Methods and apparatuses for polymer fibrillization under electric field

Abstract

A method of fibrillizing a fibrillizable binder component of an electrode film can include providing a negatively charged fibrillizable binder component, and applying an electric field upon the negatively charged binder component to fibrillize the negatively charged fibrillizable binder component. A system for fibrillizing a binder component of an electrode film can include a mixing container made of a material having an affinity to donate electron(s) to the binder component, and an actuator configured to apply a force upon the mixing container so as to contact the mixing container with the binder component and to move the mixing container and the binder component relative to each other within a speed and range of motion sufficient to create an electrostatic force on the binder component and fibrillize the binder component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fibrillizing a binder component of an electrode film, comprising:
 providing a negatively charged fibrillizable binder component; and   fibrillizing the negatively charged fibrillizable binder component by applying an electric field upon the negatively charged fibrillizable binder component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the electric field comprises applying an electrostatic field. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing the negatively charged fibrillizable binder component comprises contacting a fibrillizable binder component with an electron donor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein contacting the fibrillizable binder component with the electron donor comprises applying an acoustic force upon the fibrillizable binder component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the electron donor comprises a mixing container of a fibrillization apparatus, wherein the mixing container is made of a material having an affinity to donate electrons to the fibrillizable binder component. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein contacting the fibrillizable binder component with the electron donor comprises applying at least one of a linear force and a rotational force upon the mixing container to displace the mixing container relative to the fibrillizable binder component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing the negatively charged fibrillizable binder component comprises contacting the fibrillizable binder component with a mixing medium. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising drying the fibrillizable binder component prior to applying the electric field upon the negatively charged fibrillizable binder component. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein drying the fibrillizable binder component comprises heating the fibrillizable binder component in a vacuum oven. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fibrillizable binder component comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.