Dry-Electrode technology

Dry-electrode technology is considered the holy grail of the battery and supercapacitor manufacturing field. This status is due to the numerous significant advantages of using this type of manufacturing process.  The main advantages are derived as a result of removing the costly and toxic solvents needed in wet or ink-type manufacturing approaches. A few of these advantages include; a reduced facility capex, a reduction in facility square footprint, a reduction in energy consumption, a safer work environment, and the ability to produce and adhere thicker electrodes.

At Atlas Power Technologies Inc., we employ a team of highly skilled and experienced cell engineering professionals who are dedicated to producing the most advanced supercapacitors in the world. The photo to the right is an SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of Atlas dry-electrode film. This image shows activated carbons bound with a fibrillated binder.

The photo to the left is an SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of a traditional electrode film. This image shows activated carbons bound with conventional wet/ink-type binders and NMP (N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone).  NMP is a reproductive toxin that is toxic to the reproductive system and causes defects and or injury in both males and females. It also causes the production of physical defects and developmental effects in developing embryos. NMP can be easily absorbed into the body through the skin, ingestion, or by inhalation. 

 Atlas' manufacturing process does not use solvents, as such we eliminate the need for high energy-consuming and costly equipment such as solvent management and recovery systems. Examples of equipment eliminated by our process include electrode drying ovens, solvent-air movement and mix ducting,  air cyclone cold traps, cold trap refrigeration units, solvent pumps,  piping, and storage tanks.  

Our facility also benefits from the elimination of equipment by reducing the overall size of the facility needed for production. This size reduction further reduces energy consumption due to unneeded heating, cooling, and lighting which is required for operation. 

Additional benefits to dry-electrode manufacturing include the ability to produce thicker electrodes that would normally not be possible due to improper surface adhesion, film cracking, and separation. Thicker electrodes contribute to increased energy density and a significant reduction in battery material costs.