Patent ID: 8835056
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: H01M,Y02E,Y02T,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of forming an electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery, the method comprising: combining a binder and a plurality of active particles to form a mixture; coating a surface of a substrate with the mixture to form a coated article, wherein the coated article includes the substrate and a mixture layer formed from the mixture and disposed on the surface; translating the coated article in a first direction along a first conveyor disposed parallel to a first plane; translating a first plurality of carbon fibers in the first direction along a second conveyor having an end, wherein the second conveyor is spaced apart from and disposed substantially parallel to the first plane; cutting the first plurality of carbon fibers at the end to form a second plurality of carbon fibers, wherein each of the first plurality of carbon fibers has a first average length and each of the second plurality of carbon fibers has a longitudinal axis and a second average length that is shorter than the first average length; concurrent to translating the coated article, dropping the second plurality of carbon fibers from the end onto the coated article to thereby insert the second plurality of carbon fibers into the mixture layer so that the longitudinal axis of each of at least a portion of the second plurality of carbon fibers is not parallel to the first plane so as to form a preform, wherein the second plurality of carbon fibers forms a truss structure disposed in three dimensions within the mixture layer; and heating the preform to form a cured mixture layer disposed on the surface and thereby form the electrode of the lithium ion secondary battery.