Development of a roll-to-roll high-speed laser micro processing machine for preparing through-holed anodes and cathodes of lithium-ion batteries

Aiming to improve the battery performance of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),modification of the cathodes and anodes of LIBs using laser beams to prepare through-holes,non-through-holes or ditches arranged in grid and line patterns has been proposed by many researchers and engineers.In this study,a laser processing system attached to rollers,which realizes this modification without large changes in the present mass-production system,was developed.The laser system apparatus comprises roll-to-roll equipment and laser equipment.The roll-to-roll equipment mainly consists of a hollow cylinder with openings on its circumferential surface.Cathode and anode electrodes for LIBs are wound around the cylinder in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes.A pulsed beam reflected from the central axis of the cylinder can continuously open a large number of through-holes in the thin electrodes.Through-holes were formed at a rate of 100000 holes per second on lithium iron phosphate cathodes and graphite anodes with this system.The through-holed cathodes and anodes prepared with this system exhibited higher C-rate performance than nontreated cathodes and anodes.