In the world of battery manufacturing, the process of electrode coating holds tremendous significance. In the ever-evolving landscape of electrode manufacturing, one cannot help but notice the contrasting preferences for electrode coating techniques between different regions of the world. The question arises: Is there a hidden regional preference behind the choice of coating technology? And if so, what could be the possible reasons driving these preferences? Battery electrode coating plays a pivotal role in achieving optimal battery performance and energy storage capabilities. It involves applying a thin layer of active material onto the current collector substrate in a rectangular pattern. Shaping the electrochemical performance, energy density, and cycle life of the battery is crucially dependent on the above process.

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Since energy density is still an important factor for defining the use case of cells, the coating process has been optimised to coat on both sides of the substrate. This is where the process get complicated and interesting. Just as spreading Nutella on both sides of the bread requires a delicate touch, the process of double-sided coating demands attention to detail and expertise. Achieving uniformity and consistency in the coating thickness becomes more complex compared to single-sided coating. Handling a double-sided spread requires skillful maneuvering, manufacturers must carefully manage the parameters of tension, speed, and slurry composition to ensure optimal results. This can be achieved in two ways:

Credits: Dürr

Simultaneous two-sided Coating: Simultaneous coating, also known as co-deposition or co-sputtering, involves depositing multiple active materials onto the current collector simultaneously. This technique features a straight-path product flow and utilizes a single coating station. Notably, it offers a smaller overall manufacturing footprint. The process entails applying a slot-die coating on a backing roll, immediately followed by a tensioned-web slot-die coating that simultaneously coats both sides of the foil in a single pass. To facilitate efficient drying, an air flotation dryer is employed, allowing the foil to undergo a non-contact drying process. This technique offers several advantages. It simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing the deposition of multiple layers in a single step. Simultaneous coating enables precise control over layer composition and thickness, leading to improved electrode performance and enhanced energy density. Moreover, it reduces manufacturing costs and increases production efficiency by eliminating intermediate steps.

Credits: Dürr

Tandem Coating: Tandem coating, or sequential coating, involves depositing individual active material layers onto the current collector in a sequential manner. Here we dry the first layer of active material and then use a second coating head to spread the active material on the other side. After succesfull coating of the second side, the whole subsrate and both layers of active material is passed on to a dryer again. This technique provides greater control over each layer's composition, thickness, and morphology, resulting in optimized electrode performance and battery characteristics. Tandem coating allows for the utilization of a wider range of materials and enables the development of innovative electrode designs. Let us see the main driving factors which are crucial in adopting these technologies:

Energy Consumption: In the context of energy consumption and carbon footprint, simultaneous coating stands out. The process requires fewer steps and shorter processing times, leading to energy efficiency. Additionally, the elimination of intermediate steps reduces material waste and contributes to a lower carbon footprint. As the industry focuses on sustainability and reducing environmental impact, simultaneous coating offers a compelling choice.

Regional preferences: It is interesting to note the regional preferences that have emerged in the choice of coating techniques. Asian manufacturers and legacy lines often favor tandem coating, while European and American manufacturers tend to opt for simultaneous coating. These preferences are influenced by historical manufacturing practices, equipment availability, and research focus in different regions.This streamlined approach offers advantages in terms of simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing costs, and increasing production efficiency. But why do manufacturers in these regions lean towards this technique?

One plausible explanation is the emphasis on production scalability and speed. Asian manufacturers often operate large-scale production lines that demand high throughput. Simultaneous coating allows for the deposition of multiple layers in a single step, ensuring faster production but smaller operational window and hence a lower scalability. Moreover, the compatibility of tandem coating with existing equipment and infrastructure plays a role in its adoption, as many legacy lines are already equipped for this technique.

Control and customization: Tandem coating allows for greater flexibility in optimizing each layer's composition, thickness, and morphology. This technique facilitates the integration of a wider range of materials and the development of innovative electrode designs, enabling manufacturers to fine-tune the electrochemical performance of batteries to meet specific requirements. Tandem coating is less sensitive to foil quality, making it optimized for wide foil widths. The meticulous approach of tandem coating aligns with the attention to detail and precision that Asian manufacturers have long been renowned for.

Drying Process: The drying rate during the manufacturing process has a significant impact on the performance of battery cells. Proper drying ensures the removal of solvents from the coated electrodes, enabling the formation of stable and consistent active materials. The drying rate affects the electrode's morphology, density, and porosity, which in turn influence the electrochemical performance of the battery cell. In tandem coating, the drying process can be carried out using either roll support or flotation drying methods. Roll support involves contact drying, where the coated foil comes into direct or indirect contact with a heated surface to remove the solvent. In simultaneous two-sided coating, the drying process is equally vital. After the slot-die coating on both sides of the foil, the coated foil passes through an air flotation dryer without contact.

Advent of Dry Coating: The advent of dry coating techniques introduces a significant shift in the coating process for battery electrodes, potentially eliminating the traditional drying step altogether. Dry coating methods utilize solvent-free or low-solvent slurry formulations, reducing or eliminating the need for solvent evaporation and subsequent drying. By eliminating the drying process, dry coating techniques offer several advantages. Firstly, it streamlines the production workflow, significantly reducing manufacturing time and increasing overall efficiency. Manufacturers can bypass the time-consuming and energy-intensive drying step, leading to faster production cycles and higher throughput.

LICAP’s Activated Dry Electrode: The process developed by LICAP offers significant advantages over traditional wet coating methods. The process begins by combining a blend of battery materials with a proprietary compound that activates the binder. This mixture is then fed into specialized equipment. The result of the process is a self-contained electrode film that can be directly laminated onto a current collector foil using high-speed production equipment. One of the notable advantages of the Activated Dry Electrode™ process is its technology-agnostic nature. It can be applied in the production of electrodes for various types of batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, ultracapacitors, and lithium-ion capacitors. This versatility makes the process highly adaptable and applicable across different energy storage technologies.

Maxwell Process: Maxwell’s proprietary dry coating electrode technology is works more or less in the similar fashion. It is comprised of three steps: dry powder mixing, powder to film formation and film to current collector lamination; all executed in a solventless fashion. There has been also research going on to check the feasibility when a dry powder mixture of active materials and binders is applied directly onto the current collector. The powder is evenly distributed and compressed using calendering rollers. The pressure exerted by the rollers helps to fuse the powder particles together, forming a solid and dense electrode layer. Mechanical distortions in the collector foil is the main challenge to be overcomed here.

In conclusion, regional preferences for electrode coating techniques are shaped by a combination of historical practices, technological expertise, and production considerations. The adoption of dry coating techniques for battery electrode manufacturing may initially be perceived as risky and skeptical compared to the well-established tandem and simultaneous coating methods. This skepticism arises from concerns regarding the feasibility, reliability, and performance of the relatively newer dry coating processes. While there may be initial challenges in implementing and optimizing dry coating techniques, advancements in research and development, coupled with industry experience, can help overcome these hurdles. As manufacturers invest in refining and perfecting the dry coating processes, the associated risks and skepticism can be gradually mitigated. Moreover, the growing demand for sustainable and cost-effective battery technologies presents an opportunity for the widespread adoption of dry coating methods. As the industry seeks to reduce carbon footprints, increase energy efficiency, and streamline production, the benefits of dry coating become more apparent. The recent announcements from PowerCo and Tesla substantiate the current trend.

Therefore, despite initial reservations, the battery industry should consider the long-term benefits and take calculated risks to embrace the transformative potential of dry coating in battery electrode production.

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8 Advantages of Surface Coating

hui jiang

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Aug 30, 2023

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A surface coating is used to protect the surface of an object from damage and is a form of industrial coating. Surface coatings include single-sided or double-sided coatings. Today, as material coating deposition techniques have evolved and become more economically viable, more types of materials have become suitable for surface treatment. This article discusses 8 major advantages of surface coatings to help you better understand them.

Abrasion Resistance

Abrasion-resistant coatings prevent wear and increase the durability of your product parts. It protects your parts from harsh materials and keeps their performance at the level you expect over time, extending the life of your product.

Low Friction

The surface coating reduces friction, keeping your product surfaces lubricated and preventing wear. It minimizes maintenance, extends product life, and maintains product aesthetics.

Anti-rust

Anti-rust and anti-corrosion coatings protect your products from contamination and chemicals that reduce their lifespan, extending product life.

Chemical Resistance

Surface coatings protect your products from chemicals, prevent corrosion and contamination, and prevent materials from sticking together, extending the life of your products.

Electrical Insulation

The surface coating isolates your product from passing electrical currents and prevents it from generating static electricity.

Extended life

As the rate of corrosion decreases, the life of the product substrate increases! This means that by choosing a surface coating, you can use your product for longer.

Wide range of applications

Surface coatings can be used on a variety of surfaces, including metal, plastic, wood, and more.

Aesthetics

Surface coatings create a smooth surface finish while still maintaining product integrity and improving product visibility.

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