Process for the preparation of collectors-electrodes for the thin film cell, collectors-electrodes assemblies and cells obtained

• US 5,423,110 A
• Filed: 09/17/1992
• Issued: 06/13/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Quebec (Province of Québec)
• Original Assignee: Hydro-Quebec (Province of Québec)
• Inventors: Gauthier, Michel, Vassort, Guy, St-Amant, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Springer, David B.
• Application Number:
  US07/945,899
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 29/2, 427/124, 427/404
• US Class Current: 29/2
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/64 Carriers or collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/82 Multi-step processes for manufacturing carriers for lead-acid accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/10 with wound or folded electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/10 Battery-grid making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12201 Width or thickness variation or marginal cuts repeating longitudinally

Abstract

Metallization by deposit under vacuum of metal on a face of a support film of synthetic resin at a thickness of 0.005 to 0.1 micron, followed by the electrochemical deposit of an additional metallic layer, whose thickness is between 0.1 and 4 microns. A coating of an electrode of a generator is then applied on the surface of the collector thus prepared. The assembly is characterized by the adhesion of its components and its facility of mechanized handling during the steps of assembling the complete generator.

Claims

1. Process for the preparation of a collector-electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte electrochemical cell comprising the following steps:

metallization by deposit under vacuum, of one metal, on one face of an insulating plastic support film which is about 1 to 30 microns thick, the metal deposited having a thickness adjusted between about 0.005 and 0.1 micron in order to give a metallized film having a sufficient electronic conductivity to initiate a uniform electrochemical deposit said metal being selected from copper, nickel, iron, molybdenum, chromium, carbon, zinc silicon or gold;

electrochemical deposit, of at least one additional metallic layer, of a total thickness between 0.1 and 4 microns, on the surface of the metallized film, the metal of the additional deposited metallic layer being selected from nickel, iron, chromium, molybdenum and alloys thereof and for its compatibility with the corresponding electrode of the cell;

laminating or forming a film of an anode or cathode of the cell or projecting or wetting molten material of the electrode of the cell on at least a portion of the surface of the supported anode or cathode collector thus constituted so as to cause adhesion of the material of the electrode to the supported collector film.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the metallization by deposit under vacuum is carried to continuously.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemical deposit is carried out continuously.

4. Process according to claim 1, wherein the process of metallization under vacuum is selected from the processes of simple or assisted thermochemical vaporization.

5. Process according to claim 4, wherein the metallization under vacuum is carried out by cathodic pulverization or electron beam.

6. Process according to claim 1, wherein he insulating support film is a synthetic resin selected for its compatibility with the environment of a cell including electrodes operating through alkali or alkali-earth ions.

7. Process according to claim 1, wherein the surface resistance of the metallization metals varies between 0.1 and 10 Ω

/square.

8. Process according to claim 1, wherein the metallization metal is selected from copper, gold, or silver.

9. Process according to claim 8, wherein the surface resistance of said metal varies between 0.1 and 10 Ω

/square.

10. Process according to claim 1, in which the electrochemical deposit covers only partially the surface of the insulating film support.

11. Process according to claim 10, which comprises leaving a non-conductive lateral margin representing less than 10% of the width of the insulating support film.

12. Process according to claim 10, wherein the partial covering of the surface is obtained by processes selected from the utilization of lateral masks during metallization or by processes based on the removal of the electrochemical deposit.

13. Process according to claim 12, wherein the removal of the electrochemical deposit is carried out by laser machining, or flashing.

14. Process according to claim 1, which comprises providing non-conductive bands on said support film by local removal of the electrochemical deposit before applying an electrode on the surface of the supported collector by means of laser processes, or flashing.

15. Process according to claim 1, in which the material of the electrode applied on the supported collector consists of lithium or a lithium based anode.

16. Process according to claim 1, in which the insulating support film is based on polypropylene or polyethylene.

17. Process according to claim 1, in which the material of the electrode applied on the supported collector consists of a cathode or a composite anode bound by the polymer electrolyte of the cell.

18. Process according to claim 17, in which the application of the coating of the cathode or the composite anode is obtained by processes of distribution in the form of solution or melted product or by a process of transfer of an adhesive film of a cathode or an anode already prepared.

19. Process according to claim 15, which comprises incompletely covering the non-conductive lateral margin of the insulating film support.

20. Process according to claim 19, which comprises incompletely covering the surface of the collector in order to define a lateral conductive margin enabling the application of a lateral contact on the edge of the deposited metal rather than on the material of the electrode itself.

21. Process according to claim 1, in which he metallized support film is transversely interrupted by non-conductive sections obtained by a local demetallization of the metallized deposit before the step of electrochemical deposit, said demetallization being obtained by removal of the metallized deposit.

22. Process according to claim 1, in which the demetallization is obtained by removal of the metallized deposit by laser machining, or flashing.