Parameter optimization for high speed remote laser cutting of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

To reduce carbon emission, transportation sector has adapted lithium-ion battery-based hybridization of gasoline and diesel engines due to its efficiency, the availability of technologies, and nation-wide infrastructures. To cut prismatic and cylindrical electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, die cutting and rotary knife slitting have been used. Both techniques have disadvantages such as tool wear, process instability, inconsistency of cut quality, and redesign of mechanical cutting processes due to various battery sizes. High speed remote laser cutting overcomes these disadvantages with characteristics such as contact-free process, high energy concentration, low noise level, fast processing speed, very narrow heat affected zone, applicability to nearly all materials, and flexibility of laser power. Optimization of key parameters, or power and scanning speed, has been presented for laser cutting of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. An acceptable clearance width is observed. The line energy is defined as dividing laser power by scanning speed and spot size. A good quality of cut surface, with no defects, such as delamination, burrs, edge bending, or microsized material attachments, is achieved with line energies between 0.8 × 1012 and 2.5 × 1012 J m−3 for anode and 0.31 × 1012 J m−3 and less than 3.5 × 1012 J m−3 for cathode.