Zinc electrode manufacturing
A method for manufacturing zinc negative electrodes includes mixing a powder including zinc with polytetrafluoroethylene to form a homogenous blend, injecting a lubricant into the homogenous blend to form a dough, kneading the dough to form a fibrillated dough, and extruding the fibrillated dough through a die to form a ribbon. The method also includes calendering the ribbon to a target thickness to form a plaque, drying the plaque to form an active material sheet, laminating portions of the active material sheet to a current collector substrate such that the current collector substrate is sandwiched between the portions to form an electrode blank, and sectioning the electrode blank into zinc negative electrodes.
1. A method for manufacturing zinc negative electrodes, comprising:
by an extruder configured to receive powder that includes zinc with polytetrafluoroethylene and output a continuous ribbon,
mixing the powder to form a homogenous blend
injecting a lubricant into the homogenous blend to form a dough,
kneading the dough to form a fibrillated dough, and
extruding the fibrillated dough through a die to form the continuous ribbon;
by calender rollers, calendering the continuous ribbon to a target thickness to form a continuous plaque;
by a dryer, drying the continuous plaque to form an active material sheet, wherein the continuous ribbon, continuous plaque, and active material sheet define a continuum having a ribbon portion, a plaque portion, and an active material sheet portion;
by a laminating machine, laminating portions of the active material sheet to a current collector substrate such that the current collector substrate is sandwiched between the portions to form an electrode blank; and
by a cutting machine, sectioning the electrode blank into zinc negative electrodes.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, by a folder, folding the active material sheet around the current collector substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, by a folder, folding the active material sheet around opposite edges of the current collector substrate such that opposite edges of the active material sheet overlap.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zinc is calcium zincate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zinc is zinc oxide.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zinc is metallic zinc.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current collector substrate includes a tab.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, by a heater, heating the homogenous blend, dough, or fibrillated dough.