In-line monitoring of a multi-stage drying process for battery electrodes: vol. 1—applying methods of scattered light measurement

Abstract The drying process of battery electrodes is a crucial and expensive step in the battery manufacturing process as it significantly impacts the performance of the final cell. One major challenge is minimising high scrap rates, which has a marked impact on material efficiency and production costs. One approach is to utilise additional in-line sensors to detect and prevent defects at an early stage. Established sensor technology has been employed primarily to measure parameters prior to and subsequent to the drying process. The objective of this study is to examine the potential of a scattered light sensor for monitoring the electrode surface during drying for the first time. The sensor’s ability to detect surface roughness during drying was demonstrated in initial experiments. Further extensive investigations successfully determined the characteristic point of the onset of pore emptying by the sensor. The results suggest that in-line deployment of the scattered light sensor can be highly beneficial, particularly for multi-stage drying processes. On one hand, the sensor serves as a tool for the straightforward configuration of a multi-stage drying process, and on the other hand, for the in-line utilisation of the sensor with the aim of quality assurance.