Process for laminating components of an electrochemical cell

A process for laminating a pair of electrode sheets onto an electrically conductive support film for lithium polymer batteries, said process comprising:

• (a) routing melted electrode material through first and second series of at least two cold rollers, the first and second series of at least two cold rollers being maintained at a temperature of 12° C. or less to cool and solidify the electrode material thereby respectively forming first and second electrode sheets having a thickness ranging from 30 to 100 μm without a support films;
• the first and second electrode sheets remaining in contact with their corresponding first and second series of at least two cold rollers for a portion of the rotation of the corresponding at least two cold rollers to acquire a solid state and respectively form first and second self-supporting electrode sheets;
• (b) routing an electrically conductive support film having a first side and a second side through a nip formed by a pair of lamination rollers
• (c) routing the first self-supporting electrode sheet from the first series of at least two cold rollers to a third series of rollers defining a path leading to the nip and laminating the first self-supporting electrode sheet onto the first side of the electrically conductive support film before entering the nip formed by the pair of lamination rollers;
• and
• (d) routing the second self-supporting electrode sheet from the second series of at least two cold rollers to a fourth series of rollers defining a path leading to the nip and laminating the second self-supporting electrode sheet onto the second side of the electrically conductive support film through the nip formed by the pair of lamination rollers;
• wherein the first side of the electrically conductive support film and the first electrode sheet are heated with a heating device adapted to direct heat towards a meeting point of the first electrode sheet and the first side of the electrically conductive support film such that the first electrode sheet and the first side of the electrically conductive support film are heated simultaneously prior to laminating the first electrode sheet onto the first side of the electrically conductive support film, and the second side of the electrically conductive support film and the second electrode sheet are heated with a second heating device adapted to direct heat towards a meeting point of the second electrode sheet and the second side of the electrically conductive support film such that the second electrode sheet and the second side of the electrically conductive support film are heated simultaneously prior to entering the nip formed by the pair of lamination rollers.