초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for treating a cathode material provided on a surface of a continuous thin-film substrate and a treated thin-film cathode having increased smoothness are disclosed. A web of untreated cathode material is moved between a feed mechanism and a take-up mechanism, and passed throu

An apparatus and method for treating a cathode material provided on a surface of a continuous thin-film substrate and a treated thin-film cathode having increased smoothness are disclosed. A web of untreated cathode material is moved between a feed mechanism and a take-up mechanism, and passed through a treatment station. The web of cathode material typically includes areas having surface defects, such as prominences extending from the surface of the cathode material. The surface of the cathode material is treated with an abrasive material to reduce the height of the prominences so as to increase an 85 degree gloss value of the cathode material surface by at least approximately 10. The web of cathode material may be subjected to a subsequent abrasive treatment at the same or other treatment station. Burnishing or lapping film is employed at a treatment station to process the cathode material. An abrasive roller may alternatively be used to process the web of cathode material. The apparatus and method of the present invention may also be employed to treat the surface of a lithium anode foil so as to cleanse and reduce the roughness of the anode foil surface.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What we claim is:] [1.]1. A thin-film cathode prepared by a process comprising:providing a thin-film substrate having a coating of cathode material disposed thereon, the cathode material comprising an oxide, conductive carbon, and a binder, some of the cathode material including defects protruding

[ What we claim is:] [1.]1. A thin-film cathode prepared by a process comprising:providing a thin-film substrate having a coating of cathode material disposed thereon, the cathode material comprising an oxide, conductive carbon, and a binder, some of the cathode material including defects protruding from a surface of the cathode material;moving the thin-film substrate between a feed mechanism and a take-up mechanism; andtreating the cathode material surface at a treatment station with an abrasive material to reduce a height of the defects, the cathode material surface of the thin-film cathode having an 85 degree gloss value of at least about 22.