Electrodes for Batteries and Methods for Making Same

Abstract

A method of fabricating a battery electrode includes forming a mixture including an electrode material and a binder; forming an electrode blank from the mixture; heating the electrode blank at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time to form an annealed electrode blank; and laminating the annealed electrode blank to a current collector. The current collector may include a conductive carbon coating. In such event, the method may further include heating the current collector at a selected temperature for a selected time prior to laminating the annealed electrode blank to the current collector.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for fabricating a battery electrode, the method comprising:
 forming a mixture including an electrode active material and a binder;   forming an electrode blank from the mixture;   heating a current collector having a conductive coating at a selected temperature for a selected time to form an annealed current collector; and   laminating the annealed current collector to the electrode blank.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the conductive coating includes a conductive material and a thermoplastic binder. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic binder includes a wax. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the conductive material is carbon. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the selected temperature is sufficient to reflow the conductive coating. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the selected temperature is between about 120° C. and about 300° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the selected temperature is about 280° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the selected time is between is between about 5 minutes and about 120 minutes. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the selected time is about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the selected temperature is about 280° C. and the selected time is about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the laminating step includes laminating the annealed current collector between two of the electrode blanks. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the laminating step is conducted at room temperature. 
     
     
         14 . A battery, comprising:
 a case; and   a cell stack disposed in the case, the cell stack including:
 an anode; 
 a cathode including a current collector having a conductive coating including a conductive material and a thermoplastic binder, the current collector having been annealed at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, and an electrode blank laminated to the current collector, the electrode blank including an electrode active material and a binder; and 
 a separator electrically insulating the anode from the cathode. 
   
     
     
         15 . The battery as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the conductive material is carbon. 
     
     
         16 . The battery as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic binder is a wax. 
     
     
         17 . The battery as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the cathode includes the current collector laminated between two electrode blanks. 
     
     
         18 . The battery as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the electrode blank has been annealed at a selected temperature for a selected time prior to being laminated to the current collector. 
     
     
         19 . The battery as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the current collector has been annealed to a temperature sufficient to reflow the conductive coating.