A new electron-curing system has demonstrated a high-speed, solvent-free production process for powerful battery electrodes at industrial scale. The production process, operated by Kodak Co. (Rochester, N.Y.; www.kodak.com) using the RaiCure™ platform developed by Ateios Systems Inc. (Newberry, Ind.; www.ateios.com), achieves an electrode coating speed of 80 m/min — nearly three times faster than the current industry standard. “The RaiCure™ platform uses electron curing, a process similar in concept to ultraviolet-light curing, but much faster, more efficient and with less complex formulations. Instead of relying on toxic solvents and long-drying ovens, the active battery material is mixed with a liquid binder that hardens instantly when exposed to a controlled beam of electrons. Because electron curing happens in microseconds instead of hours, as with thermal curing, the coating line can move at exceptional speeds,” says Rajan Kumar, CEO and founder of Ateios Systems.
Source: Aetios Systems
Beyond the recent Kodak demonstration, Kumar notes that Ateios’ technology has been demonstrated at speeds exceeding 300 m/min at a U.S. Dept. of Energy laboratory. Unlike other electrode-coating processes, RaiCure™ requires no fluorinated binders and solvents. Also, since it depends on light rather than heat, as much as 96% less energy is consumed. And because the process enables thicker overall electrode coatings in a shorter timespan, the resulting electrodes can have up to 50% higher energy density. The technology is compatible with a wide range of battery chemistries, including lithium cobalt oxide, nickel manganese cobalt, lithium iron phosphate and so on.
“The process supports both cathode and anode fabrication on aluminum or copper foils. Because no solvents are used, it also avoids impurities introduced during drying or solvent recovery. Current data show no major material limitations, though extremely moisture-sensitive or highly insulating powders may need formulation adjustments to ensure uniform curing. The process can drop into existing coating systems with the ovens essentially turned off, or it can eliminate them entirely,” explains Kumar.
In addition to Ateios’ contract manufacturing with Kodak, the company reports that commercial adoption is underway with several other manufacturers. “The Kodak pilot line in New York represents the first industrial-scale deployment of Ateios’ RaiCure™ technology. Kodak’s legacy in precision thin-film coating made its facilities ideal for adapting electron-curable battery production without major retooling, supporting rapid commercialization,” adds Kumar. At the Battery Show North America last month, Ateios was awarded the prize for top Battery Manufacturer of the Year.
The next steps for Ateios include expanding to gigascale production and advancing planned sites in Europe and Asia. Further optimization will enable even thicker electrodes and support higher-energy chemistries.
The company is also preparing to announce a demonstration that can reverse the harden of the polymers to enable rapid electrode delamination for end-of-life recycling, says Kumar. Considering that nearly 60% of the costs for battery materials comes from the mining, the ability to rapidly repurpose batteries into a circular supply chain will help us keep up demand and provide additional cost savings.