Aluminium Conference | Dongyangguang's Solar Cell Aluminum Foil, One-Tenth the Thickness of a Human Hair, Set for June Production
Recently, at the Dongyangguang Battery Foil Co., Ltd. production workshop in Yidu City, several large rolling mills sprawl across the floor resembling train engines. A bridge crane carefully placed the ingot into the rolling mill, and within minutes, thin double-zero foil emerged from the production line. Li Hongxing, the Deputy General Manager of Dongyangguang Battery Foil Co., Ltd., stated that they are currently producing double-zero foil, which is as thin as 0.006 millimeters, equivalent to one-tenth the thickness of a human hair. This process lays the technical groundwork for subsequent production of battery aluminum foil.
As reported by the Aluminium Conference, battery aluminum foil is a crucial material in new energy power batteries and energy storage batteries, mainly used as the cathode current collector and in aluminum-plastic films. It plays a significant role in influencing the battery's charge and discharge efficiency. "Battery aluminum foil, being thinner than double-zero foil, requires multiple rolling passes to ensure the material is more uniformly thin. This physical rolling process, although seemingly straightforward, requires exceptionally high quality and technical precision," explained Li Hongxing. Currently, fewer than ten manufacturers in China can produce battery aluminum foil at a large scale, particularly challenging is achieving more than a 60% yield rate, a significant hurdle for the industry's growth. The market demands battery aluminum foils of various sizes, from the size of a fingernail to A4 paper. These foils must meet stringent standards for quality, flatness, tension, and tensile strength, with absolutely no surface imperfections allowed.
With over two decades of experience in the aluminum foil materials industry, Dongyangguang's technical team has systematically addressed these challenges. Their battery aluminum foil can now be produced as thin as 0.0045 millimeters. "Thanks to earlier technological adjustments and enhancements in equipment accuracy, Dongyangguang's battery aluminum foil yield rate is anticipated to exceed 60%, positioning it as a leader in the industry," Li added.
In the sprawling 50,000 square meter facility, rolling mills operate at full speed. Since the start of trial production in late October last year, six rolling mills have been launched, along with associated equipment such as slitting machines, annealing furnaces, and grinding machines, all contributing to a complete aluminum foil production line. Additionally, three imported rolling mills are currently being installed. Weighing approximately 300 tons, these machines require over 20 standard containers and two oversized containers for transport, with a nine-meter-deep basement built underground for auxiliary equipment. This colossal machine can continuously produce 1,200 meters of aluminum foil per minute, with widths ranging from 900 millimeters to 1,700 millimeters.