The coating device has a coating head in which a coating tool for coating the active material mixture is formed. In addition, the dryer has a plurality of heaters arranged at predetermined intervals. And coating and drying of an active material mixture are performed on the surface of metal foil with a coating apparatus and a dryer, respectively, conveying strip | belt-shaped metal foil substantially vertically upward between a unwinding roll and a winding roll (patent document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-186782

Here, when drying the active material mixture apply | coated on the surface of metal foil, when drastic drying is carried out, a solvent may boil inside the active material mixture, and convection and air bubbles may arise. In this case, unevenness | corrugation is formed in the surface of the active material layer on metal foil, and an active material layer is not formed suitably. In addition, peeling may occur at the boundary between the metal foil and the active material layer.

However, in the dryer of patent document 1, the some heater is only arrange | positioned at predetermined space | intervals, and the countermeasure for avoiding abrupt drying mentioned above is not considered. For this reason, the active material layer could not be appropriately formed on the surface of the metal foil.

On the other hand, many heaters are arrange | positioned, sufficient drying time is ensured, and it is also possible to gradually dry an active material mixture. However, in this case, the length of the dryer is long, and the active material mixture cannot be dried efficiently.

This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and when manufacturing an electrode, it aims at forming suitably and efficiently an active material layer on the surface of a strip | belt-shaped base material.

MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM In order to achieve the said objective, this invention is an electrode manufacturing apparatus which forms an active material layer on both surfaces of a strip | belt-shaped base material, and manufactures an electrode, The unwinding part which unwinds a base material, and the base material unwound by the said unwinding part A winding portion for winding the film, a coating portion that is provided between the winding portion and the winding portion, and applies an active material mixture mixed with an active material and a solvent to both surfaces of the substrate, and between the coating portion and the winding portion. It is provided and has a drying part which dries the said active material mixture apply | coated by the said coating part and forms an active material layer, The said drying part is arrange | positioned side by side in the longitudinal direction of a base material, and has a some LED which emits infrared rays, The said drying part is divided into several area | region which differs in the light emission wavelength of LED in which light emission intensity is maximum, and the light emission wavelength of the said LED in one said area is the said one For the film thickness of the solvent on the substrate in the area, and in the infrared wavelength range of the active material mixture is not boiling, and is characterized in that the infrared absorption of the solvent to be set to the wavelength is maximum. In addition, that an active material mixture does not boil in this invention means that the solvent in the said active material mixture does not boil.

According to the present invention, since the drying section is divided into a plurality of regions, and the light emission wavelength of the LED in one region is set to a wavelength within the range in which the active material mixture does not boil, irregularities are formed on the surface of the active material layer on the substrate as in the prior art. It is not formed, and the active material layer which has a smooth surface can be formed in uniform film thickness. In addition, peeling does not occur at the boundary between the substrate and the active material layer. In addition, since the light emission wavelength of LED in one area | region is set to the wavelength which the absorption rate of the infrared ray of a solvent becomes the maximum, an active material mixture can be heated efficiently and can be dried. Since the light emission wavelength of the LED is set for each region, the drying time of the active material mixture can be shorter than before, and the length of the drying section can be shortened. As mentioned above, according to this invention, an active material layer can be formed suitably and efficiently on the surface of a base material.

The solvent may be water.

The drying section is divided into three regions of the upstream region, the middle region and the downstream region from the unwinding side, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 µm, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region is 3 micrometers and LED of the light emission wavelength which is larger than 3 micrometers and less than 6 micrometers may be arrange | positioned at the said intermediate stream region.

In addition, the drying section is divided into three regions of the upstream region, the middle region and the downstream region from the unwinding side, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 µm, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region. Is 3 占 퐉, and the LED in the upstream region and the LED in the downstream region may be mixed and disposed in the midstream region.

The drying unit may have an air supply mechanism for supplying air between the plurality of LEDs and the substrate.

The said unwinding part and the said winding part may be arrange | positioned so that a base material may be conveyed in the direction from which the longitudinal direction of a base material is a horizontal direction, and the short direction of a base material becomes a vertical direction.

The electrode may be an electrode used for a lithium ion capacitor, an electric double layer capacitor, or a lithium ion battery.

The present invention according to another aspect is an electrode manufacturing method for forming an active material layer on both surfaces of the substrate while producing a electrode while conveying a strip-shaped substrate between the unwinding portion and the winding-up portion. It has a coating process which apply | coats the active material mixture which mixed the solvent to both surfaces of a base material, and thereafter, in a drying part, the drying process which dries the said active material mixture apply | coated by the said coating process and forms an active material layer, And the drying unit is arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and has a plurality of LEDs emitting infrared rays, and the drying unit is divided into a plurality of regions having different light emission wavelengths of LEDs having the maximum light emission intensity, The light emission wavelength of the said LED in an area | region does not boil the said active material mixture with respect to the film thickness of the said solvent on the base material in the said one area | region. Is the wavelength of the infrared rays in the range, and is set to the wavelength at which the absorption rate of the infrared rays of the solvent is maximized.

The solvent may be water.

The drying section is divided into three regions of the upstream region, the middle region and the downstream region from the unwinding side, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 µm, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region is 3 micrometers and LED of the light emission wavelength which is larger than 3 micrometers and less than 6 micrometers may be arrange | positioned at the said intermediate stream region.

In addition, the drying section is divided into three regions of the upstream region, the middle region and the downstream region from the unwinding side, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 µm, and the emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region. Is 3 占 퐉, and the LED in the upstream region and the LED in the downstream region may be mixed and disposed in the midstream region.

The drying unit has an air supply mechanism for supplying air between the plurality of LEDs and the substrate, and in the drying step, radiation heating by infrared rays from the plurality of LEDs and convection by air supplied from the air supply mechanism. You may dry the said active material mixture by heating.

The said coating process and the said drying process may be performed with respect to the base material conveyed in the direction from which the longitudinal direction of a base material is a horizontal direction, and the short direction of a base material becomes a vertical direction.

The electrode may be an electrode used for a lithium ion capacitor, an electric double layer capacitor, or a lithium ion battery.

According to the present invention according to another aspect, there is provided a readable computer storage medium storing a program operating on a computer of a control unit for controlling the electrode manufacturing apparatus, in order to execute the electrode manufacturing method by the electrode manufacturing apparatus.

According to the present invention, when producing the electrode, the active material layer can be appropriately and efficiently formed on the surface of the strip-shaped substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic side view which shows the outline of the structure of the electrode manufacturing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment.
2 is a plan view illustrating an outline of a configuration of an electrode manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
3 is a side view of the electrode produced in the electrode manufacturing apparatus.
4 is a plan view of the electrode produced in the electrode manufacturing apparatus.
5 is a perspective view illustrating an outline of a configuration of a coating head.
6 is a side view illustrating an outline of a configuration of a drying unit.
7 is a plan view illustrating an outline of a configuration of a drying unit.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a peak emission wavelength of an LED.
9 is a graph showing a first correlation between the wavelength of infrared light emitted by an LED and the absorption rate of infrared light in water.
10 is a graph showing a second correlation between the wavelength of infrared light emitted by an LED and the emission intensity of the LED.
11 is a graph showing a third correlation between the film thickness of water in the active material mixture and the light emission intensity of the LED when boiling of the active material mixture is initiated.
It is a top view which shows the outline of the structure of the coating construction part which concerns on other embodiment.
13 is a schematic plan view illustrating an outline of a configuration of an electrode manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment.
It is a side view which shows the outline of the structure of the electrode manufacturing apparatus which concerns on other embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1: is a schematic side view which shows the outline of the structure of the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment. 2 is a plan view illustrating an outline of the configuration of the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1. Moreover, in the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the electrode of a lithium ion capacitor is manufactured.

In the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the electrode E in which the active material layer F was formed in both surfaces of the metal foil M as a strip | belt-shaped base material is manufactured. The active material layers F on both sides of the metal foil M are formed to face each other. Moreover, active material layer F is formed in the center part of the short direction (Z direction in FIG. 3) of metal foil M, and is formed in multiple numbers in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in FIGS. 3 and 4) of metal foil M. In addition, in FIG. do.

Metal foil M is a porous electrical power collector, for example. When manufacturing a positive electrode as electrode E, aluminum foil is used as metal foil M, for example. On the other hand, when manufacturing a negative electrode, copper foil is used as metal foil M, for example.

Moreover, in order to form active material layer F, a slurry-like active material mixture is apply | coated to the surface of metal foil M as mentioned later. The positive electrode active material mixture at the time of manufacturing a positive electrode mixes, for example, activated carbon as an active material, an acrylic binder as a binder, carboxymethyl cellulose as a dispersing agent, and conductive carbon powder such as acetylene black as a conductive assistant, and the solvent is mixed therewith. It is produced by adding and kneading with water. On the other hand, the negative electrode active material mixture at the time of manufacturing a negative electrode mixes amorphous carbon as an active material which can occlude and release lithium ion, polyvinylidene fluoride as a binder, and conductive carbon materials, such as acetylene black as a conductive support agent, for example. It is produced by adding and kneading water as a solvent.

In the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the materials are different as described above, but the width, thickness, and the like of the metal foil M and the active material layer F do not have a large difference. For this reason, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 can manufacture the positive electrode and the negative electrode of a lithium ion capacitor. Hereinafter, these positive electrode and negative electrode are called electrode E, and it demonstrates.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 applies an active material mixture to both surfaces of the unwinding roll 10 as a unwinding part for unwinding the metal foil M and the metal foil M. FIG. It has the coating part 11, the drying part 12 which dries the active material mixture on metal foil M, and forms the active material layer F, and the winding roll 13 as a winding part which winds up the metal foil M. have. The unwinding roll 10, the coating part 11, the drying part 12, and the winding roll 13 are in this order from an upstream side in the conveyance direction (Y direction in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) of the metal foil M. FIG. It is arranged. Moreover, a drive mechanism (not shown) is provided between the unwinding roll 10 and the unwinding roll 13, The metal foil M unwound from the unwinding roll 10 is conveyed by this drive mechanism, and the winding roll ( 13) is to be wound up.

The unwinding roll 10 is arrange | positioned in the direction to which the axial direction becomes a perpendicular direction (Z direction in FIG. 1). Untreated metal foil M is wound by the unwinding roll 10, and the unwinding roll 10 is comprised so that rotation is possible about a vertical axis. And metal foil M is unwound from the unwinding roll 10 as it stretches in the longitudinal direction.

The winding roll 13 is also arrange | positioned in the direction which the axial direction becomes a perpendicular direction. The winding reel 13 is comprised so that rotation is possible about a perpendicular axis. And metal foil M in which the active material layer F was formed is wound up by the winding roll 13.

These unwinding roll 10 and the winding roll 13 are arrange | positioned at the same height. And in the unwinding roll 10 and the winding roll 13, the longitudinal direction of the metal foil M is a horizontal direction (Y direction in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), and the short direction of the metal foil M is a vertical direction (FIG. 1). It is arrange | positioned so that metal foil M may be conveyed in the direction used as (Z direction).

The coating part 11 has the coating head 20 which apply | coats an active material mixture on the surface of the metal foil M. FIG. The application | coating head 20 is arrange | positioned facing the both sides of the metal foil M conveying between the unwinding roll 10 and the winding rolls 13. As shown in FIG.

The coating head 20 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extended | stretched in a perpendicular direction (Z direction in FIG. 5), as shown in FIG. The coating head 20 is formed longer than the short direction of the metal foil M, for example. On the surface facing the metal foil M of the coating head 20, a slit-shaped coating tool 21 for discharging the active material mixture is formed. The coating tool 21 is stretched and formed in the vertical direction (Z direction in FIG. 5). Moreover, the coating tool 21 is formed in the position which can supply an active material mixture to the center part of the short direction of the metal foil M. FIG. Moreover, the supply pipe 23 connected to the coating head 20 is connected to the active material mixture supply source 22. The active material mixture is stored inside the active material mixture supply source 22, and the active material mixture can be supplied from the active material mixture supply source 22 to the coating head 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 6, the drying part 12 is plural, for example, three area | regions in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 6) of the metal foil M ( Ta, Tb, and Tc). Hereinafter, these three regions Ta, Tb, and Tc are "upstream region Ta" and "midstream region Tb" from the unwinding roll 10 side, that is, from the upstream side in the conveying direction of the metal foil M. And "downstream region Tc" may be referred to. In addition, these three regions Ta, Tb, and Tc are divided for each region where the peak emission wavelength of the LED 30 described later is different.

In addition, the drying unit 12 has a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) 30 which emit infrared rays as shown in FIG. 7. LED 30 is arrange | positioned side by side in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in FIG. 7) of metal foil M. FIG. These LEDs 30 are disposed on both sides of the metal foil M being conveyed between the unwinding roll 10 and the winding roll 13. In addition, the LED 30 is provided longer than the length of the short direction of the metal foil M in a perpendicular direction. That is, the LED 30 can emit infrared rays in the entire short direction of the metal foil M. FIG.

In addition, as described above, the drying unit 12 has three light emission wavelengths (hereinafter referred to as "peak emission wavelength") of the LED 30 of the LED 30 having the maximum light emission intensity. It is divided into four regions Ta, Tb, and Tc. Therefore, for convenience, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 6, among the plurality of LEDs 30, the LED 30 disposed in the upstream region Ta is referred to as the "upstream LED 30a" and the middle region Tb. The LED 30 disposed in the "midstream LED 30b" and the LED 30 disposed in the downstream region Tc may be referred to as "downstream LED 30c." In addition, the method of setting the peak emission wavelength of these upstream LED 30a, the midstream LED 30b, and the downstream LED 30c is demonstrated in detail later.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the drying unit 12 is disposed to face the surface of the metal foil M with the LED 30 therebetween, and reflects the infrared rays from the LED 30 to the metal foil M side. It has the reflecting plate 40. The reflecting plate 40 is extended in the vertical direction so as to cover the LEDs 30, and is extended in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in FIG. 7) of the metal foil M so as to cover the plurality of LEDs 30. The infrared rays emitted from the LED 30 to the side opposite to the metal foil M are reflected by the reflecting plate 40 and radiated to the metal foil M. FIG. In addition, this reflecting plate 40 is arrange | positioned at both sides of the metal foil M which is conveying between the unwinding roll 10 and the winding roll 13.

In the reflecting plate 40, a plurality of air supply ports 41 for supplying air to the drying region D formed between the reflecting plate 40 and the metal foil M are formed. Each air supply port 41 is provided with a supply pipe 42 for supplying air to the air supply port 41. The supply pipe 42 communicates with the air supply source 43. Air, for example, dry air, is stored in the air supply source 43. And the air supplied from the air supply port 41 into the drying area | region D flows along the surface of the metal foil M, and is exhausted from the edge part of the drying area | region D. FIG. Moreover, these air supply ports 41, the supply pipe 42, and the air supply source 43 comprise the air supply mechanism of this invention.

The control part 50 is provided in the above electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. The control part 50 is a computer, for example, and has a program storage part (not shown). In the program storage unit, a program for controlling a process for manufacturing the electrode E in the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 is stored. The program may be a computer-readable storage medium H such as a computer readable hard disk (HD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magneto optical disk (MO), a memory card, or the like. May be installed in the control unit 50 from the storage medium H.

Next, a method of setting the peak emission wavelengths of the above-described upstream LED 30a, the midstream LED 30b, and the downstream LED 30c will be described.

First, a method of setting the peak emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a will be described. 8 shows a flow for setting the peak emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a. The peak emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a is the wavelength of infrared rays in the range in which the active material mixture does not boil with respect to the thickness of the solvent in the active material mixture dried in the upstream region Ta, that is, water, and the absorption rate of infrared rays of water is The wavelength is set to the maximum. In addition, that an active material mixture does not boil means that the water in the said active material mixture does not boil.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the first correlation showing the relationship between the wavelength of the infrared light emitted from the LED 30 (the horizontal axis in FIG. 9) and the water absorption rate (the vertical axis in FIG. 9) of the water is derived in advance. . The first correlation is derived for each film thickness of water in the active material mixture (step A1 in FIG. 8). In addition, the film thickness of water is substantially the same as the film thickness of the active material mixture itself. In addition, although the film thickness of water is two types of 10 micrometers and 2 micrometers in the example shown, in fact, the 1st correlation with respect to other film thickness is also derived previously.

As shown in FIG. 10, a second correlation showing the relationship between the wavelength of the infrared light emitted from the LED 30 (the horizontal axis in FIG. 10) and the light emission intensity (the vertical axis in FIG. 10) of the LED 30 is derived in advance. (Step A1 of Fig. 8). In addition, although the wavelength of infrared rays is shown with respect to LED of 2.84 micrometers-4.45 micrometers in the example shown, the 2nd correlation with respect to the wavelength is actually derived beforehand.

11, the agent which showed the relationship between the film thickness of the water in the active material mixture (horizontal axis in FIG. 11), and the light emission intensity (vertical axis in FIG. 11) of the LED 30 when boiling of the active material mixture is started. 3 correlations are derived in advance (step A1 in Fig. 8). In FIG. 11, when the emission intensity of the LED 30 is higher than the third correlation, that is, the emission intensity of the third correlation is higher than that of the third correlation, the active material mixture is boiled. On the other hand, in FIG. 11, when the emission intensity of the LED 30 is lower than the third correlation, that is, lower than the emission intensity of the third correlation, the boiling of the active material mixture does not boil.

Then, the film thickness of the water in the active material mixture dried in the upstream region Ta is estimated (step A2 in FIG. 8). In this embodiment, the film thickness of the said water is estimated to be 10 micrometers, for example.

Subsequently, based on the film thickness of water estimated in step A2, the first correlation is used to derive the wavelength of infrared rays (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "peak wavelength") corresponding to the maximum absorption rate of infrared rays of water ( Step A3) of FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the peak wavelength with respect to the film thickness of 10 micrometers of water is 3 micrometers.

Thereafter, based on the peak wavelength derived in step A3, the second correlation is used to derive the maximum light emission intensity of the upstream LED 30a (step A4 in FIG. 8). In this embodiment, the maximum light emission intensity of the upstream LED 30a with respect to the peak wavelength of 3 µm is 1.0.

Then, based on the film thickness of the water estimated in step A2 and the maximum light emission intensity of the upstream LED 30a derived in step A4, a third correlation is used to determine whether the active material mixture is boiling (FIG. 8). Process A5).

When it is determined in step A5 that the active material mixture does not boil, the peak emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a is set to the peak wavelength derived in step A4 (step A6 in FIG. 8). That is, the upstream LED 30a uses an LED whose peak wavelength derived in step A4 is the peak emission wavelength. On the other hand, when it is determined in step A5 that the active material mixture is boiling, the process returns to step A3 described above and steps A3 to A5 are performed. Then, these steps A3 to A5 are repeated until it is determined that the active material mixture is not boiled in step A5.

In this embodiment, in step A5, the light emission intensity in the third correlation is 0.6 with respect to the film thickness of water of 10 µm. In contrast, the maximum light emission intensity of the upstream LED 30a derived in step A4 is 1.0. Therefore, the active material mixture is boiled.

Thus, in this embodiment, since it was determined that active material mixture boils in step A5, it returns to step A3. In step A3, the first correlation is used to derive the peak wavelength corresponding to the next absorption rate of the maximum absorption rate. In this embodiment, the peak wavelength is 6 µm. Thereafter, in step A4, the second correlation is used to derive the maximum emission intensity 0.5 of the upstream LED 30a with respect to the peak wavelength of 6 µm. Thereafter, in step A5, it is determined whether the active material mixture is boiling by using the third correlation. In this embodiment, the maximum light emission intensity of the upstream LED 30a is 0.5, and the active material mixture does not boil.

In this way, when it is determined that the active material mixture is not boiling in step A5, the peak emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a is set to the peak wavelength derived in step A4 (step A6 in Fig. 8). In this embodiment, the peak light emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a is set to 6 micrometers. That is, the LED whose peak emission wavelength becomes 6 micrometers is used for the upstream LED 30a.

The peak emission wavelengths of the midstream LED 30b and the downstream LED 30c are similarly set by performing the steps A1 to A6 described above. In this embodiment, the peak emission wavelength of the downstream LED 30c is set to 3 µm. In addition, the peak light emission wavelength of the midstream LED 30b is set to 4.5 micrometers which is a peak light emission wavelength larger than 3 micrometers and less than 6 micrometers.

The electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment is comprised as mentioned above. Next, the process for manufacturing the electrode E performed by the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 is demonstrated.

The metal foil M is unwound from the unwinding roll 10 and is conveyed to the application | coating construction part 11. In the coating part 11, the slurry-like active material mixture S is apply | coated to the surface of the metal foil M in conveyance from the coating head 20. FIG. At this time, by supplying the active material mixture S from the coating heads 20 and 20 disposed on both sides of the metal foil M, the active material mixture S is simultaneously applied to both surfaces of the metal foil M with a uniform film thickness. do. In addition, the active material mixture S supplied from the coating head 20 is apply | coated to the central part of the short direction of the metal foil M. FIG. In addition, by supplying the active material mixture S intermittently from the coating head 20, the active material mixture S is applied to a plurality of regions in the longitudinal direction of the metal foil M.

Thereafter, the metal foil M coated with the active material mixture S is conveyed to the drying unit 12. In the drying part 12, the active material mixture S of both surfaces of the metal foil M by radiation heating by infrared rays from the plurality of LEDs 30 and the plurality of reflecting plates 40 disposed on both sides of the metal foil M. ) Is dried. At this time, as mentioned above, the peak emission wavelength of the upstream LED 30a is 6 micrometers, the peak emission wavelength of the midstream LED 30b is 4.5 micrometers, and the peak emission wavelength of the downstream LED 30c is 3 micrometers. The active material mixture S absorbs infrared rays as much as possible without the active material mixture S boiling, and the active material mixture S is sequentially dried by the LED 30.

Moreover, in the drying part 12, the active material mixture S of both surfaces of the metal foil M by convection heating by the air supplied from the air supply port 41 into the drying area D in both sides of the metal foil M. ) Is dried. In addition, water evaporated from the active material mixture S smoothly reaches the end of the dry region D due to the air flow from the air supply port 41 generated in the dry region D to the end of the dry region D. The evaporated water is removed without being reattached to the metal foil M. In this way, the active material mixture S of both surfaces of the metal foil M is dried, and the active material layer F having a predetermined film thickness is formed on both surfaces of the metal foil M.

Then, the metal foil M in which the active material layer F was formed is conveyed by the winding roll 13, and is wound up by the said winding roll 13. Thus, a series of processes in the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 are complete | finished and the electrode E is manufactured.

According to the above embodiment, the drying unit 12 is divided into three regions Ta, Tb, and Tc, and the peak emission wavelength of the LED 30 in one region Ta, Tb, or Tc is the active material mixture. Since (S) is set to a wavelength in the range which does not boil, unevenness | corrugation is not formed in the surface of the active material layer on metal foil like conventionally, and active material layer F which has a smooth surface can be formed in uniform film thickness. have. In addition, peeling does not occur at the boundary between the metal foil M and the active material layer F. FIG. In addition, since the peak emission wavelength of the LED 30 in one region Ta, Tb, Tc is set to a wavelength at which the absorption rate of infrared rays of water is maximum, the active material mixture S can be efficiently heated and dried. have. Since the peak emission wavelength of the LED 30 is set for each region Ta, Tb, and Tc, the drying time of the active material mixture S can be shorter than before, and the length of the drying unit 12 is also reduced. You can shorten it. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the active material layer F can be formed on the surface of the metal foil M appropriately and efficiently.

Further, in the drying unit 12, radiation heating by infrared rays from the plurality of LEDs 30 and the reflecting plate 40 and convection heating by air supplied from the air supply port 41 into the drying region D are provided. Thereby, the active material mixture S on the metal foil M is dried. Thus, since two types of drying methods, radiation heating by infrared rays and convection heating by air, are used, the active material mixture S can be dried more appropriately. In addition, when the radiation heating by infrared rays is used, the infrared radiation heat is thermally conducted without depending on the distance between the LED 30 and the reflecting plate 40 and the metal foil M. FIG. Therefore, the active material mixture S can be appropriately heated without being affected by the warpage and the inclination of the metal foil M.

Moreover, in the drying part 12, the air flow from the air supply port 41 to the edge part of the drying area D can be produced in the drying area D. As shown in FIG. The evaporated water is discharged from the end of the drying region D when the active material mixture S on the metal foil M is dried by this airflow, so that the evaporated water is reattached to the surface of the metal foil M. There is no Therefore, the active material mixture S on the metal foil M can be dried more appropriately.

In addition, since the reflecting plate 40 is disposed to face the surface of the metal foil M with the LED 30 interposed therebetween, the infrared rays emitted from the LED 30 to the opposite side to the metal foil M are applied to the reflecting plate 40. Is reflected and radiated to the metal foil (M). Therefore, all the infrared rays can be used, and the active material mixture S on the metal foil M can be efficiently dried.

Moreover, in the coating part 11, since the metal foil M is conveyed in the direction which the longitudinal direction of the metal foil M becomes a horizontal direction, the active material mixture S apply | coated and applied to the surface of the metal foil M corresponds. The metal foil M does not flow to the upstream side or the downstream side in the conveying direction. In addition, since the metal foil M is conveyed in the direction in which the short direction of the metal foil M becomes a perpendicular direction, the active material mixture S can be uniformly applied to both surfaces of the metal foil M. FIG. Thus, since active material mixture S can be apply | coated appropriately in the coating part 11, active material layer F can be formed more appropriately on metal foil M. FIG.

In addition, since the metal foil M is conveyed between the unwinding roll 10 and the winding roll 13 in the direction in which the longitudinal direction becomes the horizontal direction, the height of the metal foil M can be constantly lowered, thereby producing an electrode. Maintenance of the apparatus 1 becomes easy. Therefore, the active material layer F can be efficiently formed on the surface of the metal foil M. FIG.

In the above embodiment, although the peak emission wavelength of the midstream LED 30b was set to 4.5 micrometers in the midstream region Tb, the upstream LED 30a which has a peak emission wavelength of 6 micrometers in the middlestream region Tb. And downstream LED 30c having a peak emission wavelength of 3 µm may be mixed and disposed. In this case, the upstream LED 30a and the downstream LED 30c in the midstream region Tb can be arbitrarily arranged within a range in which the active material mixture S does not boil. Specifically, the adjustment for preventing the active material mixture S from boiling may be adjusted by changing the ratio of the number of the upstream LEDs 30a and the downstream LEDs 30c, for example, or the upstream LEDs 30a, for example. ) And the downstream LED 30c may be adjusted by changing the interval. In any case, since the active material mixture S is not boiling, the active material mixture S can be appropriately dried. Therefore, the active material layer F can be appropriately formed on the surface of the metal foil M. FIG.

In addition, although the drying part 12 was divided into three area | regions Ta, Tb, and Tc in the above embodiment, the number of the area | region which divides the drying part 12 is not limited to this embodiment, It sets arbitrarily. Can be. For example, the drying unit 12 may be divided into two regions or may be divided into four or more regions. In any case, if the peak emission wavelengths of the LEDs 30 in each region are set by performing the steps A1 to A6 described above, the active material mixture S can be appropriately dried without boiling the active material mixture S. have.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the case where the solvent of the active material mixture S is water was described, but the present invention can also be applied when the solvent of the active material mixture is another material, for example, an organic solvent. In this case, according to the kind of solvent, the 1st correlation shown in FIG. 9 and the 3rd correlation shown in FIG. 11 are derived previously in process A1. And by performing process A2-A6, the peak emission wavelength of the LED 30 of the drying part 12 can be set suitably, and the active material mixture S can be dried suitably.

In the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, although the unwinding roll 10 was provided as a unwinding part, the structure of a unwinding part is not limited to this embodiment, If it is a structure which unwinds the metal foil M, various structures are taken into consideration. Can be taken. Similarly, although the winding roll 13 was provided as a winding part, the structure of a winding part is not limited to this embodiment, If it is a structure which winds up the metal foil M, various structures can be taken.

In addition, although the coating head 20 was provided in the coating part 11 of the above embodiment, the structure of the coating part 11 is not limited to this embodiment, The active material mixture is mixed on the surface of the metal foil M. In addition, in FIG. If it is the structure which can apply | coat (S), various structures can be taken.

For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the coating heads 20 and 20 were provided opposing the both sides of the metal foil M, either one of the coating heads 20 was more than the other coating head 20. It may be arrange | positioned downstream. In addition, the number of the coating heads 20 is not limited to this embodiment, The some coating head 20 may be arrange | positioned at both sides of the metal foil M, respectively.

In addition, in the coating part 11, you may apply | coat an active material mixture S to the surface of the metal foil M by the inkjet system.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the coating part 11 contacts the surface of the metal foil M, and the roller 100 which apply | coats a slurry-like active material mixture S to the said metal foil M is carried out. And the nozzle 101 for supplying the active material mixture S to the surface of the roller 100. These roller 100 and the nozzle 101 are arrange | positioned facing the both sides of the metal foil M conveying between the unwinding roll 10 and the winding rolls 13.

The roller 100 is extended in the vertical direction in the axial direction thereof, and is configured to be rotatable about the vertical axis. Moreover, the roller 100 is extended by the same length as the length of the perpendicular direction of the active material layer F formed in metal foil M, and can supply active material mixture S to the center part of the short direction of metal foil M. It is located at the position.

The nozzle 101 is also extended in the vertical direction similarly to the roller 100. Moreover, the discharge port (not shown) which is extended in a perpendicular direction and discharges the active material mixture S in the roller 100 at the surface of the roller 100 side of the nozzle 101 is provided. The discharge port is formed in the length and position which can supply the active material mixture S to the whole surface of the roller 100. FIG. In addition, a supply pipe (not shown) connected to the nozzle 101 is connected to an active material mixture supply source (not shown) similarly to the coating head 20 shown in FIG. 5.

In this case, the coating part 11 supplies the active material mixture S from the nozzle 101 to the surface of the roller 100, while the roller 100 with the active material mixture S is attached to the metal foil M. Contact the surface of the. Then, the active material mixture S adhered to the surface of the roller 100 is transferred to the surface of the metal foil M, and the active material mixture S is applied to the surface of the metal foil M.

According to this embodiment, when the active material mixture S is apply | coated to the surface of the metal foil M from the roller 100, by adjusting the distance of the surface of the said roller 100 itself and the surface of the metal foil M, The film thickness of the active material mixture S can be adjusted. Therefore, the active material mixture S can be applied to the surface of the metal foil M with a more uniform film thickness.

In the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, although the metal foil M was conveyed in the direction from which the longitudinal direction is a horizontal direction, and the short direction becomes a perpendicular direction, it is shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. Similarly, the metal foil M may be conveyed in the direction whose longitudinal direction is a horizontal direction (Y direction in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14), and whose short direction becomes a horizontal direction (X direction in FIG. 13). In this case, the unwinding roll 10 and the unwinding roll 13 are arrange | positioned at the same height. In addition, the unwinding roll 10 and the winding roll 13 are arrange | positioned in the direction which the axial direction becomes a horizontal direction (X direction in FIG. 13), respectively. Even when the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is used, the effect of embodiment mentioned above can be exhibited.

In the above embodiment, the active material layer F is formed in plural in the longitudinal direction of the metal foil M, but the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the present invention also when the electrode E having one active material layer F is formed ( 1) is useful.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, although the active material layer F was formed in both surfaces of the metal foil M in the electrode manufacturing apparatus 1, in order to form the electrode E, other processes, for example, of metal foil M Pressing and cutting are also performed. The electrode manufacturing apparatus 1 may also perform these other processes continuously between the unwinding roll 10 and the winding rolls 13.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, although the case where the electrode E of a lithium ion capacitor was manufactured was demonstrated, also when manufacturing the electrode used for an electric double layer capacitor, or the electrode used for a lithium ion battery, the electrode manufacturing apparatus of this invention. (1) can be used. In such a case, what is necessary is just to change the material of metal foil M, the material of active material mixture S, etc. according to the kind of electrode manufactured.

As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, this invention is not limited to this example. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the spirit described in the claims, and that they naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

1: electrode manufacturing apparatus
10: unwinding roll
11 coating part
12: drying part
13: winding roll
30: LED
30a: Upstream LED
30b: Midstream LED
30c: downstream LED
40: reflector
41: air supply
42: supply pipe
43: air source
50:
D: dry area
E: electrode
F: active material layer
M: Metallic Foil
S: active material mixture
Ta: upstream area
Tb: middle-class region
Tc: downstream region

Claims (15)

It is an electrode manufacturing apparatus which forms an active material layer on both surfaces of a strip-shaped base material, and manufactures an electrode,
Unwinding part which unwinds mention,
A winding unit for winding up the substrate unwound by the winding unit;
A coating portion provided between the unwinding portion and the winding portion and coating and coating an active material mixture in which an active material and a solvent are mixed on both sides of the base material;
It is provided between the said coating part and the said winding part, It has a drying part which dries the said active material mixture apply | coated by the said coating part, and forms an active material layer,
The said drying part is arrange | positioned side by side in the longitudinal direction of a base material, and has several LED which emits infrared rays,
The said drying part is divided into several area | regions from which the light emission wavelength of LED which maximizes light emission intensity differs,
The light emission wavelength of the said LED in one said area | region is the wavelength of the infrared ray of the range in which the said active material mixture does not boil with respect to the film thickness of the said solvent on the base material in the said one area | region, and the absorption rate of the infrared ray of the said solvent is It is set to this maximum wavelength, The electrode manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The electrode manufacturing apparatus of Claim 1 whose said solvent is water. The said drying part is divided into three area | regions of an upstream area | region, a midstream area | region, and a downstream area | region from the said unwinding part side,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 μm,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region is 3 μm,
The midstream region is arranged with an LED having a light emission wavelength larger than 3 µm and smaller than 6 µm. The said drying part is divided into three area | regions of an upstream area | region, a midstream area | region, and a downstream area | region from the said unwinding part side,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 μm,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region is 3 μm,
The said upstream area | region is arrange | positioned by mixing the LED of the said upstream area | region, and the LED of the said downstream area | region, The electrode manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drying unit has an air supply mechanism for supplying air between the plurality of LEDs and the substrate. The said unwinding part and the said winding-up part are arrange | positioned so that a base material may be conveyed in the direction from which the longitudinal direction of a base material is a horizontal direction, and the short direction of a base material becomes a vertical direction. The electrode manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The said electrode is an electrode used for a lithium ion capacitor, an electric double layer capacitor, or a lithium ion battery, The electrode manufacturing apparatus in any one of Claims 1-4 characterized by the above-mentioned. It is an electrode manufacturing method of manufacturing an electrode by forming an active material layer on both surfaces of the said base material, conveying a strip | belt-shaped base material between a unwinding part and a winding part,
In a coating part, the coating process which apply | coats the active material mixture which mixed the active material and the solvent to both surfaces of a base material,
Then, in a drying part, it has a drying process which dries the said active material mixture apply | coated at the said application | coating process and forms an active material layer,
The said drying part is arrange | positioned side by side in the longitudinal direction of a base material, and has several LED which emits infrared rays,
The said drying part is divided into several area | regions from which the light emission wavelength of LED which maximizes light emission intensity differs,
The light emission wavelength of the said LED in one said area | region is the wavelength of the infrared rays of the range in which the said active material mixture does not boil with respect to the film thickness of the said solvent on the base material in the said one area | region, The electrode manufacturing method characterized by setting the wavelength at which the absorption rate is maximum. The method of claim 8, wherein the solvent is water. The said drying part is divided into three area | regions of an upstream area | region, a midstream area | region, and a downstream area | region from the said unwinding part side,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 μm,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region is 3 μm,
An LED having a light emission wavelength of greater than 3 µm and less than 6 µm is disposed in the midstream region. The said drying part is divided into three area | regions of an upstream area | region, a midstream area | region, and a downstream area | region from the said unwinding part side,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the upstream region is 6 μm,
The emission wavelength of the LED disposed in the downstream region is 3 μm,
The said upstream region, the LED of the said upstream region, and the LED of the said downstream region are mixed and arrange | positioned, The electrode manufacturing method characterized by the above-mentioned. The said drying part has an air supply mechanism which supplies air between the said some LED and a base material,
In the drying step, the active material mixture is dried by radiation heating by infrared rays from the plurality of LEDs and convection heating by air supplied from the air supply mechanism. The base material in any one of Claims 8-11 with which the said coating process and the said drying process are conveyed in the direction from which the longitudinal direction of a base material is a horizontal direction, and the short direction of a base material becomes a perpendicular direction. It is performed, The electrode manufacturing method characterized by the above-mentioned. The said electrode is an electrode used for a lithium ion capacitor, an electric double layer capacitor, or a lithium ion battery, The electrode manufacturing method in any one of Claims 8-11 characterized by the above-mentioned. 12. A readable computer storage medium storing a program operating on a computer of a control unit for controlling the electrode manufacturing apparatus so as to execute the electrode manufacturing method according to any one of claims 8 to 11.

Images