Dry particle based electro-chemical device and methods of making same

• US 20050266298A1
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Technologies Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Porter, Xi, Xiaomei, Zhong, Linda, Zou, Bin
• Application Number:
  US10/817,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/28 arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/38 Carbon pastes or blends; Binders or additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/86 specially adapted for electrodes carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0564 the electrolyte being constituted of organic materials only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0025 Organic electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0435 Rolling or calendering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/621 Binders
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/624 Electric conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/625 Carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8642 Gradient in composition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8896 Pressing, rolling, calendering membrane electrode assemblies H01M8/1004
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A dry process-based electro-chemical device and method for making a self-supporting dry electrode film for use therein is disclosed. Cost effective manufacture of electrochemical devices such as batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells is enabled.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an electrode for use in an electro-chemical device product, the process comprising the steps of:

supplying dry carbon particles;

supplying dry binder;

dry mixing the dry carbon particles and dry binder; and

dry fibrillizing the dry binder to create a matrix within which to support the dry carbon particles as a dry material.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of dry fibrillizing comprises application of sufficiently high-shear.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the high-shear is applied in a jet-mill.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein the application of sufficiently high-shear is effectuated by application of a high pressure.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the high pressure is applied as a high pressure gas.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the gas comprises oxygen.

7. The process of claim 5, wherein the pressure is greater than or equal to about 60 PSI.

8. The process of claim 6, wherein the gas is applied with a water content of less than 20 ppm.

9. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of compacting the dry material.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the step of compacting is performed after one pass through a compacting apparatus.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the compacting apparatus is a roll-mill.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein after the one pass though the compacting apparatus the dry material comprises a self supporting dry film.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the self supporting dry film comprises a thickness of less than 250 microns.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein the self supporting dry film is formed as a continuous sheet.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the sheet is at least one meter long.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry material is manufactured without the substantial use of any processing additives.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the processing additives include:

hydrocarbons, high boiling point solvents, antifoaming agents, surfactants, dispersion aids, water, pyrrolidone mineral spirits, ketones, naphtha, acetates, alcohols, glycols, toluene, xylene, and Isopars™

.

18. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of calendering the dry material onto a substrate.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the substrate comprises a collector.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein the collector comprises an aluminum foil.

21. The process of claim 18, wherein the dry material is calendered directly onto the substrate without use of an intermediate layer.

22. The process of claim 18, wherein the dry material is calendered onto a treated substrate.

23. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry binder comprises a fibrillizable flouropolymer.

24. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry material consists of the dry carbon particles and the dry binder.

25. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry material comprises between about 50% to 99% activated carbon.

26. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry material comprises between about 0% to 25% conductive carbon.

27. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry material comprises between about 0.5% to 20% fluoropolymer particles.

28. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry material comprises between about 80% to 95% activated carbon and between about 0% to 15% conductive carbon, and wherein the dry binder comprises between about 3% to 15% fluoropolymer.

29. A method of manufacturing an electrode, comprising the steps of:

mixing dry carbon and dry binder particles; and

forming a self-supporting film from the mixed dry particles without the substatial use of any processing additives.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the processing additives include:

hydrocarbons, high boiling point solvents, antifoaming agents, surfactants, dispersion aids, water, pyrrolidone mineral spirits, ketones, naphtha, acetates, alcohols, glycols, toluene, xylene, and Isopars™

.

31. An electrochemical device product, comprising:

a self-supporting film consisting of a dry mix of dry carbon and

dry binder particles.

32. The product of claim 31, wherein the dry mix is a dry fibrillized mix.

33. The product of claim 32, wherein the dry mix comprises substantially no processing additives.

34. The product of claim 32, wherein the processing additives are selected from a group consisting of:

hydrocarbons, high boiling point solvents, antifoaming agents, surfactants, dispersion aids, water, pyrrolidone mineral spirits, ketones, naphtha, acetates, alcohols, glycols, toluene, xylene, and Isopars™

.

35. The product of claim 32, wherein the dry mix is dry fibrillized by application of a high pressure.

36. The product of claim 35, wherein the high pressure is applied by a dry high pressure gas.

37. The product of claim 35, wherein the high pressure is applied by air with a dew point of between −

20 and −

40 degrees F.

38. An electrochemical device product, comprising:

one or more self supporting dry film consisting of a dry fibrillized mix of dry binder and dry carbon particles.

39. The product of claim 38, wherein the self supporting dry film is a compacted film.

40. The product of claim 38, wherein the self supporting dry film comprises a thickness of less than 250 microns.

41. The product of claim 39, wherein the self supporting dry film comprises a length of at least 1 meter.

42. The product of claim 38, wherein the self supporting dry film is coupled to a substrate.

43. The product of claim 38, wherein the mix comprises between about 50% to 99% activated carbon.

44. The product of claim 38, wherein the mix comprises between about 0% to 25% conductive carbon.

45. The product of claim 38, wherein the mix comprises between about 0.5% to 20% fluoropolymer particles.

46. The product of claim 38, wherein the mix comprises:

between about 80% to 95% activated carbon and

between about 0% to 15% conductive carbon, and

wherein the dry binder comprises between about 3% to 15% fluoropolymer.

47. The product of claim 38, wherein the self supporting film comprises no processing additives.

48. The product of claim 47, wherein the processing additives are selected from a group consisting of hydrocarbons, high boiling point solvents, antifoaming agents, surfactants, dispersion aids, water, pyrrolidone mineral spirits, ketones, naphtha, acetates, alcohols, glycols, toluene, xylene, and Isopars™

.

49. The product of claim 42, wherein the substrate comprises a collector.

50. The product of claim 49, wherein the collector comprises aluminum.

51. The product of claim 38, wherein the product comprises a collector, and wherein the dry film is positioned directly against a surface of the collector.

52. The product of claim 38, wherein the dry mix is dry fibrillized by a high-pressure gas.

53. The product of claim 51, wherein the collector comprises:

two sides, wherein one self supporting dry film is calendered directly against one side of the collector, and

wherein a second self supporting dry film is calendered directly against a second side of the collector.

54. The product of claim 38, wherein the binder comprises a thermoplastic.

55. The product of claim 53, wherein the collector is formed to comprise a roll.

56. The product of claim 55, wherein the roll is disposed within a sealed aluminum housing.

57. The product of claim 56, wherein within the housing is disposed an electrolyte, and wherein the product comprises a double-layer capacitor.

58. An electrochemical product, consisting of:

a dry fibrillized mix of dry binder and dry conductive particles formed into a continuous self supporting electrode film without the substantial use of any processing additives.

59. The product of claim 58, wherein the processing additives include

hydrocarbons, high boiling point solvents, antifoaming agents, surfactants, dispersion aids, water, pyrrolidone mineral spirits, ketones, naphtha, acetates, alcohols, glycols, toluene, xylene, and Isopars™

.

60. The product of claim 58, wherein the product is a capacitor.

61. The product of claim 58, wherein the product is a battery.

62. The product of claim 58, wherein the product is a fuel-cell.

63. The product of claim 58, wherein the conductive particles comprise a metal.

64. An electrochemical device, comprising:

a film comprising a dry fibrillized mix of dry binder and dry carbon particles, the film coupled to a collector, the collector shaped into a roll, the roll impregnated with an electrolyte and disposed within a sealed aluminum housing.

65. The device of claim 64, wherein the film comprises substantially no processing additive.

66. The device of claim 64, wherein the film consists of the dry carbon particles and the dry binder.

67. The device of claim 65, wherein the film is a long compacted self supporting dry film.

68. The device of claim 67, wherein the film comprises a density of about 0.50 to 0.70 gm/cm².

69. An electrochemical device, comprising:

dry process based electrode means for providing conductive electrode functionality in an electro-chemical device.

70. A solventless method for manufacture of an electro-chemical device electrode, comprising the steps of:

providing dry carbon particles;

providing dry binder particles; and

forming the dry carbon and dry binder particles into an electro-chemical device electrode without the use of any solvent.

71. The solventless method of claim 70, wherein the step of forming comprises intermixing the dry carbon and dry binder particles to form an electrochemical device electrode without the use of any solvent.