Electrode Device
Electrodes, electrode devices, and methods of producing electrodes and electrode devices are disclosed. An exemplary method may comprise positioning a current collector adjacent to a first electrode and, optionally, a second electrode. The method may also comprise coupling the first electrode and optional second electrode. The current collector comprises a plurality of conductive protrusions extending into the first electrode and optional second electrode to reduce the ESR of the electrode device. The first electrode and optional second electrode may, for example, comprise electrode films. The method may be used to produce electrodes and electrode devices including, but not limited to, double-layer capacitor devices, batteries, and other energy storage devices.
1 . An electrode material comprising:
a first electrode; and
a current collector disposed adjacent to and bonded to the first electrode, the current collector comprising a plurality of conductive protrusions extending in a z-direction from the current collector into the first electrode.
2 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the first electrode comprises a first electrode film.
3 . The electrode material of claim 2 further comprising a second electrode film, the current collector disposed between the first electrode film and the second electrode film.
4 . The electrode material of claim 3 wherein a second plurality of conductive protrusions extend in a z-direction from the current collector into the second electrode film.
5 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the first electrode and the current collector are bonded substantially without using an adhesive
6 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the first electrode and the current collector are bonded without using an adhesive
7 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the first electrode and the current collector are bonded by applying pressure collectively to the first electrode and the current collector.
8 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein first electrode and the current collector are bonded by applying pressure and heat to the first electrode and the current collector.
9 . The electrode material of claim 1 further comprising a non-conductive separator overlayed on the first electrode.
10 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the electrode material forms an electrode of a double-layer capacitor.
11 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of conductive particles attached to a surface of the current collector.
12 . The electrode material of claim 10 wherein the plurality of conductive particles are sprayed onto the surface of the current collector.
13 . The electrode material of claim 10 wherein the plurality of conductive particles are deposited onto the surface of the current collector.
14 . The electrode material of claim 10 wherein the plurality of conductive particles comprise aluminum particles.
15 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of needles extending from a surface of the current collector.
16 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of spikes extending from a surface of the current collector.
17 . The electrode material of claim 1 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of deformations formed in the current collector.
18 . The electrode material of claim 16 wherein the plurality of deformations are formed by embossing the current collector.
19 . The electrode material of claim 16 wherein the plurality of deformations are formed by punching the current collector.
20 . A method for producing an electrode material comprising:
positioning a current collector adjacent to a first electrode, the current collector comprising a plurality of conductive protrusions extending in a z-direction from the current collector towards the first electrode; and
bonding the current collector to the first electrode,
wherein the plurality of conductive protrusions extend from the current collector into the first electrode.
21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the first electrode comprises a first electrode film.
22 . The method of claim 20 wherein the operation of coupling the first electrode film and the second electrode film is performed substantially without using an adhesive.
23 . The method of claim 20 wherein the operation of coupling the first electrode film and the second electrode film is performed without using an adhesive.
24 . The method of claim 20 wherein each operation is a dry operation.
25 . The method of claim 20 wherein the operation of bonding comprises applying pressure to the current collector and the first electrode film.
26 . The method of claim 25 wherein the operation of bonding comprises applying heat to enhance a bond between the current collector and the first electrode film.
27 . The method of claim 20 further comprising a second electrode film, wherein the current collector is positioned between the first electrode film and the second electrode film and the current collector is bonded to the first electrode film and the second electrode film.
28 . The method of claim 27 wherein a second plurality of conductive protrusions extend in a z-direction from the current collector into the second electrode film.
29 . The method of claim 20 further comprising positioning a non-conductive separator adjacent to the first electrode film.
30 . The method of claim 20 further comprising rolling the first electrode film and the current collector onto itself.
31 . A double-layer capacitor produced according to the method of claim 20 .
32 . A double-layer capacitor device comprising:
a current collector bonded to a first electrode material, the first current collector comprising a plurality of conductive protrusions extending from the current collector into the first electrode material.
33 . The double-layer capacitor of claim 30 wherein the current collector is disposed between and bonded to the first electrode material and a second electrode material, the current collector comprising a second plurality of conductive protrusions extending from the current collector into the second electrode material.
34 . The double-layer capacitor of claim 30 wherein the current collector is bonded to the first electrode material substantially without an adhesive.
35 . The double-layer capacitor of claim 30 wherein the current collector is bonded to the first electrode material without an adhesive.
36 . The double-layer capacitor device of claim 30 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of conductive particles attached to the current collector.
37 . The double-layer capacitor device of claim 30 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of needles extending from the current collector.
38 . The double-layer capacitor device of claim 30 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of spikes extending from the current collector.
39 . The double-layer capacitor device of claim 30 wherein the conductive protrusions comprise a plurality of deformations in the current collector.
40 . The double-layer capacitor device of claim 20 wherein the first electrode material comprises an electrode film.