Method of making current collector

Abstract

A method of making a current collector includes following steps. A carbon nanotube layer is provided, and the carbon nanotube layer includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. A carbon nanotube composite layer is formed via electroplating a first metal layer on the first surface and electroplating a second metal layer on the second surface. A first carbon nanotube layer and a second carbon nanotube layer is formed by separating the carbon nanotube composite layer, wherein the first carbon nanotube layer is attached on the first metal layer, and the second carbon nanotube layer is attached on the second metal layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a current collector, the method comprising:
 providing a carbon nanotube layer comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;   forming a carbon nanotube composite layer via electroplating a first metal layer on the first surface and electroplating a second metal layer on the second surface; and   forming a first carbon nanotube layer and a second carbon nanotube layer by separating the carbon nanotube composite layer, wherein the first carbon nanotube layer is attached on the first metal layer and comprises a plurality of first carbon nanotubes, and the second carbon nanotube layer is attached on the second metal layer and comprises a plurality of second carbon nanotubes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and a plurality of apertures are defined by the plurality of carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer is a free-standing structure, and the plurality of apertures are penetrate the carbon nanotube layer along a direction of a thickness of the carbon nanotube layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are combined together through the plurality of apertures to form an integrated structure. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are formed by:
 providing a metal ions solution, wherein the metal ions solution comprises a plurality of metal ions;   immersing the carbon nanotube layer into the metal ions solution, wherein the first surface and the second surface are exposed in the metal ions solution, and the carbon nanotube layer is spaced from an electrode plate in the metal ions solution; and   applying a voltage between the carbon nanotube layer and the electrode plate, wherein the plurality of metal ions are reduced into a plurality of metal particles and coated on the first surface and the second surface.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of metal particles are continuously deposited on the first surface and the second surface, and both the first metal layer and the second metal layer are continuous structure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer is suspended in the metal ions solution. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of dangling bonds are formed on an outer surface of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes, and the plurality of metal particles are combined with the plurality of carbon nanotubes via the plurality of dangling bonds. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of metal particles are deposited into the plurality of apertures and coated on some of the plurality of carbon nanotubes that are around each of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotube films, each of the plurality of carbon nanotube films comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes oriented along a preferred orientation, and the preferred orientation in different carbon nanotube films are intersected with each other. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube composite layer is separated apart by:
 applying a first force on one surface of the carbon nanotube composite layer, and applying a second force on the other surface of the carbon nanotube composite layer, wherein the first force is opposite to the second force; and   separating the carbon nanotube composite layer by continuously applying the first force and the second force, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is divided into the first carbon nanotube layer and the second carbon nanotube layer, the first metal layer is attached on the first carbon nanotube layer, and the second metal layer is attached on the second carbon nanotube layer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first force and the second force are perpendicular with the carbon nanotube composite layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first carbon nanotube layer, the second carbon nanotube layer, and the carbon nanotube layer have the same area. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first carbon nanotubes are parallel with the first metal layer, and the plurality of second carbon nanotubes are parallel with the second metal layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer is split along a central plane between the first surface and second surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a first thickness of the first carbon nanotube layer is equal to a second thickness of the second carbon nanotube layer. 
     
     
         17 . A method of making a current collector, the method comprising:
 providing a first metal layer;   attaching a carbon nanotube layer on the first metal layer, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the first surface is attached on the first metal layer;   forming a carbon nanotube composite layer via electroplating a second metal layer on the second surface; and   forming a first carbon nanotube layer and a second carbon nanotube layer by separating apart the carbon nanotube composite layer, wherein the first carbon nanotube layer is attached on the first metal layer, and the second carbon nanotube layer is attached on the second metal layer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer defines a plurality of apertures, and the second metal layer is penetrate into the plurality of apertures and combined with the first metal layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein carbon nanotube layer is sandwiched between the first metal layer and second metal layer in the carbon nanotube composite layer. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a current collector, the method comprising:
 providing a carbon nanotube layer comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the carbon nanotube layer defines a plurality of apertures;   forming a carbon nanotube composite layer via electroplating a first metal layer on the first surface and electroplating a second metal layer on the second surface, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is sandwiched between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, and the first metal layer and the second metal layer are in direct contact with each other through the plurality of apertures and combined together; and   splitting the carbon nanotube composite layer along a central plane between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is divided into a first carbon nanotube layer and a second carbon nanotube layer; the first carbon nanotube layer, the second carbon nanotube layer, and the carbon nanotube layer have the same area; the first carbon nanotube layer is attached on the first metal layer, and the second carbon nanotube layer is attached on the second metal layer.