High speed horizontal electroforming apparatus for manufacturing metal foil and method for manufacturing metal foil

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing metal foil by electroforming. Provided is a horizontal electroforming apparatus comprising: base plate supply means for continuously supplying flexible and conductive base plates to be provided as cathode electrodes in one horizontal direction; a horizontal cell including a conductor roll which contacts a widthwise edge portion of the base plate to transfer the base plate and supply current to the base plate, anode electrodes arranged at one side of the base plate or spaced apart from each other at both respective sides of the base plate, an electrolyte supply device for supplying an electrolyte containing metal ion through a horizontal path formed by the base plates and the anode electrodes, and current supply devices arranged at one side or both sides of the base plate to supply current to the conductor roll and to the anode electrodes so as to enable electroseparation of the metal ion; and delaminating means for delaminating, from the base plate, metal foil electrodeposited at one side or both sides of the base plate.

1 . A horizontal electroforming apparatus comprising:
 a base sheet supply device configured to continuously supply a flexible and conductive base sheet functioning as a cathode in one direction;   a horizontal cell comprising conduct rolls configured to apply a current to the base sheet while making contact with lateral edges of the base sheet and moving the base sheet, anodes spaced apart from one or both sides of the base sheet, an electrolyte supply device configured to supply an electrolyte containing metal ions to a horizontal passage formed by the base sheet and the anodes, and a current supply device configured to supply a current to the conduct rolls and the anodes to cause electro-precipitation of the metal ions on one or both sides of the base sheet; and   a stripping device configured to strip metal foil electro-deposited on one or both sides of the base sheet from the base sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte supply device comprises an electrolyte supply nozzle configured to supply an electrolyte to one or both sides of the base sheet in the same direction as a moving direction of the base sheet, a direction opposite to the moving direction of the base sheet, or both directions. 
     
     
         3 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of horizontal cells are provided, and the plurality of horizontal cells are arranged linearly, in a moving direction of the base sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat treatment device configured to perform a heat treatment such as induction heating, atmosphere heating, or direct heating on the metal foil electro-deposited on the base. 
     
     
         5 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stripping device comprises a plurality of rollers capable of causing a difference in shear force between the base sheet and the metal foil. 
     
     
         6 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the anodes has a thickness decreasing from a center to edges thereof in a width direction of the base sheet. 
     
     
         7 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an edge mask is disposed in the horizontal cell to prevent electro-precipitation of metal ions on the lateral edges of the base sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the anodes is divided into a plurality of sub electrodes in a width direction or in a moving direction of the base sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sub electrodes have different sizes. 
     
     
         10 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein different currents are supplied to the sub electrodes. 
     
     
         11 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the electrolyte supply nozzle is inclined or curved to supply an electrolyte in a electrolyte-flow direction. 
     
     
         15 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein at least an end portion of the electrolyte supply nozzle is separable, to supply an electrolyte in forward and backward directions relative to the moving direction of the base sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The horizontal electroforming apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the end portion has a sectional shape similar to the shape of a de Laval nozzle. 
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing metal foil, the method comprising:
 supplying an electrolyte containing metal ions to a surface of a flexible and conductive base sheet which functions as a cathode and is horizontally fed in one direction;   forming an electro-deposition layer on one or both sides of the base sheet through electro-precipitation of the metal ions of the electrolyte on one or both sides of the base sheet, the electro-precipitation of the metal ions being caused by the base sheet and anodes spaced apart from one or both sides of the base sheet; and   stripping the electro-deposition layer from the base sheet as metal foil.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein one or both sides of the base sheet are coated with oxide films. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the stripped metal foil is heat-treated at 300° C. to 600° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the electrolyte is supplied to a horizontal passage formed between the base sheet and the anodes in the same direction as a moving direction of the base sheet and a direction opposite to the moving direction of the base sheet. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein different electrolytes are supplied to both the sides of the base sheet. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein prior to the stripping of the electro-deposition layer, the method further comprises: secondarily supplying an electrolyte; and secondarily forming an electro-deposition layer. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein different electrolytes are supplied in the supplying of the electrolyte and the secondary supplying of the electrolyte. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the metal foil has a multi-layer structure.