Patent ID: 8133374

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, in which a negative electrode precursor of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is allowed to absorb lithium ions, the negative electrode precursor includes a current collector made of a conductor and a first active material layer formed on the current collector, an exposed portion is formed by making a part of the current collector be exposed, the method comprising: (A) pulling out the negative electrode precursor wound up; (B) inserting the pulled-out negative electrode precursor into a non-aqueous electrolyte solution containing lithium ions; (C) measuring a potential in a vicinity of a first reference electrode in a portion immersed in the non-aqueous electrolyte solution of the negative electrode precursor by using the first reference electrode provided in the non-aqueous electrolyte solution; (D) controlling an amount of lithium ions absorbed by the first active material layer by controlling an electric current flowing between the negative electrode precursor and a first electrode disposed facing the first active material layer and capable of releasing lithium ions in the non-aqueous electrolyte solution, based on the measured potential; and (E) winding up the negative electrode precursor treated to absorb lithium ions, wherein a length of a portion of the negative electrode precursor that is inserted in the non-aqueous electrolyte solution in a moving direction of the negative electrode precursor is at least a length of the exposed portion of the current collector in the moving direction of the negative electrode precursor in step B.