Wound separator, wound separator manufacturing method, electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus, and electrode assembly manufacturing method

A method of manufacturing a wound separator, the method comprising:

• introducing a first mixture including a first diluent and a first polymer resin into an extruder, followed by extrusion and cooling to obtain a first unstretched sheet;
• introducing a second mixture including a second diluent and a second polymer resin into an extruder, followed by extrusion and cooling to obtain a second unstretched sheet;
• stacking the first unstretched sheet and the second unstretched sheet to obtain an unstretched stacked sheet;
• first stretching the unstretched stacked sheet in a first direction to obtain a first stretched stacked sheet;
• second stretching the first stretched stacked sheet in a second direction to obtain a second stretched stacked sheet;
• extracting the first and second diluents from the second stretched stacked sheet to obtain a stacked separator in which a first separator and a second separator are stacked;
• and
• winding the stacked separator obtained in the extracting.

A method of manufacturing a wound separator, the method comprising:

• introducing a third mixture including a third diluent and a third polymer resin into an extruder, followed by extrusion and cooling to obtain a third unstretched sheet;
• introducing a fourth mixture including a fourth diluent and a fourth polymer resin into an extruder, followed by extrusion and cooling to obtain a fourth unstretched sheet;
• first stretching the third unstretched sheet and the fourth sheet, respectively, in a first direction to obtain a first stretched third sheet and a first stretched fourth sheet;
• second stretching the first stretched third sheet and the first stretched fourth sheet, respectively, in a second direction to obtain a second stretched third sheet and a second stretched fourth sheet;
• extracting the third diluent and the fourth diluent from the second stretched third sheet and the second stretched fourth sheet, respectively, to obtain a third porous polymer substrate and a fourth porous polymer substrate;
• applying and drying a third inorganic heat-resistant layer-forming slurry including third inorganic particles and a third binder polymer on at least one surface of the third porous polymer substrate to form a third inorganic heat-resistant layer;
• applying and drying a fourth inorganic heat-resistant layer-forming slurry including fourth inorganic particles and a fourth binder polymer on at least one surface of the fourth porous polymer substrate to form a fourth inorganic heat-resistant layer;
• and
• stacking and winding the third porous polymer substrate on which the third inorganic heat-resistant layer is formed and the fourth porous polymer substrate on which the fourth inorganic heat-resistant layer is formed.

An electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus comprising:

• a wound separator in which two or more layers of separators are stacked and wound;
• a separator supply configured to individually separate and supply the two or more layers of separators from the wound separator;
• a first electrode supply configured to supply a first electrode;
• a second electrode supply configured to supply a second electrode;
• and
• a winder configured to individually stack and wind each separator separated and supplied by the separator supply, between the first electrode and the second electrode and on an outer side of the first electrode or the second electrode.

A method of manufacturing an electrode assembly, the method comprising:

• separating two or more layers of separators individually from a wound separator in which two or more layers of separators are stacked and wound;
• supplying the separators individually separated in the separating;
• supplying a first electrode;
• supplying a second electrode;
• and
• stacking and winding the separators individually separated in the separating, between the first electrode and the second electrode and on an outer side of the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.