Novel Manufacturing Process for High Power Laminated Lithium-Ion Batteries

Boundless proposes to show the feasibility of an entirely new manufacturing process to enable efficient long-run or short-run production of a completely new, high-power, low-cost, lithium-ion polymer battery. Boundless will work with Lithium Technology Corporation to evaluate the feasibility of adapting existing battery manufacturing equipment to permit efficient short-run production and rapid run-to-run product changeover. The new battery incorporates only the best characteristics of lithium-ion polymer batteries and liquid-electrolyte cells: low cost, flexible lightweight packaging, flat profile for optimal thermal transfer and multi-cell stacking efficiency, laminated construction for simple scaling of size and form factor, exceptional ionic conductivity (high power), wide operating temperature range and long cycle life. The new process will produce batteries with standard liquid electrolytes and industry-standard lithium-ion electrodes (carbon anodes, lithium/metal oxide cathodes) laminated together using Boundless' novel high-porosity polymeric separator material. It requires no costly and problematic extractions or gellification steps. Unlike spot-tacking lamination techniques, power is maximized since none of the electrode/separator area is sacrificed, and 80%+ porous separator increases high-rate capability in lithium-ion cells to three or more times that of cells with commercial separators. The low-cost process may be readily adapted for use with standard industry fabrication equipment.