Current collector for lithium ion batteries

Abstract

An improved current collector for use with lithium ion batteries includes an aluminum grid of the type used for making conventional current collectors that is plated with a layer of zinc, the outermost portion of which is oxidized to zinc oxide. The current collector is made by first cleaning an aluminum grid in an aqueous basic solution to remove its outer layer of alumina. The cleaned aluminum grid is then plated with zinc by contact with an aqueous solution of zinc oxide. The plated aluminum grid is rinsed and dried in air to oxidize the outer surface of the zinc and form an outer layer of zinc oxide. The resulting zinc-plated current collector can be made into a battery with a higher conductivity at the interface between the current collector and the electrode active materials than a battery made with a conventional aluminum current collector. It also has a rough outer surface which improves its adhesion to the polymeric layers used in constructing a plastic lithium ion battery.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.