System and method of fabricating an electrochemical device

Abstract

A solventless system for fabricating electrodes includes a mechanism for feeding a substrate through the system, a first application region comprised of a first device for applying a first layer to the substrate, wherein the first layer is comprised of an active material mixture and a binder, and the binder includes at least one of a thermoplastic material and a thermoset material, and the system includes a first heater positioned to heat the first layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A solventless system for fabricating electrodes comprising:
 a first application region comprising a first device for applying, via a dry dispersion application, a first layer to a substrate comprising a current collector material, wherein the first layer comprises an active material mixture, a binder, and a conductive material; and   a first heater configured to heat the first layer and/or the substrate during and/or after application of the first layer to the substrate to bind the first layer to the substrate, wherein the first heater is a radiant heater.   
     
     
         2 . The solventless system of  claim 1  further comprising a mechanism for feeding the substrate through the system. 
     
     
         3 . The solventless system of  claim 2  wherein the mechanism for feeding the substrate is a roller assembly that comprises at least one mandrel used to compress the substrate after the first layer has been applied thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The solventless system of  claim 1  wherein the first heater is configured to heat a first surface of the substrate that is opposite a second surface of the substrate to which the first layer is applied. 
     
     
         5 . The solventless system of  claim 4  wherein the first heater is configured to heat the first surface of the substrate within the first application region and while the first device applies the first layer to the second surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The solventless system of  claim 4  wherein the first heater is configured to heat the first surface of the substrate after the first layer is applied to the second surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The solventless system of  claim 4  comprising:
 a second heater positioned to heat the first layer after the first layer is applied to the second surface of the substrate; 
 a second application region comprising a second device for applying, via a dry dispersion application, a second layer to the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises the active material mixture and the binder; and 
 a third heater configured to heat the second layer. 
 
     
     
         8 . The solventless system of  claim 7  comprising a third device positioned within the first application region, the third device configured to apply a third layer to the first surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The solventless system of  claim 1  wherein the first device applies the first layer to each of opposing sides of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The solventless system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one grounding wire that is electrically coupled to the substrate when the first device applies the first layer to the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . A solvent-free method of manufacturing an electrode comprising:
 applying, via a first device in a first application region, a first layer comprising an active material mixture, a binder, and a conductive material to a substrate comprising a current collector material via a dry dispersion application; and   heating the first layer and/or the substrate with a first heater during and/or after application of the first layer to the current collector to bind the first layer to the current collector, wherein the first heater is a radiant heater.   
     
     
         12 . The solvent-free method of  claim 11  further comprising feeding the substrate through a feed mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The solvent-free method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 heating the first layer with a second heater; 
 applying to the first layer, via a second device located in a second application region and using a dry dispersion application, a second layer comprising an active material mixture, a binder, and a conductive material that are independently controlled from amounts of the active material mixture, binder, and conductive material in the first layer; and 
 heating the second layer with a third heater. 
 
     
     
         14 . The solvent-free method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 heating the substrate on a first side of the substrate with the first heater; and 
 applying the first layer on a second side of the substrate that is opposite the first side simultaneously with heating the substrate on the first side. 
 
     
     
         15 . The solvent-free method of  claim 11  wherein the dry dispersion application comprises a powder coating application. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising instructions which when executed by a computer cause a processor to:
 cause a first device in a first application region to apply a first layer onto a substrate comprising a current collector material via a dry dispersion method, the first layer comprising an active material mixture, a binder, and a conductive material; and   cause a first heater comprising a radiant heater to apply heat to the substrate and/or the first layer, the first heater configured to heat the substrate and/or the first layer during and/or after application of the first layer to the substrate to bind the first layer to the substrate.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the computer program instructions further cause the processor to cause a feed mechanism to feed the substrate through an electrode fabrication system. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the computer program instructions further cause the processor to:
 cause a second heater to apply heat to the first layer; 
 cause a second device in a second application region to apply a second layer onto the first layer via a dry dispersion application, the second layer comprised of an active material and a binder; and 
 cause a third heater to apply heat to the second layer. 
 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the computer program instructions further cause the processor to cause the first heater to apply heat to the substrate at the same time the first device is applying the first layer onto the substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the computer program instructions further cause the processor to cause the first heater to apply heat to the substrate after the first device applies the first layer onto the substrate.