Fukuda Develops High Tensile Copper Foil for Next Generation Li-ion Battery

Kyoto headed metal foil and powder maker, Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder developed electrolytic copper foil for lithium ion (Li-ion) battery, which represents twice tensile strength compared with conventional foil. High tensile strength copper foil is expected to be used inside next generation high capacity Li-ion battery, which is adopted to electric vehicles or mobile tools. The firm plans to start sample shipment of new copper foil one after another.

Fukuda’s new electrolytic copper foil represents 690 MPa tensile strength under normal temperature, more than double of conventional copper foil’s 334 MPa. Higher tensile strength contributes to better capacity maintenance at charge-discharge cycle test than conventional copper foil.

Standard thickness is 10 or 15 micrometers while Fukuda is able to supply thinner copper foil with high tensile strength. The firm also addresses customers’ needs for wide size or surface treatment.

Copper foil is used as cathode collector of Li-ion battery, bonded with active material such as carbon based composite. High adherence is required for collector and active material.

For next generation high capacity Li-ion battery, silicon based composite may be adopted as new active material. Silicon based composite requires high tensile strength for copper foil collector to keep adherence.