Approach to evaluate handling processes of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based composite cathodes

The development of battery technology has made great advances in recent years. However, the increasing demand for electric mobility also highlights the limitations of conventional lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology, such as limited range and fast charging capability, as well as challenges related to battery safety. Among all the technology alternatives, the solid-state battery technology shows great potential to enable higher safety due to the use of non-flammable solid electrolytes instead of liquid electrolytes as well as higher energy densities by replacing the graphite anode with a lithium metal anode. In addition to the trend towards improved battery cell performance, there is also a growing need for the production of application-specific cell geometries. At the Institute of Production Science (wbk), the approach of agile cell production for conventional lithium-ion batteries is currently being investigated. In order to extend the scope of this material and format flexible approach, manufacturing processes for solid-state batteries (SSB) are being considered and further investigated. As a first objective, this work presents a concept for the evaluation of the handling processes of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based composite cathodes with a special focus on the pick-and-place process. ... mehrPEO-based composite cathodes are mechanically sensitive, with adhesive and limp characteristics. Therefore, the design of a semi-automated test rig is presented, which allows reproducible gripping, moving and placing of PEO-based composite cathode single sheets and thus stacking on pre-defined platforms. A camera system is integrated to monitor and quantify the process quality. An image processing tool is developed to determine the positioning accuracy and to detect possible damages on the electrode surface from handling. Furthermore, a concept for performing the handling tests is presented.